iPad Dominates Tablet Usage Among ShareBuilder Users

iPad is the tablet of choice among ShareBuilder users. Traditional devices (laptops and desktop PCs) still reign supreme, but roughly 25 percent of ShareBuilder's daily activity comes from a mobile device. While this is a good sign for mobile device makers, Dan Greenshields, President of

and President and Chief Investment Officer of ShareBuilder Advisors LLC, is most intrigued by the fluctuations in device usage. During the morning hours, investors turn to smartphones to access ShareBuilder. But in the late evening, mobile phone usage drops off. At the same time, tablet usage rises. Greenshields said that traders are using tablets to research their investments and to check stock performance, among other things. "My view is that that pretty much cannibalized PC activity," Greenshields told Benzinga. "The tablet's way lighter [than a laptop]. You can have it in your lap, use it at home when you're watching a football game, and flip through your investments between plays."

Android may be a powerful force in mobile phones, but it has a long way to go in competing against the iPad. When examining the data on those who access ShareBuilder with a tablet, Greenshields found that only seven percent of those users have an Android slate. The rest of these traders use an iPad. "There's been some inroads recently with some Android devices, but it's still too early," said Greenshields. "iPad is at a 93 percent share." Apple's lead is impressive, but investors should not forget how quickly technology evolves. Today consumers are excited about the iPad. Tomorrow they might want another device. "It wasn't that long ago that

was at 40 percent and now they're seven percent," said Greenshields, referring to BlackBerry's decline among ShareBuilder users. Looking ahead to 2014, Greenshields estimated that 30 percent of all ShareBuilder activity will come from mobile devices. Disclosure: