For the first time since Pew has been tracking device ownership, more younger adults (18-29) have a smart phone (86%) than own a computer (78%).

That is according to a new Pew Research Center report released Thursday (Oct. 29).

Computer ownership in the demo is down from 89% in 2012 (the last time the question was asked), while smart phone ownership is up from 65% in 2012. The question of computer ownership was not asked in the 2013 and 2014 surveys, so the tipping point may have come earlier, but it is definitely here now.

Tablet ownership has also shown strong growth, up from 32% in the demo in 2012 to 50% in 2015.

For all ages, 68% of those surveyed say they own a smartphone, up from  and 45% have a tablet.

The surveys found that smartphone ownership for the 18-49 demo and those in higher income brackets are close to "saturation adoption" (approaching nine out of 10), but found no ownership differences by race or ethnic group.

Of the seven devices Pew polled, Cell phones, including smartphones, are the most commonly owned device among all U.S. adults at 92%, followed computers at 73%; Smartphones at 68%; tablets at 45%, MP3 players, still hanging on at 40%; game consoles also at 40%, E-book readers at 19%, and portable gaming devices at only 14%.

The report was based on two surveys. One was a Princeton Data telephone survey conducted March 17-April 12 among 1,907 adults 18 and over. The smartphone data was from phone interviews July 12, 2015 among 2,001 adults 18 and over. The margin of error for the first survey was plus or minus 2.6 percentage points. The plus or minus for the 18-29 survey was 6 percentage points.

Building on a global distribution strategy, The Weather Channel said it has struck a deal to deliver weather forecasts and info across Xiaomi’s Android devices, including smartphones and tablets.

The deal, which displaces Accuweather and centers on The Weather Channel’s API, gives The Weather Channel key distribution with China-based Xiaomi, the world’s third-largest maker of smartphones. Financial terms were not disclosed, but Xiaomi will provide weather data, along with content, branding and links from The Weather Channel via its weather widget across all Android devices outside of China.

Xiaomi, which is trying to make a push into the U.S. market, is second only to Apple in China with respect to smartphone market share. On a global basis, its smartphone share trails only Apple and Samsung.

“Xiaomi is one of the hottest mobile companies on the planet right now, selling thousands of Android devices in seconds online through its ecommerce model,” said David Kenny, chairman and CEO of The Weather Company, in a statement. “Working with Xiaomi is essential to our global growth plans as we look to provide the most precise and useful weather to users anywhere in the world.”

“We are always seeking to provide a great user experience on MIUI,” added Donovan Sung, director of product management, Xiaomi Global, referring to the company’s user interface. “Working with The Weather Channel allows us to give global Mi phone users the weather information they need while on the go.”

PASADENA, Calif. — The cable industry is making strides in its effort to promote TV everywhere services, but more work needs to be done to educate subscribers in light of competition from over-the-top streaming services, executives said in kicking off the latest Television Critics Association tour.

Subscribers are increasingly embracing and viewing free content from cable network apps on tablets, mobile phones and computers, according to the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Markeeting, which presented the session. Nearly 55% of subscribers have heard of TV everywhere, up from 15% a year ago.

Further, 49% of consumers said they’ve watched OTT content from a network or via their cable provider in the past six months, up from 14% of consumers a year ago. CTAM had set a goal of 55% usage by the end of January.

Still, the industry has some challenges with customer awareness of TVE and the user experience in authenticating TVE services. The industry also has to battle the misconception that TV everywhere carries an added cost beyond the cable subscription.

“One of the most misconstrued things [about] TV everywhere is it’s an added thing that they have to pay for,” Mark Garner, senior vice president of distribution for A+E Networks, said. “That’s one of the messaging points that we’re trying to get across very clearly to consumers … it’s part of your subscription.”

Erik Flannigan, executive vice president of multiplatform strategy and development for Viacom Entertainment Group, added that the experience of accessing TV everywhere content still causes a lot of friction, although CTAM and networks have worked together to educate consumers about the service.

