Kids and Tech=Fish and Water

Joe Wilcox | August 27, 2003, 01:09 PM

Last week, I got a Sony Ericsson T616 cell phone--the North America version of the T610-- and passed on the reliable T68i to my 9-year-old daughter. (We don't use a land line anymore; this is a three cell phone family.) Within an hour, my daughter had figured out how to play games, record memos, create her own ring tone and change the phone's wallpaper. Her old cell phone didn't offer any of these capabilities. My wife, whose cell phone uses the same software, was surprised to learn of all these fun-fangled features.

The difference between the two women (OK, one is a girl) demonstrates how somone growing up with gadgets is different from someone exposed to them as an adult. I know this isn't an earth-shattering observation, but I do think it's one too many companies fail to take into account when developing and marketing new, high-tech gear. My wife struggles with some basic phone functions. Whereas, my daughter will explore features until she is satisfied there is no fun left to be had. I see this same tendency when she and her friends gather around the GameCube, Windows Media Center PC or Neopets Website.

On a marginally related matter, I love e-commerce. I ordered the T616 from my wireless carrier on a Saturday evening. The phone arrived by 10 a.m. on Monday. Sony Ericsson did well, too. My Sunday order for two new phone cases showed up the following Tuesday morning.