We will therefore simply repeat the opinion of Katie Lee, journalist and editor of Shiny Shiny, a weblog for gadget-obsessed women: "Women want good design, absolutely, and there's nothing wrong with that. But also women, more than men even, need to see a use in every gadget. They need to know exactly how it's going to fit into their lives, what it's going to do for them."

Women also welcome the fact that these days, you don't have to be a power lifter to enjoy technology: "More than styling, size has had a big impact," says Lee. "As things have got smaller, women have got more interested because physically these laptops, phones, whatever, are easier to carry around. So there's a straightforward appeal in things being pink or sparkling or cute. But if they don't do what we need them to do, or if they're too big, we don't care."

And: "Women like gadgets that have nothing to do with sitting in a darkened room, hunched over a keyboard. They like mobile gadgets. That's why mobile phones were such a major gateway gadget for so many women."