US readers are increasingly opting for digital books instead of ink-and-paper editions, according to a Pew Research Center study released on Thursday.

The share of US adults reading electronic books rose to 23 percent in November from 16 percent the same time last year, according to the Pew study.

Meanwhile, ranks of people age 16 or older turning to pages of printed books fell to 67 percent from 72 percent, the findings indicated.

Overall, 75 percent of US adults read books in one form or another in a slight slip from the 78 percent figure seen late in 2011, according to the Pew Internet and American Life Project.

The growing popularity of e-books was in step with the hot trend in tablet computers, whether they are dedicated reading devices such as Kindles or Nooks or multi-purpose Internet portals such as Apple iPads or Google Nexus devices.

The portion of US adults with some kind of tablet jumped to 33 percent late this year, as compared with 18 percent as 2011 came to an end, according to the Pew study.

Understandably, the number of people borrowing e-books from US libraries also rose, findings indicated.

People in higher education and income brackets were more likely to be e-book readers, as were those between the ages of 30 and 49, according to Pew.

The findings were based on a survey taken between October 15 and November 10.

Apple CEO's pay plummets to $4 mn in 2012
New York (AFP) Dec 27, 2012 - Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook's total compensation for 2012 will plummet to $4.2 million from $378 million last year, according to a company document released Thursday.

In a regulatory filing, the US tech titan said the sum includes a $1.4 million salary and a $2.8 million bonus.

The total is far below what other Apple executives will pocket.

Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer will receive $68.6 million, Bob Mansfield, senior vice president of technologies, will get $85.5 and Bruce Sewell, senior vice president and general counsel, will see $69 million.

Cook's compensation last year included a $376 million bonus in the form of stocks linked to his nomination to the company's top post before the death of Jobs in October 2011.