Practically half of all Americans (49 percent) believe that the next great technology leader will come from either China or Japan, a poll by Zogby International and 463 Communications found.

Twenty-one percent believe that he will come from the United States while 13 percent believe he or she will come from India, according to the Zogby/463 Internet Attitudes poll released Wednesday. It is based on a nationwide telephone survey of 1,203 adults conducted Dec 5 to 8.

"The next Bill Gates has already been born, and time will tell what country is providing the environment of innovation, entrepreneurism and opportunity to enable him or her to flourish with the next great idea," said 463 partner Tom Galvin.

The Internet Attitudes poll tested Americans views on their perceptions of Internet. Among the findings:

* Kids are more Internet-savvy than Congressmen. An overwhelming majority -
83 percent - believes that a typical 12-year-old knows more about the Internet than their member of Congress. Republicans (85 percent) and Democrats (86 percent) agreed with each other.

• Internet vs. the printing press. While the Web is roughly 550 years younger than the printing press, one-third (32 percent) of all Americans believe that the Internet is a greater invention.

• Sixty-five percent said Johannes Gutenberg's printing press that merely nabbed him the title "Man of the Millennium" by Time Magazine is a greater invention.

• Interestingly, while whites favoured the printing press over the Internet by 69 to 27 percent, only 57 percent of African Americans favoured the printing press and 41 percent chose the Internet.

• Moreover, Hispanic Americans actually favoured the Internet 51 to 47 percent and Asian Americans surveyed also chose the Internet by 85 to 12 percent.

• Car more important than email. While many may think the Internet is a historic invention, it still trails badly behind in what they depend upon for their work.

Of those surveyed making more than $100,00 a year, 31 percent chose the loss of Internet access, while only 6 percent of those making less than $35,000 did.