As technology turns into a necessity for some, those who aren’t as tech savvy may be asking for help when they receive iPhones or other gadgets this holiday season.A recent survey conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life Project found nearly half of technology users in the U.S. need assistance with their new devices, and many users encounter problems with their home computers, Internet connections or cell phones. The survey sampled 2,054 adults 18 and older, including 500 cell phone users.Almost 30 percent of cell phone users said their devices failed to work within the past year, and 39 percent said their laptops or desktop computers have not worked properly at some point.Younger cell phone users are significantly more likely than seniors to have their cell phones break because of their extended use and dependency.William Schahn, kinesiology freshman, said he is entirely dependent on his cell phone because he doesn’t have a landline phone in his residence hall.”If I didn’t have it, I wouldn’t be able to talk to my mom or friends,” he said.Although Sydney LeBlanc, natural resources, ecology and management freshman, has a landline phone, she said she still relies on her cell phone.”I rarely use [the landline],” she said. “All my numbers are in [my cell phone], so I don’t memorize them, and usually I just use it instead.”Home Internet connection is the technology most likely to fail, according to the survey. Forty-four percent of Internet users said their connection has failed in the past year.Computers are the second most likely to fail, followed by cell phones, Blackberries and iPods. Other MP3 players are among the least likely to fail.Schahn said he has experienced several problems with his laptop since moving on campus. He said he cannot pinpoint the problem, so he is unsure how to repair it.Of those who had failed devices, many were able to fix the problems themselves without customer support. And men were considerably more likely than women to fix gadget problems themselves.Schahn said he relied on customer service when his iPod stopped working but eventually purchased a new one.But LeBlanc said she’s been able to fix her computer and cell phone problems herself.”After a few days of leaving [my cell phone] on, it freezes,” she said. “I just have to fiddle around with it.”The survey found younger users are typically more optimistic than older users when their devices fail. Younger users aren’t more likely to fix their gadgets, but they were more confident, according to the survey. —-Contact Leslie Presnall at [email protected]