Tech replaces diamonds as girl’s best friend: study

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Diamonds are no longer a girl’s best
friend, according to a new U.S. study that found three of four
women would prefer a new plasma TV to a diamond necklace.

The survey, commissioned by U.S. cable television’s Oxygen
Network that is owned and operated by women, found the
technology gender gap has virtually closed with the majority of
women snapping up new technology and using it easily.

Women were found on average to own 6.6 technology devices
while men own 6.9, and four out of every five women felt
comfortable using technology with 46 percent doing their own
computer trouble-shooting.

“People make the assumption that women are not as advanced
as men when it comes to technology and I was surprised at the
parity men and women now have in terms of technology,”
Geraldine Laybourne, chairman and chief executive of Oxygen
Network, told Reuters.

The Girls Gone Wired survey of 1,400 women and 700 men aged
15 to 49, which was conducted by market researcher TRU, found
that given the choice, women would opt for tech items rather
than luxury items like jewelry or vacations.

The study found 77 percent of women surveyed would prefer a
new plasma television to a diamond solitaire necklace and 56
percent would opt for a new plasma TV over a weekend vacation
in Florida.

Even shoes lost out. The study found 86 percent would
prefer a new digital video camera to a pair of designer shoes.

The study found over the next five years women see
themselves increasing their activities in six tech areas:
digital cameras, cell phones, e-mail, camera phones, text
messaging and instant messaging.

Laybourne said this increasing use of technology among
women was expected to continue — with advertisers needing to
ensure they addressed women’s increased usage and knowledge.

“Women don’t feel like they have been given credit for what
they know and they are condescended to,” Laybourne said.