A more wired nation

The Internet is becoming more central to daily life for more Americans, according to a new survey released yesterday by the Pew Internet & American Life project.

The researchers identified eight distinct groups of technology users, ranging from Young Tech Elites (who flock to wireless) to Low-Tech Elderly (who prefer "old media"), providing a potentially useful framework for future discussion.

Many of the findings seem to confirm things you already suspected -- like not many people are paying for online content. But a couple are worth noting:

• 31 percent of the population constitute a "technology elite" -- early adopter types for whom digital technology isn't just commonplace but essential
• Computers and the Internet are becoming the media of choice for everyone, with most saying it would be harder to give up their computers than their telephones or TVs.
  

On a related note, CBS MarketWatch notes that more seniors are going online now -- users aged 65 and older increased by 25 percent this year -- but people who build Web sites (cough, cough) aren't meeting their needs.