New Comscore Tech Metrix Service Tracks Computer Hardware Configurations and Software Usage

Hard Drive Capacity on Americans’ Home PCs Expands in 2007

MP3 Files Consume Average of 3 GB per Home PC

RESTON, VA, August 1, 2007 – Comscore (NASDAQ: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today announced the launch of Comscore Tech Metrix, a new service to provide a detailed view of Internet users’ individual technology profiles, including computer hardware, software configurations, and usage.

The computer hardware/system information measured by Comscore Tech Metrix includes: system manufacturer, processor name/type, operating system, service pack, CPU, RAM, hard drive size, CD rom or DVD drive, screen resolution, video and sound cards, and more. The software tracking includes: installed programs and version number, interactive duration, default browser and browser settings, number and size of data files, and multimedia file types.

Comscore Tech Metrix will help hardware/software product development and marketing teams improve product planning and market more intelligently in the following ways:

  • Tailor product developments to customers’ most common computer configuration settings
  • Understand trends in adoption rates among various market segments
  • Track customer loyalty and emerging competitive threats
  • Determine product market share versus competitors
  • Design marketing programs based on deeper knowledge of one’s customer base
  • Identify cross-promotion opportunities
  • Facilitate more targeted, measurable and cost-effective online campaigns

“Comscore Tech Metrix represents Comscore’s first foray into non-Web based measurement,” said Linda Boland Abraham, executive vice president at Comscore. “This service will enable product developers and marketers to better tailor offerings to their core constituencies by understanding the technical underpinnings of their customers’ computer usage. When combined with Web behavior profiles, Tech Metrix data will help marketers develop a granular perspective of the machine configuration and behavior of key customer segments, along with how and where to reach them on the Web.”

Hard Drive Space Shows Gains since Beginning of 2007

The debut Comscore Tech Metrix report revealed that the average hard drive capacity on U.S. computers is demonstrating steady and noticeable gains since the beginning of the year. The percentage of computers with at least 70 GB of hard drive space has increased from 33 percent of computers in January 2007 to 39 percent in April 2007. Meanwhile, the percentage of computers with less than 50 GB declined from 59 percent to 53 percent during the same period.

Hard Drive Capacity for U.S. Computers
January 2007 - April 2007
Total U.S. – Home/Work/University Locations
Source: Comscore Tech Metrix

Percent of Computers

Hard Drive Capacity

Jan-07

Feb-07

Mar-07

Apr-07

0 - 29 GB

23.0%

20.9%

19.3%

18.7%

30 - 49 GB

36.3%

35.5%

35.2%

34.8%

50 - 69 GB

7.4%

7.5%

7.4%

7.2%

70 - 99 GB

22.0%

23.5%

24.7%

25.9%

100 GB +

11.3%

12.6%

13.5%

13.3%

MP3s Consume Average of 3 GB per U.S. Computer

Comscore Tech Metrix also reports on the different file types residing on the computer. In April, the typical computer in the U.S. contained 880 mp3 files, which accounted for an average of 3 GB of hard drive space. The average computer also contained 197 Microsoft Word (.doc) documents, 100 PDF (.pdf) files, 77 Microsoft Excel (.xls) files, and 36 Windows Media (.wmv) files. The average Windows Media file size is 12.5 MB.

Popular File Types on U.S. Computers
April 2007
Total U.S. – Home/Work/University Locations
Source: Comscore Tech Metrix

File Extension

Average Number of Files Per Computer

Average Size Per File (MB)

Average Total File Size (MB)

.mp3

880

4.78

2,988

.doc

197

0.23

34

.pdf

100

1.12

84

.xls

77

0.29

17

.wmv

36

12.49

329

Behavioral Profiling Capabilities

Another attractive aspect of Comscore Tech Metrix is the ability to create user segments based on their technology profiles and to then analyze the online behavior of those segments. As an example, Comscore profiled the online behavior of Heavy mp3 users compared to the average Internet user:

Behavioral Profile of Heavy mp3 Users*
April 2007
Total U.S. – Home/Work/University Locations
Source: Comscore Tech Metrix

Site Category

Percent of Unique Visitors Visiting Site Category

Average Internet User

Heavy mp3 Users

Index of Heavy mp3 to Total Internet Users**

Gaming Information

19.4

39.4

204

Online Gambling

5.0

9.3

187

Community - Teens

15.8

28.2

179

Entertainment - Humor

15.4

27.1

176

Retail - Music

11.9

20.7

173

Instant Messengers

30.5

51.6

169

Technology - News

22.1

36.7

166

Gay/Lesbian

1.3

2.1

165

Career - Training and Education

5.6

8.9

161

Discussion/Chat

26.5

41.7

157

* Heavy mp3 users = top 50 percent of PC users with most mp3 files on computer
** Index = Reach of Heavy mp3 users/ reach of average Internet users x 100; Index of 100 represents parity

As one might expect, the Heavy mp3 segment was significantly more likely to visit categories dealing in entertainment (gaming, gambling, humor, music) and communication/networking (community – teens, instant messengers, discussion/chat). Specifically, nearly 40 percent of Heavy mp3 users visited the gaming information category, more than twice as likely as the average Internet user. They also exhibited particularly heavy relative visitation to the online gambling, community – teens, and entertainment – humor categories.

While Heavy mp3 users are engaged with leisure pursuits online, Heavy Microsoft Word users have a markedly different behavioral profile:

Behavioral Profile of Heavy Microsoft Word Users*
April 2007
Total U.S. – Home/Work/University Locations
Source: Comscore Tech Metrix

Site Category

Percent of Unique Visitors Visiting Site Category

Average Internet User

Heavy MS Word Users

Index of Heavy MS Word to Total Internet Users**

Business/Finance - Taxes

5.2

8.5

163

Retail - Consumer Goods

13.8

20.6

150

Politics

4.9

7.1

145

Shipping

20.9

30.1

144

Travel - Airlines

17.0

23.6

139

Religion

11.3

15.6

137

Travel - Hotels/Resorts

19.0

25.6

135

Business/Finance - News/Research

29.6

39.1

132

Business/Finance - Online Trading

5.7

7.4

130

Business to Business

21.2

27.5

130

* Heavy MS Word users = top 50 percent of PC users with most MS Word documents on computer
** Index = Reach of Heavy MS Word users/ reach of average Internet users x 100; Index of 100 represents parity

Their profile is highly indicative of business-oriented individuals, as evidenced by their likelihood of visiting categories dealing with business and finance (taxes, finance news/research, online trading, B-to-B) and travel (airlines, hotels/resorts).

For more information on Comscore Tech Metrix, please visit http://www.comscore.com/contact

About Comscore
Comscore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the digital world. This capability is based on a massive, global cross-section of more than 2 million consumers who have given Comscore permission to confidentially capture their browsing and transaction behavior, including online and offline purchasing. Comscore panelists also participate in survey research that captures and integrates their attitudes and intentions. Through its proprietary technology, Comscore measures what matters across a broad spectrum of behavior and attitudes. Comscore analysts apply this deep knowledge of customers and competitors to help clients design powerful marketing strategies and tactics that deliver superior ROI. Comscore services are used by more than 700 clients, including global leaders such as AOL, Microsoft, Yahoo!, BBC, Carat, Cyworld, Deutsche Bank, France Telecom, Best Buy, The Newspaper Association of America, Financial Times, ESPN, Fox Sports, Nestlé, Starcom, Universal McCann, the United States Postal Service, Verizon, ViaMichelin, Merck and Expedia. For more information, please visit www.comscore.com.

Press
Bill Daddi
Daddi Brand Communications
646-370-1341
press@comscore.com

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