Smartphones—gotta have one

For better or worse, more Americans now have smartphones and tablets than ever before—even as ownership of other technological devices has slowed or even declined. According to Pew Research Center, 68 percent of U.S. adults own a smartphone and 45 percent have a tablet computer. Further, in some groups, smartphones are nearly ubiquitous: 86 percent of adults ages 18 to 29 have one, as do 87 percent of people living in households that earn upward of $75,000 annually. Meanwhile, the number of American adults who own e-book readers has declined markedly, from 32 percent in late 2014 to 19 percent now, while ownership of game consoles and standalone MP3 players—features offered by all-purpose smart devices—has flatlined at about 40 percent over the last few years.