These were written by 160,926 different user names from July 1 to September 30, 2007 and encompassed 739 notebook computer models, 27 notebook manufacturers and 71 series brands. Employing its Chinese text mining and monitoring technology, this information covered 395 sub-attributes from 10 categorized attributes. The findings generated a unique form of market research that pin pointed the most talked about notebooks and the 'health' of the leading brands in the industry.
 
In terms of notebook brand and model IWOM, Lenovo was found to be the subject of the most manufacturer buzz, with 34 % of total brand and product posts. However, those talking about ThinkPad online stood as a challenge to Lenovo, suggesting it should aim to maintain a balance between both brand integrity and innovation. Due to its colorful splash into the notebook market, the Inspiron 1420 was the most buzzed Dell model with 6,631 posts (11% of total Dell posts). Unfortunately, Dell was also put on the map through complaints about shipment delays and colors being out of stock. However, by monitoring its own Chinese blog, Dell kept in touch with customers concerned about such issues.
 
If we turn our focus to notebook attribute IWOM, configuration and price were the most talked about aspects, with 32.4% and 22.3% of total brand and product posts respectively. Home- use notebooks held 67% of top100 buzzed models and generated more talk than business notebooks with 33%. The research indicated that entertainment and consumer-centric factors (such as independent graphic cards and widescreens) also drove the buzz. CIC's unique "Brand Attribute Landscape" helped to break down the consumer buzz according to various aspects. For example, the buzz surrounding brands HP, Acer and Sony were namely about their design, appearance and performance.
 
The talk was more about marketing, promotion and price for Lenovo and Hasee, while Dell caused the most buzz about service and channel. The implications of these findings impact both on the Chinese notebook industry and its customers in many respects. It can be seen from CIC's report that online buzz tracking can aid brands in identifying customer needs and, in turn, assist research and development of the product design.
 
IWOM analyses also allow brands to prioritize the issues of most importance or urgency, recognize their product's strengths and weaknesses, and to better position themselves in terms of communication and competitive advantage. In China, where there are restraints on information sharing, online communities (such as those used in this study) serve as platforms on which users can share opinions on any given topic regardless of most demographic factors. Because of this, they are perhaps the most influential consumers today. It is clear that CIC has cultivated a systematic way of channeling this valuable information into market research for companies and customers alike.