Video-watching up on tablets, down on PCs

The tablet computer has been encroaching on the PC's space for some time now, and as a study from J.D. Power and Associates shows, one area where this is most evident is paid video content.

According to the study, 18 percent of pay-to-view customers use tablets to watch content. This is a significant increase from 2011, when 11 percent of customers used their tablets. J.D. Power notes that this makes tablet computers the most-used handheld device for paid video consumption.

In contrast, paid viewership on traditional PCs, like laptop and desktop computers, has slipped in the past 12 months. According to the report, PC viewing has slid from 48 percent of respondents in 2011 to 39 percent in 2012.

J.D. Power points out that one downside to watching paid content on PCs and mobile devices is that live programming is often not available. As a result, the TV still holds the lion's share of viewership, as 50 percent of survey respondents say they prefer to watch live programming.

Still, as a separate Associated Press report points out, tablets and mobile devices are stealing some users away from the television. According to the report, TV manufacturers plan to respond to this by introducing new sets that are slimmer and boast a clearer picture than anything currently on the market.