“I think we’re all aware of the friction; the good news is, there are tangible things that are going to happen here in the 24-month time frame,” Flannigan said.

The continued success of subscription OTT services like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime are not significantly hurting TV everywhere, but it contributes to the market confusion. Dish Network’s new Sling TV service, which will stream 12 channels of cable for $20, also won’t hurt the value of TV everywhere or the traditional cable bundle, according to James Rollins vice president of digital distribution for ESPN.

“We see this as being an additive service,” Rollins said. “We still firmly see the value in the traditional multi-channel video service.”

Multichannel video service will be enhanced by new programming coming from cable networks in the upcoming year, many of which were presented during the Winter TCA tour.

Discovery Targets Scripted: Newly minted Discovery Channel president Rich Ross said the network is looking to add as many as two scripted shows to its lineup in an effort to broaden the network’s audience reach. “The most important thing is authenticity,” he said. “It’s really important that we look into the brand and make sure that’s what we stand for.” Discovery Communications president and CEO David Zaslav said the company will spend $2 billion on original programming in 2015 as it continues to program both its domestic and international channels. He added that the company makes more money from its international business than it does from its domestic channels.

HBO Circles April 12 on the Calendar: HBO announced an April 12 return date for three of its most popular series: Game of Thrones, Silicon Valley and Veep. The premium service also said talk show Real Time With Bill Maher will return for seasons 14 and 15. HBO will also premiere its miniseries Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst on Feb. 8 and two other projects on May 4: Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief and Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck. Also on tap for the network are original movie Bess, starring Queen Latifah, and original documentary CitizenFour, which chronicles the Edward Snowden story.

Nat Geo Adds Talker: National Geographic Television will launch its first-ever late-night series this April based on astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson’s podcast Star Talk. The series will feature Tyson — who hosted Nat Geo and Fox broadcasting’s miniseries Cosmos: A Space Odyssey — and will feature celebrities, comedians and scientists discussing the latest developments in science.

No Ratings for Netflix: Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos said during the OTT service’s presentation last Wednesday (Jan. 7) that Netflix will not release viewership stats for its original series, adding that ratings do not reflect the success or failure of its original shows.

Sarandos would not comment on the service’s decision not to distribute Sony’s controversial movie The Interview, but said the film’s digital distribution success bodes well for streaming big-ticket films day-and-date with the movie’s theatrical release. The service also picked up original drama Marco Polo for a second season.

ESPN Creates Super-Hero Athletes: ESPN Films has partnered with Marvel Entertainment to create a short film series and a full-length documentary that both connect superheroes with great athletes. The shorts in the “1 of 1 — Origins” film series launching this summer will focus on a single athlete who has a defining story about the origin of their powers in the sports world, while a full-length documentary, 1 of 1 — Genesis, currently available on Digital HD through select digital retailers, explores the connections between Marvel Super Heroes and today’s athletes.

Smart TVs are in demand among consumers that want to extend their TV watching beyond traditional TV to Internet-based sources, according to several recent studies.

The most important factor for consumers purchasing a new TV or video device is the ability for it to connect to the Internet and stream content, and Smart TVs were their primary choice, according to a recent Council For Research Excellence study. Internetready Smart TVs — sets that correct directly to over-the-top subscription VOD services like Netflix and Hulu — were followed by OTT streaming devices such as the Roku box or Google Chromecast device, and then tablets.

The findings coincide with a recent Nielsen Cross Platform Report in which the number of enabled smart TV’s in consumer households nearly doubled from first-quarter 2013 to first-quarter 2014.

The main driver for Smart TV purchases is the ability to easily stream favorite shows for binge-watching or time-shifted viewing, according to the Council For Research Excellence study. Further, when TV sets with OTT access were introduced into a household, they became the most-used device for video, beating out tablets or smartphones, although those devices are often present and used in the same room as Smart TVs.

Of course, the accessibility of quality content from cable and broadcast networks — as well as from OTT services like Netflix, Hulu and Crackle — is fueling the television technology revolution as consumers continue to take greater control of their viewing experience.