(Andy Jones) We may often joke that losing our smartphone would mean being cut off from the outside world. While that’s likely an exaggeration for many consumers, a new report from The Pew Research Center finds Americans’ reliance on smartphones to stay connected with the rest of the world is very real, especially when it comes to accessing the internet. Pew’s latest report [PDF], based on a survey conducted in October 2014, focuses not only on American’s increased use of smartphones, but also their changing preference for connecting to the internet. Today, nearly 64% of American adults own smartphones; that’s a substantial increase of 29% from just four years ago. Seven percent of Pew survey respondents say they do not have broadband access at home, and also have relatively few options for getting online other than their cell phone.