Although women are all too often ignored by vendors in the IT industry, they still account for a sizable market segment, and perhaps realizing this, memory module makers including Apacer Technology (Booth: D126, D136, D225, D235, Hall 1) and Power Quotient International (PQI) (D330, D336, D429, D435, Hall 1) are offering more products at Computex Taipei 2007 that appeal to women.
Apacer is marketing its USB flash drives not solely on density or software features, but also on design. Apacer's newly introduced Handy Steno AH125 is a key chain and card holder and, with its bright red color, the device appears to be targeting female users looking for a little liveliness in their IT products.
Apacer is also in talks with leading brands that target female customers, such as luxury goods vendor Louis Vuitton (LV) and some cosmetics brands, in an attempt to find some market crossover for its IT products. Perhaps, LV can do for USB flash drives what the iPod did for digital music players.
PQI is also showcasing several products that can be targeted to women. The memory module maker's 3mm-thick Card Drive series not only comes in densities up to 32GB, but OEMs can provide their own personal picture and patterns to target various market segments.
The company is also showcasing its colorful Intelligent Drive i810 series, which features a surface plated with different colors, and is small enough to be used as an fashion accessory for a handset or key chain.
According CK Chang, Apacer AVP from the company's digital application business unit, targeting women is not only about style. In the competitive digital music player segment, Apacer looks to appeal to women with its AU581 player, which comes in a metallic case and targets functionality and ease of use. However, the company still stresses the friendly price, Chang pointed out. And no matter who the product is designed for, it still needs to be backed by the technology, Chang added.
Apacer Handy Steno AH125 USB drive
Photo: Esther Lam, Digitimes, June 2007
PQI Card Drive U505
Photo: Esther Lam, Digitimes, June 2007
PQI Intelligent Drive i810
Photo: Esther Lam, Digitimes, June 2007
