Your Phone Shack

67% Say Concert Tickets are Too Expensive:Rasmussen

2010-03-06T19:17:00.000-08:00

As artists big and small begin to announce their spring and summer concert schedules, a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 67% of adults who attend at least one professional music concert a year say tickets in general are too expensive.

Just 14% disagree, and another 20% are not sure.

Seventy-five percent (75%) of Americans who go to the movies at least once a month think that movie tickets are too expensive, too.

But when adults nationwide are asked how often they attend a professional music concert, 39% say never. Thirty-four percent (34%) say they attend a music concert once a year, while 17% go several times a year. Only four percent (4%) go to a professional music show as often as once a month, and another four percent (4%) attend shows like that several times a month.

Thirty-two percent (32%) of adults who attend a concert at least once a year are more likely to attend a rock or pop show than any other musical genre. Twenty-four percent (24%) prefer a country musical performance, while 16% would opt for a classical concert. Just six percent (6%) say they’re more likely to go to a jazz concert, and 18% more prefer some other genre of music.

Concertgoers 18 to 29 are more likely to attend a country music show, while adults ages 30 to 64 are more inclined to go to a rock or pop concert. One-third (34%) of adults 65 and older are more likely to attend a classical performance.

Seventy-three percent (73%) of women concertgoers feel tickets are too expensive, compared to 60% of men. Those in their 30s are more critical of concert ticket prices than those in any other age group.

Men are more likely than women not to attend concerts. Generally speaking, older Americans are less likely to go to concerts than those who are younger.

In early August of last year, a majority of adults (69%) said they didn’t attend any outdoor concerts or theatre events that summer. Thirty-percent (30%) said they did make it to an outdoor concert or theatre event.

Also, that same month marked the 40th anniversary of the Woodstock music festival. Polling conducted in August found that just 39% of adults believed 400,000 people could gather peacefully for a similar festival today. Almost as many (34%) disagreed with that assessment, and another 27% were not sure.

In late October, 69% of adults said they rarely or never download music. Twenty-percent (20%) said they occasionally download music. Ten percent (10%) of adults said they download music at least once a month, with just one percent (1%) who say they do it every day or nearly every day.

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Best 5 cell phones

2010-02-24T22:29:00.000-08:00

Apple iPhone 3GS
The iPhone 3GS doesn't make the same grand leap that the iPhone 3G made from the first-generation model, but the latest Apple handset is still a compelling upgrade for some users. The iPhone 3GS is faster and we appreciate the new features and extended battery life, but call quality and 3G reception still need improvement.

Price:$299.00 - $299.99 (check prices)

HTC Nexus One by Google
Don't let the standard candy bar design fool you: the Nexus One brings welcome new offerings to the Android table. The Snapdragon processor is undeniably zippy, the AMOLED display is gorgeous, and we welcome both the enhanced voice dialing capabilities and the noise cancellation feature. What's more, the Android 2.1 interface enhancements show that Android continues to improve as it evolves. It's not the greatest Android phone around--that's a difficult call to make in such a diverse and crowded field--but it adds to an already rich family.

$529 unlocked.

Please visit Google to purchase this phone.

Motorola Droid
The Droid's display is gorgeous, the Android 2.0 updates are excellent, and the handset is lightning fast, particularly for an Android phone. We'll refrain from using the dreaded "iPhone killer" expression, but comparisons between the two devices are obvious, and we see the Droid as a real competitor to Apple's device. Sure, we had some complaints, but for Verizon's first pass at Android, the Droid more than delivers.

Price:$199.99 - $599.99 (check prices)

RIM BlackBerry Bold 9700
While the Web browser needs work, we would absolutely recommend the RIM BlackBerry Bold 9700. It features a sleeker design and more power than its predecessor, making it a powerful messaging smartphone that will appeal to consumers and mobile professionals alike.

Price:$129.99 - $129.99 (check prices)

Samsung Instinct HD
The Instinct HD, aka the SPH-M850, is an upgrade and an improvement to the original Instinct. It offers a sleeker design, a brighter display, and more features. We're a bit ambivalent about the much-hyped "high-definition" support, but it remains a compelling multimedia phone that does a lot of things well. However, its price is a tad galling. At $249 with a two-year Sprint Everything plan and a $100 mail-in rebate, the Instinct HD will cost you more than many smartphones. Sure, the HD camera is nice, but we'd rather pay for real productivity than flashy multimedia.

Price:$249.99 - $249.99 (check prices)

Top % Cell phones article according to cnet
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What to Look for in a Cell Phone Service Provider

2009-11-23T12:23:00.000-08:00

You need a cell phone company that offers the widest selection of features and avoids hidden charges and costs. Excellent customer service is also option.
Cell phone provider offer many different plans, ranging in price and plan availability—we found a nationwide plan that was as close to a $39.00 monthly price tag as possible (some of the providers don't actually offer nationwide coverage). In addition to this base price, most cell phone providers offer premium features that only add a few dollars to your monthly bill.