It may very well make the boys wink, but show me a bit of pink tech and I’m liable to reach for the nearest sharp implement. Puce, fuchsia or Barbie, the shade doesn’t matter. What irks me is the following assumption made by way too many of the press releases that arrive at my inbox; that if a gadget is pink (or its current partner in colour crime, purple), suddenly the spec doesn’t matter. Yes it’s only got two watts of power/a five-minute battery life/the screen resolution of a blackboard but the laydeez will love it. End of. I must want to feature it.
Now, I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with wandering off the beaten tracks of metallic or monochrome. I do work for an interiors magazine after all. And indeed it’s possible to produce some decent pieces of technology in pink, as proven by these fine examples:
1. Asus Zenbook UX21 ultrabook, £849
The UX21 is available in not one but two shades of pink – a Rose Gold for fashionistas and the more traditionally girly Hot Pink. But what’s this, stereo speakers powered by Bang & Olufsen? A USB3.0 port for quick uploads, which will charge your phone as it sleeps? Nice one Asus. And at 1.1kg it’s one of the lightest ultrabooks you’ll find.
2. Canon IXUS 230 HS compact camera, £160
The finish is apparently Hot Red, but it looks pretty darn pink to me. Anyhoo, this super-slim compact has an 8x optical zoom tucked into its metal body (no Barbie plastic here) and delivers top-quality images, even in low light conditions, thanks in no small part to its 12.1MP CMOS sensor and snazzy processor. Designed for the point-and-shoot crowd, it’s VERY easy to use and there are some cool art modes on board if you like that kind of thing. It also shoots 720p HD video and all for under £200. Bargain.
3. Sony PRS-T1 eBook reader, £129
The World’s Lightest eReader™ has a lot going for it, including a lengthy battery life, quick charging and the ability to write notes on the pages with the supplied stylus. There’s also a ‘Public Library’ icon that links you to local libraries offering an eBook lending service, so you can borrow titles for free.
4. Pure Evoke Mio DAB/FM radio, £129
It’s won countless awards, sounds all rich and rounded in my kitchen and comes in a gazillion colours, including Rose pink. There are 30 station presets, an OLED display that can be read at the most obtuse of angles and an optional battery pack that’s been known to last 24 hours between charges.
So come on people, stop clogging up my email with naff pink gadgets, and if you’re going to produce speakers/headphones/laptops/tablets in the ultimate feminine shade, make sure they look just as pretty under their proverbial bonnets.
Girl About Tech xx
Girl About Tech is Ideal Home’s Consumer Editor, on the hunt for cleverest, gorgeousest
tech. If it’s got the looks, the brains and a plug, she’ll write about
it.
- Follow Girl About Tech on Twitter @girlabouttech. Or read her blog: http://girlabouttech.com/
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
