women and technology

Tech News

The Changing Face of Gadget Owners

Can gadgets ever be decidedly female or male?

Can gadgets ever be decidedly female or male? While we've seen companies design technology specifically for women, we haven't heard too much about a gadget being more popular with one gender over the other.

A new survey from Nielsen shows females are the predominant owners of ereaders while men own more tablets. Women make up 61 percent of ereader users and only 43 percent of the tablet users.

While the survey doesn't go into more details about why women seem to prefer ereaders over tablets, some have speculated women read more books and have more use with a single-purpose device.

In addition to voting for your gadget below, why do you think there is such a noticeable difference in the gadget choices of the sexes?

women and technology

Women Like Netflix More Than Hulu Plus

A recent study from Mashwork shows that women use Netflix more than Hulu Plus.

A recent study from Mashwork shows that women use Netflix more than Hulu Plus. According to the study, 48 percent of female respondents use Netflix, while only 24 percent use Hulu Plus. Though there are pros and cons of each (including catalogues, commercials, and quality) both services truly allow TV and movie fans to save a few bucks on a cable subscription since you can get your favorite shows on your computer, mobile device, and even gaming consoles. In fact, 51 percent of study respondents (men and women) say they use both Netflix and Hulu Plus and are planning on cutting the cord on cable.

Below, we'll cover the benefits to each service, and be sure to tell us which you use in the comments below!

Hulu Plus

Hulu Plus is a subscription service ($8 a month) that lets you watch Hulu content via an Internet connection, WiFi, and 3G on your:

  • iPhone and Android devices
  • iPod Touch
  • iPad
  • PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360
  • Samsung Internet TVs and Blu-ray players
  • Mac or PC

Get current episodes of shows and access to a huge library of past seasons and series. It's like the Hulu you know now, only with more ways to watch. Although you pay a monthly subscription to get access to TV shows, you will have to wait until the day after the show airs on TV to watch (sometimes longer), and sit through a block of two commercials a few times during your show. You can also watch select movies via Hulu Plus, and even behind-the-scenes clips from your favorite shows.

Get the scoop on Netflix after the jump.

News

Pepsi Apologizes For "Scoring" iPhone App Via Twitter

I don't necessarily consider myself a feminist, but I know a sexist product when I see one.

I don't necessarily consider myself a feminist, but I know a sexist product when I see one. Remember the Slide to Unlock tee or the stripper pole Wii game? Yeah, those were awesome.

So when I heard about Pepsi's Amp Up Before You Score App that hit iTunes this week, I had to chuckle. I knew it was only a matter of time before the backlash hit — and oh, the backlash did in fact, hit. The app, which is meant to help you "score" with women, categorizes women into different types, and provides pickup lines, tips, and insights to each type — from sporty girls to cougars — and even provides a note section where you can list your successful hookups with names (and whatever details you can remember) so you can brag to your friends later.

Not surprisingly, Pepsi Amp issued an apology on their Twitter account, but have yet to pull the app from iTunes. I'm glad that Pepsi sees the error of its ways, however, maybe it's just me, but doesn't the female public as a whole deserve an apology that consists of more than 140 characters?

women and technology

The First Hip-Hop Track About Coder Girls (Probably)

Congrats ladies, it looks like we geeks are spreading the gospel of the chicness of our proclivities — there's even a book preaching it to other girls not yet versed in the ways.

Congrats ladies, it looks like we geeks are spreading the gospel of the chicness of our proclivities — there's even a book preaching it to other girls not yet versed in the ways.

And for an extra ego boost, you've got to hear "Coder Girls," a jam in which the admiring man raps "Wanna get in where I fit in like a plug-in." It'll be your Summer jam, for sure.

Mac

PC vs. Mac Women: Who Rocks Mac and Who Rocks PC?

I'm a Mac, but mommy taught me it takes all shapes, sizes and kinds to make the world.

I'm a Mac, but mommy taught me it takes all shapes, sizes and kinds to make the world. And so, I welcome the operating system variety in the marketplace and gawk at all the different models on TV and movie sets. I've already challenged you to guessing which way some of our favorite male characters swing, so now it's time to test your knowledge of the type of machinery our beloved geek girls rock. Have you been paying attention to the tech on TV or looking at your laptop instead? Take my quiz and find out!

women and technology

It's Happened: Lonely Dorks Can Now Date Their iPhone

It's official. Not content to do just everything, the iPhone now has the capability to be some nerd's girlfriend.

It's official. Not content to do just everything, the iPhone now has the capability to be some nerd's girlfriend. The iGirl App, with the tagline of "She Obeys," is just $0.99 — and cheap doesn't just describe the price!

You can make her dance, tickle her, change her hair color, language, ethnicity, touch her (ugh, OK, I have to break my sarcasm schtick for moment to inject a big, fat "GROSS" here).

Basically, for $0.99, you don't have to go out and meet a real person! (And if this app appeals to you beyond a silly entertainment level, perhaps you shouldn't.)


Poll

PMS Buddy: Useful or Offensive?

Though I'm grateful for sites like Month.ly and other female-friendly apps, PMS Buddy is not going to be hailed as the newest web app to revolutionize women's lives.

Though I'm grateful for sites like Month.ly and other female-friendly apps, PMS Buddy is not going to be hailed as the newest web app to revolutionize women's lives.

See, it's not intended for women, it's intended for the men who have to "put up" with them at "that time of the month."

Here's the site's own description: "PMSBuddy.com is a free service created with a single goal in mind: to keep you aware of when your wife, girlfriend, mother, sister, daughter, or any other women in your life are closing in on "that time of the month" — when things can get intense for what may seem to be no reason at all."

Yeah. Or maybe things get intense because you're the kind of guy who puts stock in services like PMS Buddy.

Am I missing the joke? Weigh in below.

News

Girl Power(Cord): More Girls Using Computers Than Boys

We must be doing something right, ladies, because a new study shows that there are more young girls using computers than young boys.

We must be doing something right, ladies, because a new study shows that there are more young girls using computers than young boys.

Much like the study from over a year ago that revealed more women online than men, it showed that not only are more girls using computers, but their mothers are providing more assistance than fathers. New technology in the household looks like it's the provenance of the females in the house!

I wonder how these stats will affect the learning of the two genders in the future; what does our outnumbering of boys on the Internet and computers say about us?

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