PC audio use increasing, CEMA survey shows. (Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association)

Multimedia PC owners are increasingly using their computers as entertainment devices, thanks to faster Internet access and greater technological awareness, according to the second annual Multimedia PC survey released by the Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association (CEMA). The survey found that consumers are increasingly playing sound files online, listening to audio broadcasts over the Internet, and using their CD-ROM drives to play audio CDs.

Access speeds are up from a year ago, the survey shows. Only 13 percent of multimedia PC owners are now using a modem speed of