What Do Women Know About Gadgets?

Wed, 04/22/2009 - 22:19 — Andrew

By Andrew Eisner

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The Answer: More Than You Thought!


Women, how many times have men made you feel like less than adequate in the tech department? Well, a recent Gadgetology study by Retrevo may vindicate you or at least give you a big boost in confidence. The study found that most men, 79% in fact, feel very secure about their technical knowledge while women appeared less self-assured. An ironic twist however, revealed more women than men actually answered key tech questions correctly.
Q. Do you consider yourself electronics savvy?
Q. What does the technical abbreviation "MB" refer to in consumer technology?
Q. What does 1080p refer to?


Further questioning demonstrated that women are much more realistic about their limitations; admitting they didn’t know an answer instead of “guessing” the wrong answer as did more of the men. Sound familiar? Sort of like asking directions instead of wondering around lost.
Q. What does the technical abbreviation "MB" refer to in consumer technology?
Q. What does 1080p refer to?


In another revealing question, the study found women appear to be more attached to their gadgets than men preferring their computers over caffeine.
Q. Between your Computer and Caffiene, if you HAD to give up one item for the other, forever, which item would you give up?

Retrevo is taking no sides in this battle of the sexes for the right to claim most gadget savviness rather welcomes gadget enthusiast of any age or gender to participate in the joy of gadgets on their site that helps consumers buy and use technology.

What Do YOU Think?

Do women have more tech smarts than men? We want to hear from you. Leave a comment below.

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Comments

Wed, 05/20/2009 - 15:42 — Anonymous (not verified)

wondering or wandering?

"Sort of like asking directions instead of wondering around lost."

Thu, 05/14/2009 - 18:20 — Kathleen (not verified)

Engineer who is female.

As a 60 year old woman who is also a structural engineer I am still blown away that men still ask this divisive stuff.

MIT is the premier engineering school in the country - its enrollment is half female (and yes you can google that and verify it). I will also point out that my daughter will be a 3rd year engineering student at an Institute of Technology here in New Jersey next year.

I love my technology but I don't put it ahead of what I consider important - my husband and my kids. However caffeine can go - give me my computer and my home network and my backup nas device. Why don't you go ask the men what a nas device is?

Women are good at fashion? Give me a break How about SOME women are good at fashion but who makes the big bucks in the fashion industry - the men.

Thu, 05/14/2009 - 16:47 — crappy (not verified)

not very scientific

I would give up caffeine a lot faster than my computer/laptop/blackberry/mp3 player/gps/multi-media player BECAUSE there are caffeine substitutes but no technology substitutes.

I'm the girl Friday in my office and deal with technology (computers, laptops, blackberries, printers, scanners, photocopiers, programs) half of most my days via e-mail, phone and sometimes in person. I still don't consider myself more than average technology wise which is not too savvy.

What are the answers to the questions? I think MB is megabyte. I think 1080p refers to pixels for a monitor display. I would guess if I'm not sure but am willing to say that I'm not sure.

Thu, 04/30/2009 - 18:09 — Anonymous (not verified)

As a woman who knows many

As a woman who knows many more women, I would say that for the most part, most men are more technical than most women. However, as far as admitting not knowing the answer, always and forever the woman will confess long before and possibly be the only ones to. One thing I have found to be most of the time true also, and this includes myself, women will pursue after the "right" answer until they have found it. And then we will want to fix the problem ourselves with the newly attained knowledge. I have found men to jump right in, thinking they can fix anything without knowing enough and will end up breaking it or messing it up so badly that it's not worth fixing when they are through.

Thu, 04/30/2009 - 16:59 — Yoda (not verified)

Gadjet saavy?

I would question the results of this survey. First, to whom and where were they taking this survey? At CES? At a computer show? On the street? On a blog? How did they determine who to ask and who not to ask? What are the criteria for measuring gadget knowledgeably? These issues totally affect the outcome.

I believe that in the general public, men are more gadget knowledgeable, and women are more knowledgeable in fashion and design. How many times has the wife of someone who is an audio video nut complain about all the gear and the messy look in the living room because she does not know the technical reasons why things are built the way they are and why the room is setup a specific way. Women like Sony and Bose, Men like Krell and Martin Logan. Women like to buy computers that are already assembled, Men like to buy all the parts and put it together themselves. Women like their Mazda Miata's. Men like customizing there street racing cars. Who is more gadget oriented? Using my criteria, Men far out number the women.

Thu, 04/30/2009 - 15:16 — Scott Ager (not verified)

Technical Skills

I think a better test of technical ability, other than memorizing acronyms, is to look at the ratio of men to women in any school of engineering. Ability is as ability does.... Sorry, Gump.

Fri, 05/01/2009 - 16:24 — Anonymous (not verified)