How do you access the internet???
 

I intentionally made this a forced choice poll; in other words, you have to choose the one primary way that you access the internet. I started out using desktops, and switched to a laptop several years ago. While I enjoyed the portability, I opted to return to a desktop recently; and the laptop text and graphics now seem soooo small. By contrast, my new 21.5" Mac desktop seems akin to sitting in the front row at the movie theater. I've yet to enter the Smartphone realm and still use a flip phone. How about you? What is the primary way that you access the internet???

You forgot wrist watch.

Thanks for pointing that out. That would fall under "Other." To many of us oldsters, the concept of using a wrist watch for communication harkens back decades to memories of Dick Tracy's wrist radio and still falls under the heading of science fiction. In addition, I personally can't imagine my 70 year old eyesight and sausage fingers using a watch for communication. However, I should say that I continue to wear a wristwatch for actually telling time...

I chose "other" because 90% of the time I use an iPad.

Mea culpa. I own and use an iPad myself - so much for a 70 year-old memory...

iPad mostly, then desktop.

Well, I clicked laptop; but it's not exactly.

I use a lenovo in a docking station, hooked to 2 24" monitors normally.

You forgot to include an option for "all of the above". Depending on where I am, I use a desktop, laptop, or one of a couple iPads. And on occasion I even use my smartphone, but generally find it smaller than I like, even thought it's a pretty large phone...

That was an intentional omission because I wanted to see what was the primary way that folks access the internet. Like you, I use a laptop, iPad and now my Mac desktop. In other words, if you had to choose one way and forsake the rest, what would you choose???

Apple handles this best where it's aided more by the Series 4 and 5 watches with 30% more screen in the same basic shape. That's not saying others don't work but I don't find the round screen as good. Apple's clearly the leader at chip level and polished software. Google and Samsung appear to be working at catch up.

As a baby boomer, yes it is rather Dick Tracy and other stuff in our childhood stories.

I'm an enterprise IT admin so how I access the Internet is complicated, nearly always, makes my job easier, and at times makes it a living nightmare. It's also how we process all our payments, logistics, a substantial web order business, and vital for 750ish employees. It's kind of funny that I generally have late generation tech stuff but not with the games and fun stuff others have. I just started using our Netflix account recently.

The watch lets me leave the phone home for a run in the neighborhood or escape. I was just outside the US where the watch cellular didn't work so missed some alarms and had to carry the phone more during business hours.

For those with an iPhone not familiar with the watch, you get good notifications, alarms, app function and a very workable way to respond to some messages. A Series 4 and 5 are also FDA approved ECG devices with alarms for fall detection and some heart issues that work. I've had two incidents when fall detection when off that I could respond to that were also comforting knowing they'd have called my wife or 911 if I did not respond.

Something else that's very interesting is my new physician is among those who respect and value the health and activity data the watch and phone collect. Not all physicians feel that way.

The way the watch handles navigation is also a better mouse trap. The vibration on your wrist is less distracting than looking at your car or phone display. Those notifications prompt me to look at signs and my surroundings in move of an old fashioned way than looking at another screen.

On old eyes and fat fingers, scrolling through contacts and basics work even when I have my distance only contacts or sunglasses - that from one of the world's most far sighted sets of eyes.

The robot (watch) is also a better nudge than my wife, mother or kids. I've not moved my belt hole in the winters since I've had one.

My wife and I thought we'd never like the wearables thing. If my watch died in the next hour I'd be at the Apple or Verizon stores when they open for its replacement.

:)

Then I'd say phone. Last year I got the large screen flagship phone that's also software or dual SIM. I'm set up with two factor authentication and rely on some apps for the Cisco and Microsoft platforms that are enterprise foundations. The phone is my hotspot for laptop when the phone screen or apps won't do what I need. The phone is where I manage my mail boxes. Voice calls are still a thing in my work now with conventional telephony plus Microsoft Teams becoming the most common voice calls in our enterprise.

Back to the Dick Tracy comment, with wireless earbuds, the phone is seamless whether it's Internet, voice calls, music, alarms or radio. With Teams it's also a walkie talkie. In the 1990s I was in a team that demonstrated and supported beta products and future products from Apple, Intel, Cisco, Adobe, Kodak & IBM. I knew we'd get where we are.

