A recent survey by the shows that the share of American adults who own an e-reader has doubled in just six months to 12 percent in May 2011 from 6 percent in November 2010.
Tablet ownership also rose during the same period, but at a slower pace than before.
In May 2001, for instance, 8 percent of U.S. adults reported owning a tablet such as an iPad, Galaxy Tab, or Motorola Xoom. (An overwhelming majority were likely iPad owners, given the tepid consumer response thus far to non-iPad tablets.)
That's about the same as the 7-percent of adults who said they owned a tablet in January 2011, and only a 3-percentage-point jump in ownership since November 2010, Pew says.
Prior to November 2010, tablet ownership had been rising at a relatively faster pace.