A study published by comScore has indicated that most people purchasing an iPad would use it to browse the internet and read online news.

Some two,176 internet users took part in the survey carried out by the analytics firm. Of those surveyed, 50 per cent said that they would be likely to browse the internet if they had an iPad, 48 per cent said that they would use it to check email and 26 per cent said that they would probably download apps.

Interestingly for content providers, it seems that iPad users would be willing to pay for content as long as the method of payment is straightforward. Some 38 per cent of those surveyed said that they would use the device for listening to music, 37 per cent for reading books, 36 per cent for watching movies and videos, and 34 per cent of users said that that they would use it for reading online magazines and newspapers. This will certainly come as welcome information to online news providers and other digital content providers.

Other research has shown that about 15 per cent of internet users have seriously thought about purchasing an iPad over the next 3 months. That will certainly be welcome news for Apple.

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A new study has revealed that Canadians are now spending more time on the internet than they do watching television.

The research was carried out by Ipsos Reid last autumn and it discovered that the average Canadian spends 18 hours a week on the internet, compared with 16.9 hours watching TV.

These figures are both up from 2008, when Canadians spent 14.9 hours online and 15.eight viewing television.

In the same time period, readership levels of newspapers and magazines, as well as radio listenership levels, all remained fairly static.

The findings also revealed that the age gap in terms of internet use in Canada is narrowing. On average 18-34 year olds spend about 20 hours a week online, while those over the age of 35 spend approximately 18 hours viewing online news and other online content.

Mark Laver, the author of the report, said: "The data indicates that not only are people of all ages spending more and more time online, but it also points to a shift in how online Canadians are consuming media and where they are spending their free time.”

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There has been a furore in the affiliate marketing industry over the past few days as it was discovered that VivaStay, a travel company, had been charging differing prices to customers depending on how they reached their site.

The issue was picked up when an affiliate firm noticed that customers who went directly to the VivaStay site were getting cheaper prices than those who arrived at the site via an affiliate.

This finding was posted on the Affiliates4u forum where it was picked up by various other affiliate companies who slammed the company for their policy.

Lawrence Target, the chief executive of CheapBeach, explained: “It is an afront to the very fabric of Affiliate Marketing and I suspect that other affiliates will also be dropping them like a stone, how can you work with a merchant you just can’t trust, it only works if both parties are in synergy, a proper partnership, that is what achieves the best returns.”

VivaStay has since apologised for the practice, claiming that it was never advised against the procedure. Danny Gallo, from VivaStay, explained that the company was new to affiliate marketing and said: "This was truly an oversight on our behalf as to how damaging or against affiliate ethics this is and we feel we have learned from this chapter."

VivaStay has now corrected the pricing issue.