Other: Android tablet.

I use the Internet for many other means besides "browsing" - which I prefer to do on a laptop. By "other" uses of the Internet, I...

- text/iMessage
- email
- share/upload photos and videos
- watch or broadcast livestreams
- collaborate with my wife and colleagues via shared scheduling software
- listen to podcasts
- listen to iTunes
- listen to Pandora
- watch YouTube
- use as a GPS

For all that I use my iPhone, and I rely heavily on speech to text for the hands-free aspects. I love being able to say "hey Siri" for sending (but not proofreading) text messages to tell people I'm on my way and having the GPS up in order to give an ETA.

BTW, little by little my home is also becoming connected. I have a pair of Amazon echoes that I use to:
- play Pandora,
- play podcasts
- use as an intercom
- use to place hands-free phone calls
- as bluetooth speakers for my smart TV (which I in turn use in conjunction with gaming consoles to watch DVD/BlueRay, YouTube or NetFlix)

Desk top because my little office is built araind it , but downstairs a laptop, and my wife also has a laptop.

Also, after five years, I've recently managed to connect my TV to the router. Nice to see (and hear) my on videos on our "smart" TV!

No smartphones yet but we plan to get a couple this year.

Well, if I had to forsake all other methods, I'd have to assume a desktop or laptop because it could hook up via direct cable or wirelessly and the only reason I can see having to forsake all other methods is because the infrastructure had crashed and ethernet might be the best chance we had left?

Kind of like if I had to choose between ONLY eating Thai, Indian, Mexican, Italian, or American food, the only situation I can imagine where that would happen is if somehow nothing was available except the most native of the food choices, which in my case would be American.

Otherwise, why would you have to choose just one?

What's going on Andy?

I thought you considered smartphones to be the work of the devil. :D

Almost always on my phone. I rarely sit:)

Desktop because I'm on the internet just about all day with my job (online college instructor). When I go home, I try my best to leave all screens behind and spend time with my family.

I made a point last night to put my phone in the bedroom plugged in and not look at it unless I get a text. I've not slept that good in weeks. I'm going to do it again tonight.

^^ THIS

Completely impossible to "choose just one" for the reasons mentioned in the above plus many of the other other comments. It's a where and when thing not a what and why.

Yep. During the day I access via two desktops at the recording studio. At night and on weekends I've got my surface laptop at home. There is no primary.


Bob

Desktop at work
50/50 phone vs laptop at home
phone when I'm out and about

No way to choose which is "primary".

Microsoft Desktop at work and iPad at home get the most screen time.

But I also have an iPhone, an Apple watch and a Microsoft desktop at home.

So I'm in the "no primary" camp, and found it impossible to cast an accurate vote for one device only. If forced to choose one I guess it would be the iPhone, as it can do it all to some extent, including telephone calls (I've never liked to use my computer as a phone).

Good thing I don't watch much TV :)

I keep hoping for the Surface family to start or have the Apple continuity and handoff features. This comes from the news and releases where they're developing a sophisticated Android device.

Microsoft has done such a good job with Surface family and cloud that it might be a key or components of catching up to features I value in my work flow. If their phone continuity improves I still feel or fear a while before someone catches up with Apple wearables.

I have no one primary way. I use a Macbook, a Chromebook and an Android smartphone evenly across the board. Very occasionally, an iPad as well. And I think that's how most people access the internet these days...

Only have iPads.

Thanks to Jeremy, AGF Administrator, for adding "Tablet" as a category and resetting the poll...

Not only my desktop but mostly. I use a laptop and my phone on occasion. Got rid of everything apple a while back. I will not use anything other than my desktop for things like banking, investment and other personal stuff and I'm very careful about security on it as well.

My internet access is via a desktop at home. I do check out AGF and TGP sometimes along with my credit union when I am at work (I am a designer in the automotive business) via a laptop connected to a larger monitor, only during lunch, of course ;)

Windows desktop. I don't own a portable phone and I use a tablet mostly for reading.

We use two laptops, an IPad and my Smart Phone.

Laptop, tablet, phone, AppleTV, videoconferencing tools, probably others...