Techie la Sunrise!

Gadgets are no longer the domain of geeks alone. Now, those sleek things are fashion accessories for the cool crowd. Whistleblower on the reinvention of Gizmoland...

Move over designer-wear. Think sexy, carry a gizmo, be it a cellphone, iPod, PDA. What then makes a gadget sexy? ‘‘The design, the curves and for youngsters, the image. But this doesn’t mean functionality is sacrificed,’’says Krishna Kumar of Living Digital.
Designer Puja Nayyar’s kinda gadget has a great body plus brains. ‘‘My iPod isn’t just a status symbol. It allows me to listen to music anytime, anywhere. Then, the plasma TV is the sexiest thing going.’’ But Jattinn Kochhar goes for features over design. ‘‘I’m not after a fancy cellphone as long as a simpler one solves my needs.’’
It’s functionality versus design. So, tech manufacturers aren’t taking chances.‘‘Our goal is to innovate and come up with attractive designs,’’ says Ravinder Zutshi, deputy MD, Samsung India. According to the Consumer Electronics Association, women influence 89% of all consumer electronics purchase decisions, and account for the majority of the $100 billionplus spent on electronics each year. Not surprisingly, manufactures are marketing products with a feminine touch. ‘‘For instance, our
MP3 players are worn by girls around their necks,’’ says Zutshi. The feminine touch doesn’t end there. ‘‘Companies have added gold and diamonds to gadgets as alternatives to jewellery,’’ says Kumar.
One problem for manufacturers is that even the most popular gadgets become passe within a few days. ‘‘I had a cameraphone of 1.00 megapixel, but I’m persuading my dad to buy me a more advanced phone.A third of my friends have the cellphone I have... I wan’t to be different,’’ says Akshay Kundu, a student of Hindu.
HI, TECH!
The kewlest gizmos going... Cellphone: With colour screen, camera, FM tuner, audio-video player.
MP3 player: iPods enjoy iconic status in today’s time. Digital camera: Credit card-size, some being just 0.4 inch thick.
Plasma TV: Who wouldn’t want a 60-inch ultra-thin, high-definition plasma display screen mounted on the bedroom wall?
Laptop: Some measure 0.75 inch (widest) and 0.3 inch (thinnest).
iMac: Computer of the elite that runs on its own operating system.
Handycam: So advanced, they bridge pro-consumer videography.
USB flash drive: External hard drive to wear around your neck.
Home theatre: With hi-fi sound and a wide screen, it rivals theatres.
Accessories: Cellphone case, iPod traveller speaker system, digital camera/laptop bag.

Techizen
Meet Jimmy Shergill, actor and techno freak
‘‘I love tech for the way it simplifies life. In fact, I’ve lost count of the gadgets I’ve bought.The cellphone I use has been voted one of the sexiest of the year. I have satellite phones, an iPod, music systems, laptops. Even before a product is launched in the market, I conduct research on it and evaluate its advantages. I’m one of the first few people to get hold of a new gadget. I don’t have a dream gadget but as of now, I’m waiting for a hybrid phone called iPhone — it has all the features of a cellphone and MP3 player.’’