GeekSugar

Not So Pretty In Pink: Women Say No To 'Girlie' Gadgets

GeekSugar — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 11:00:02 PDT

When it comes to women and pink electronics the debate, accusations and "studies" seem unending. First the New York Times confirms that in order to appeal to women, manufacturers need to go way beyond pink (we agree!), then people start talking about the fact that women may be hardwired to prefer pink (what?!) and now we are back at square one with a study that says women routinely say no to the color.

Advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi recently polled female internet users in the UK and found that most of them believe manufacturers and retailers don't understand what they care about and don't view them as a relevant group of customers, according to Register Hardware.

On average the women polled said they spend about £321 (or $651USD) on personal technology every year. Wired got a closer look at the study and noted that only 9 percent of the women polled want products that "look feminine," like a pink Playstation or Hello Kitty keyboards. The remaining 91 percent said they like "sleek and sophisticated, more boardroom than teenage bedroom."

I'm assuming they won't be purchasing the new pink Sony "Jet Juke." And yes, I would have told them the same thing.

Would You Buy A Peripheral Made For Women?

GeekSugar — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:00:44 PDT

Designers, manufacturers and brand managers seem to be in a constant flux about what it is that makes gadgets appealing to women. Sometimes they take the pretty in pink approach, splashing Pepto Bismol-color all over mice, laptops and MP3 players. Sometimes they ignore the fact that women have different wants and needs. Either way, it's hard to find a healthy medium of a quality product that hasn't been dumbed down to suit it's audience's perceived needs.

Despite the challenge, a new company called G Cube hopes to break the traditional gender mold and create peripherals tactfully geared toward feminine tastes. Their website claims they recognize the "computer peripheral market in particular and the electronic category as a whole, has traditionally catered to the masses which results in products that leaves consumers with little choice in the aesthetics and totally expressionless."

The company's Travel Tini Collection and Lux Leopard Collection are available at OfficeMax now and other items will begin selling at Staples this fall. It includes cutesy Heart & Soul mice, colorful keyboard and mice sets and even colorful web cameras. Bright, hued gadgets seem to always be a hit with you readers so I suspect the company is on the mark.

Should Female Chefs Have Exclusive Accolades?

Susannah Chen — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:47:39 PDT

For female chefs, the kitchen still feels like a man's world, but recently, a number of gender-centric events and accolades have been filling the food circuit, attempting to remedy the solution.

San Pellegrino announced its short list for its first-ever Best Female Chef award, and much of Manhattan's top talent has signed on to participate in a female chef dinner series, designed to "showcase and celebrate the talented women in the hospitality industry."

It's great to see women getting wider acknowledgment for their contributions to the restaurant industry, but I can't help but wonder if singling them out will only emphasize the divide between male and female chefs. Are female-specific industry acknowledgments helping to further women in whites - or simply perpetuating the differences between guys and gals in the kitchen?