Personal computer is fast becoming the centrepiece of social life in Kochi. This was revealed by a survey on PC habits of people living in the city.

The survey, conducted by IMRB, found that 20 per cent of the respondents among PC owners like watching movies on computer and as many as 28 per cent use a PC for playing games offline. Another 20 per cent of the respondents use their PCs to download music and videos.

As places such as Kochi become more prosperous, the survey said, the PC device is fast becoming the channel of choice for entertainment and services.

A PC offers a much wider scope of entertainment than a TV set, with music, movies, social networking, online services like matrimonial and job searches, games and a whole range of apps available for leisure time.

As per latest figures from the International Data Corporation (IDC), PC shipments in India for Q1 2013 stood at 2.71 million units, registering a growth of approximately 3 per cent over Q1 2012.

Even in tier II cities, PC has managed to secure a place for itself. A recent ITOPS survey showed that 80 per cent of respondents surveyed accessed the computer most frequently from home.

sajeevkumar.v@thehindu.co.in