• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, August 12, 2015

Smartphones are predominantly being used for communication, social networking and task-oriented activities. To that end, messaging, talking and emailing still account for 45% of mobile usage, per new findings from RealityMine, which supports tools for market research.

Tablets, meanwhile, are mostly used for playing games, listening to music, and watching video or TV, RealityMine finds.

In other words, entertainment dominates tablet usage, which makes sense, considering that their larger screens provide a better viewing experience. On tablets, this means that brands can deliver a more immersive and interactive ad experience, RealityMine notes.

Brands should also note that 41% of tablet users surveyed reported feeling content, and 18% of Americans feel happy during tablet use. Tablet users also reported feeling “interested” more than twice as often as mobile users.

By way of explanation, RealityMines draw a connection between engagement (or “interest”) and users’ more relaxed mental state. Tablet users should be more relaxed given that their activity peaks at home.

In fact, consumers use their tablets at home about 78% of the time, while using their smartphone at home about 55% of the time.

Further, consumers’ said the most common accompanying activity when using their tablets was relaxing (30%), and drinking (7%).

By contrast, peak time for smartphone usage -- about 12 noon -- is also peak distraction time for most consumers.

For its findings, RealityMine analyzed consumption and contextual data from 2,066 U.S. panelists.