Girls Gone Wired - Technology Gender Gap Closing Fast

Forget the shoes and the diamonds, buy her a flat-screen TV.

A recent survey found that three out of four American women would prefer a plasma screen to a glittering necklace.

The survey, entitled (I love this) Girls Gone Wired, found that 77 per cent of women would prefer a plasma screen to a diamond solitaire necklace, 56 would prefer a plasma screen over a weekend vacation in Florida, and (believe it or not) 86 per cent would prefer a new digital video camera to a new pair of designer shoes.

The survey, commissioned by the Oxygen cable TV network, also found that the technology gap between men and women is closing. On average, women were found to own 6.6 technology devices, compared with 6.9 for men.

“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,” said Geraldine Laybourne, chairman and chief executive of Oxygen Network.

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

Marketers, start your engines…