Baby boomers — those aged 55 plus — are often stigmatized for being behind the times when it comes to technology and the digital world. According to the results of a new survey conducted by Thrive Analytics and released by the Local Search Association, this generation — including Boomers and Seniors — are embracing mobile as a local shopping companion.

Our Consumer Commerce Monitor? survey data supports many of the results highlighted in that study. When it comes to smartphone use, according to the Local Search Association’s study, 69 percent of baby boomers and seniors use their smartphone at in-store locations for local shopping. Our CCM data supports their find with 61 percent of our respondents using smartphone for local shopping at in-store locations.

Our CCM results also showed that 47 percent of baby boomers and seniors use their smartphones at least once a week for local shopping. The Local Search Association’s study outlined that baby boomer and senior smartphone users said that price comparisons and discounts were their top reasons for searching via their mobile devices while shopping in-store (50 percent of baby boomers & seniors).

According to CCM, Baby boomers are also far more likely to use mostly search engines on smartphones or tablets when compared to mobile apps for local shopping (66 percent vs. 4 percent). They’re also more likely than other age groups to shop in-person.

SMBs and national brands need to retire the notion that baby boomers are not a “connected“demographic. Our data shows that advertisers need to learn how best to adapt their mobile strategies to reach this older and more experienced demographic. Mobile continues to shake up the local shopping chain but and leaves opportunities for SMBs to engage with their customers in a new innovative ways.

Learn more about Consumer Commerce Monitor here.

The post How Baby Boomers Are Embracing Mobile Shopping appeared first on BIA/Kelsey - Local Media Watch.

Minutes ago, the fabled iPad was unveiled by Steve Jobs at Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco. An exciting moment: I’m at my desk constantly hitting refresh on the Engadget live blog coverage to get details.

Though I’ve kept an open ear to the pre-launch frenzy, I mostly avoided covering it here because the dial was already turned up way too high for a device that no one had seen.

We heard lots of speculation. Based simply on the law of large numbers (and some leaks), a few on-target calls are likely to result from thousands of speculating analysts, bloggers and reporters.

Here’s what turned out to be on-target:

• Name: iPad
• Touch screen device that resembles a larger iPhone/iPod touch
• Device built for portability of iPhone but larger screen of a MacBook
• Apps-centric interface for home screen navigation (though customizable)
• Accelerometer-controlled dual mode landscape and portrait
• Full capacitive multi-touch display
• 10 hours of battery life
• 9.7 inch display, 0.5 inches thin, 1.5 pounds
• Wi-Fi 802.11n & Bluetooth 2.1
• Available in 16, 32 and 64 GB Flash storage capacity
• Like iPhone, Syncs with PC via USB (adapter required)
• Also like iPhone, mobile connectivity is Wi-Fi plus 3G dual mode on some models
• Deal with AT&T for $29.99 for unlimited data ($14.99 for 250MB). Compares with average wireless broadband access for laptops (via dongle) of about $60.
• Price: starts at $499 and goes up to $829, based on a matrix of options:

Additional specs:

• iTunes and YouTube HD built in
• Docking station available for keyboard & desktop setup
• Photo viewing/sharing showcased as a central use, along with calendar, e-mail
• Web browsing is also central component, employing what looks like a larger version of mobile Safari
• Google Maps and Street View showcased in Jobs’ demo; so much for Bing rumors (for now)
• Video capabilities showcased; lots of power under the hood with a 1GHz Apple A4 chip
• Environmentally friendly (arsenic and mercury free)
• Can run all iPhone apps (now up to 140,000)
• Additional support for larger screen now included in iPhone SDK for developers to optimize apps for iPad (optional)
• More robust gaming apps showcased for this additional capability: partnership with EA will yield many games
• Brushes — capacitive touch-based sketching app will be powerful tool for graphic designers
• As expected, device built for reading newspaper: NY Times example showcased
• iBooks app is built in eReader with Kindle-like “e-ink” (ePub format)
• Online bookstore looks to be an offshoot of iTunes and includes partnerships with Simon & Schuster, Harper Collins, Penguin and others (sounds textbook-heavy … student target market?)
• iWorks productivity suite rebuilt for the iPad (again, likely a student play here)
• Device will begin shipping in 60 days for non-3G models and 90 days for 3G models

Jobs ended the presentation by stressing that more than 75 million people already know how to use this product. In other words, the design is built on the interface and mobility of the iPhone and iPod Touch (also interesting that we get to hear the previously undisclosed number of iPhones and iPod touches shipped).

This is Jobs’ preemptive answer to the question of whether the company can pull off a third class of products between mobile device and laptop. My gut feeling is yes. Apple is a market maker. Period. This is yet another game changer from Cupertino.

More thoughts to come over the coming hours and years.

The post Hello, iPad, We’ve Been Expecting You appeared first on BIA/Kelsey - Local Media Watch.