iPod surpasses beer in college survey

Apple may have done what some thought was virtually impossible: displace beer drinking as the most popular thing on college campuses. The company's wildly popular iPod has surpassed beer drinking as the most "in" thing among undergraduate college students, according to the latest biannual market research study by Student Monitor. Only once before has that ever been done in the history of the 18-year old annual survey. The AP reports that 73 percent, of 1,200 students surveyed said iPods were "in" -- more than any other item and a signficant increase from last year; the list also included text messaging, bar hopping and downloading music. The same study conducted in 2005 found that only 59 percent of students named the iPod as the "in" thing--well below traditionally popular alcholor-related activities, according to the report. Facebook.com, a social networking Web site, was tied with beer drinking for the No. 2 spot on the survey, with 71 percent of students' votes. The only other time beer drinking was displaced was in 1997 when more students said that the Internet was the "in" thing.

Filed under: iPod, industry