Web searching is catching up to e-mail as the primary activity for U.S. Internet surfers, according to a recent Pew Internet & American Life tracking survey.

Number of Americans who use the Internet every day: 94 million

Number who read or wrote e-mail on an average day in:

June 2004: 57 million

September 2005: 74 million

Percent increase: 29.8

Number who used search engines in:

June 2004: 38 million

September 2005: 59 million

Percent increase: 55.3

Percent of Internet users each day who:

Wrote/read e-mail: 77

Used a search engine: 63

Read news: 46

Did job-related research: 29

Instant-messaged: 18

Banked: 18

Participated in a chat room: 8

Booked travel: 5

Read blogs: 3

Participated in an auction: 3

SOURCE: Pew Internet & American Life Project, search engine use report, November 2005