According to a national online study commissioned by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), 35 percent of Americans will make New Year's resolutions for 2004. While Americans start the New Year aiming to achieve personal resolutions and goals, many fail to reach them, which is why they will use technology to help.

"Each New Year, millions of Americans pledge to improve themselves and communicate better with family and friends. But soon, year-after-year, those good intentions fade. Consumer electronics can help consumers break the cycle and keep their resolutions," said Gary Shapiro, president of the Consumer Electronics Association. "Consumer electronics empower consumers, helping them improve productivity, organize and communicate better, and enhance their lifestyles. To make consumers more aware of these benefits, CEA is launching a new section of our website, www.CE.org,that directs consumers to technologies that will help them keep their New Year's resolutions."

Americans set challenging goals for themselves. According to the national online study conducted by eBrain, the market research division of the CEA, the top New Year's Resolutions for 2004 are:

1. Lose weight 21%

2. Exercise more 13%

3. Stop a bad habit 10%

4. Get out of debt 8%

5. Make more money 5%

The survey found that nearly three quarters of the population (74 percent) have made New Year's resolutions at some time in their life, but more than half (59 percent) said they were very difficult or difficult to achieve. For 2003, 37 percent of Americans said they made a New Year's resolution, but only 46 percent of those who made resolutions actually fulfilled them.

Given the recent advances in consumer electronics, including Internet, broadband, digital imaging, wireless communications and affordability, the study indicates that Americans will be employing personal technology in 2004 to make their resolutions a reality. When asked which technologies would help them fulfill their 2004 resolutions, Americans' top responses were:

1. Computers 22%

2. Cell phones 11%

3. High-speed Internet connection 11%

4. Financial planning software 11%

5. Personal digital assistant (PDA) 8%

6. Digital camera 7%

Study respondents said technology would help them achieve their 2004 New Year's resolutions by:

1. Getting better organized 44%

2. Using my time more wisely 42%

3. Being more productive 41%

4. Communicating more with family and friends 36%

5. Learning new things/new hobbies/interests 35%

6. Being on time for appointments or meetings 16%

The majority (69%) of people said that consumer electronics "will be important to their lifestyle in 2004," and 58 percent "believe that these technologies will allow them to do their jobs better in 2004." When asked which consumer electronics will have the most impact on their lives in 2004, Americans' top choices were:

1. Computer 54%

2. Cell phone 36%

3. High-speed Internet connection 33%

4. Digital camera 22%

5. TV 21%

6. DVD player 18%

"We expect to see more Americans realize their resolutions in 2004 because of the usage of consumer electronics, especially as consumers get their hands on the latest innovations that will be announced in early January at the 2004 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas," added Shapiro.

www.CE.org