A new study published by Scarborough Research, a market research firm, shows that cell phone use is on the rise among Latinos; eight out of every 10 Hispanic adults have one. Latinos especially favor "smart phones" and comprise the fastest growing sector in the market for mobile phones.

Scarborough Research analyzed cell phone use among Hispanics between the ages of 18 and 34 and found an increase of 26 percent since 2005. In comparison to other ethnic groups, 18 percent of Latinos use cell phones.

Data from the study:

*64 percent of Latinos are more inclined to send text messages than call, compared to 56 percent of the general population.

*Overall, 82 percent of Latinos use cell phones, compared to 84 percent of all other groups.

*22 percent download or listen to music on their cell phones, compared to 15 percent of the public.

*19 percent play video games on their phones, compared to 15 percent of other ethnic groups.

*12 percent connect to social networking sites via their mobile phones, compared with 10 percent of the general population.

*19 percent of Hispanic adults currently live in homes with one or more "smart phones" such as a Blackberry or iPhone, compared with 5 percent in 2005.

"The increase in the use of smart phones and applications, or apps, is redefining the mobile market landscape," said Alisa Joseph, vice president of marketing and communications at Scarborough Research. She added that this trend is expected to rise over time.

This study isn't the first to demonstrate Latinos' widespread participation in the digital revolution.

At a meeting of Hispanic entrepreneurs in Los Angeles, Giovanni Rodríguez, president of the Reimagine Group, said that Latinos are taking the reins when it comes to Internet surfing more rapidly than any other ethnic group. Women especially have embraced social networking sites like Twitter or Facebook, which allow for the instant creation of virtual communities.

A recent survey published by the New Millennium Research Council (NMRC) indicated that 24.6 million American adults say they will probably switch from cell phone contracts that they already have to pre-paid plans in order to minimize cost. That figure refers to users that won't be fined for doing so.

The study also showed that one out of every 10 adults would consider switching to a pre-paid plan if they didn't have to pay a fine for canceling their current contract.