Blogged by Techie Diva and then by Popgadget, this Telegraph article discusses the imbalance between male and female users of technology. They specifically mention that (in Britain), 96% of tracks are downloaded by men (I’m not sure where those are downloaded from). Now I can take the fact that yes, there are more gadget geeks then geekettes out there and men are often more willing to spend time figuring out how their technologies work. What I can’t handle is the manner in which they present these facts, as well as how companies are trying to market towards women. They make women appear incompetent and unpatient when it comes to technology. A few quotes:

Would you rip files at a high or low bit-rate? Do you prefer AAC, WMA or MP3? If you are completely baffled by these questions, you are probably a woman.

However, like HMV, electrical goods manufacturers seem determined to turn women on to cameras and computers. Apple launched a mini version of the iPod in pastel pink last summer, and this season’s desktop must-have is a Hello Kitty mouse.

“It’s easy for women to say they don’t understand and ask a man for help,” says Tom Stewart. “As the saying goes, boys play with toys, and girls play with boys.”

Gawd…could they make the dividing line even thicker?
I guess the reasons why I might get impatient with technology are that its not always social, there are thick manuals, sharp edges and it fails to be associated with men. I never knew…