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Old 06-16-2011, 08:52 PM   #29
CazMar
Book Geek
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Posts: 596
Karma: 1499085
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Adelaide, Australia
Device: Kobo Touch, Asus MemPad 7" tablet, Nexus 5, Asus 10" tablet
Quote:
Originally Posted by anamardoll View Post
IF iPad sales are skewed towards men and IF eReader sales are skewed towards women and IF two such dissimilar devices can even really be compared...

It seems foolish to me to assume that the content is necessarily driving the purchases. In general, women in America tend to be socialized more (1) to spend less money on their personal purchases, especially gadget-based stuff, and (2) to buy based on a "need" than a "want".

If you're already buying books/magazines for yourself, the eReader satisfies a "need". You don't have to lug your books around anymore. You can get books from the library without having to juggle your work schedule (most libraries don't keep evening hours) or driving commute. You're saving the planet by not having more Dead Tree Books in the house. You're downsizing your book collection. The eReader is cheap -- and if the books cost even $1 less than paper books, it pays for itself over time.

The iPad is perceived by most of our culture as a want, and an expensive want at that. It does a lot of stuff and it does it well, but you're probably not going to lug it around as an eReader -- most people only take it with them on travel and otherwise just use it in teh comfort of their home. It's heavy and it doesn't do well in direct sunlight while you're waiting to pick up a spouse/kid/car-pooler. If you're shopping based on a need, and while on a tight personal budget, you're probably not going to throw down for an iPad nor for the data contract that goes with it.

Then, too, there's the economics of the situation. Do women still on average have less disposable income than men? Really. Well, gee, how shocking that the more expensive device has more men buying it, while the cheaper device is more popular with women.

Poorly researched pop science articles: Just say no.
Couldn't agree more - I am a female gadget lover, but I am going to wait and get a cheaper Android tablet than rush in now and spend my money on an IPad. My Kobo does the job of ebook display very well and was cheap. I would not say I was poor but I do have an aversion to wasting money!
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