Lady Geek

People come to together in a time of crisis. The Internet is enabling the spirit of mutuality but more interestingly the recession is driving people towards collective buying.  A strategy that people have little time for when the economy is good. In harsher times collective buying could turn tables on companies who are seen to be greedy.

Last week’s Economist describes how the residents of the San Francisco have been signing up enthusiastically for a new green energy campaign called 1BOG- short for “One Block off the Grid”. It asks homeowners to switch solar energy one block at a time by organising them into buying-clubs. The more people who sign up, at any time the bigger the discounts. Finally the contract to supply, install and maintain the system is put out to tender the “Carrotmob” outsources the work to the most competitive bidder.

Marketers have long harped on about the shift of power moving from the company to the consumer, but it’s not actually happened until now in any great measure (with the exception of a few groups on Facebook).  The fact remains that the majority of technology companies are still interested in what interests them rather than what interests their customers.

So many women tell me that technology is “way to complicated” “designed by men for men” “lacks any intuition” “is frustrating and dull.”

Imagine another world, where women Carrotmob for intuitive and sexy technology.  Technology that was made with women in mind.  Where substantial numbers of women gather together and say what they want. Where ten-thousand women were to draw up a list of their ideal next phone/TV/PVR/console and pledge to buy it. Where tech brands bid to build and support this product knowing that they had guaranteed buyers, and in return women would have to honor their contract.

It’s about time we carrotmobbed for intuitive, human technology that reflects what we are interested in.

What would your ideal phone/TV/PVR/console/piece of kit look like?  How would it feel using it?  How would it be different from whats out there now?