Study reveals 47 per cent of Australians own a tablet as 3.3 hours a day is spent online outside work

CAST your mind back five years and tell what would you be doing for almost three-and-half-hours a day outside work. Australia, we’re addicted.

NEARLY half of all Australians now own a tablet with new report showing we are on “the cusp of a new digital revolution” of the connected consumer.

Research group TNS today released a preview of the world’s international biggest study of digital behaviour with figures showing 46 per cent of Australians now own a tablet and 75 per cent own a smartphone.

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TNS Australia executive director Alistair Leathwood said the complete TNS global study, which involved 55,000 interviews with people in 50 countries, would be released later this month.

The local snapshot released today shows Australians own 4.8 digital devices and spend 3.3 hours a day online for personal interests outside of work duties.

As tablets have become mainstream in just four years, the report shows the digital take-up has started to turn the smarthome from an aim into a reality.

One in five Australians report they already connect to a device in their home using a mobile device, with nearly twice as many saying they plan to follow suit in the next year.

By 2015, the TNS research says, 47 per cent of Australians could be using their tablets or smartphones to operate devices in their home.

Gadget lovers ... research shows that tablet ownership in Australia is now mainstream.

Mr Leathwood said Australia’s love affair with technology put it in the top 10 countries in the world for connectivity.

“For about a third of Australians, the first thing they do in the morning and the last thing they do at night is to go online,” he said.