What Does Your Tech Say About You?
As makes sense in consumer societies, most folks in developed nations -- wittingly or not -- express themselves via the stuff they accumulate. Since technological goods have become increasingly pervasive, and affordable, it only makes sense that tech companies have begun to imbue their products with 'personalities' of their own. From your ride to your ringtone, your tech -- like it or not -- can expose aspects of your personality to others. Click through to see just what we're talking about.
Your car
Possibly the most widely recognized status symbol of the modern era, the automobile has been developed perhaps more than any other piece of machinery to appeal to certain personality types. A Mercedes, for instance, might give off the vibe that you are a high-roller, concerned with sophistication over flash. If you drive a Chevy, you're putting out that all-American vibe. And if you drive a Hummer? Well, you just suck.
Your ringtone
Downloadable ringtones have skyrocketed in popularity over recent years, with even your cousin's pitiful emo band hawking their own via MySpace. Since the kinds of people who use ringtones are rarely the kinds of people to courteously set their phones to silent mode when in public, the whole world's perception of you could hinge on your ringtone selection. If you pick a Young Jeezy jam, you're probably the type of person who likes to get crunk. If you download a Barry Manilow ringtone, you're probably the type of person that downloads ringtones by accident.
Your cell phone
With smartphones pervading pockets and purses everywhere, the cell phone may soon replace the automobile as the most recognizable status symbol. While a BlackBerry gives off the vibe that you are all about business, an iPhone would suggest that you mix business and pleasure -- a technological mullet, of sorts. And as for those Luddites among us with older-gen, plain-old cell phones? Well, that says we'd rather buy months' worth of groceries than a telephone.
Your preferred MP3 player bit rate
A CNET report has broken down MP3 listeners into types, contingent on their bit rate preferences. Folks who listen to 128kbps probably use their MP3 players' included headphones. Those who subscribe to 256kbps are highly likely to use BitTorrent, but never Limewire. Lossless fans tend be Gen X-ers, while 320kbps-listeners tend to be part of Gen Y.
Your Vista sidebar gadgets
Since Vista's "gadgets" feature leaves some users perplexed, Windows Vista Magazine (that's right) offered a break-down of Vista user types last year. According to the article, those who leave the sidebar alone are "unadventurous" and might be "nervous." Folks who mess with the sidebar a little bit are "naturally curious," but also "flit between things." On the other hand, Vista users who fully take advantage of the sidebar are called "individuals" who "aren't afraid to try new things." It's almost as if Windows Vista Magazine wants you to pay for Windows Vista gadgets. Weird.
Your gadgets, in general
If you're a gadget lover, or what's called an 'early adopter,' research shows that you're probably an assertive person. The study, conducted by Nielsen Online and Mindset Media, also found that folks who rush to the store in order to buy the newest gadget tend to have strong leadership qualities. Oh, and they also tend to be condescending jerks.
Your Mac
If you're a Mac user, chances are high that you're also an early adopter, so it should be no surprise that, as the owner of a Mac, you are probably an arrogant, uptight kind of person. Of course, it's not all bad. The study in question, conducted at last year's Macworld conference, shows that Mac users also tend to be more open-minded. Unless it comes to PC-users, that is.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Arthur said 9:12AM on 2-09-2010
Funny.. I shop at Walmart, occasionally Amazon (rarely). Mainly I just buy things from respectable online retailers. I am also an active techie and I am a software developer. Oddly enough, I prefer Sprint over T-Mo, Verizon, AND AT&T.
I use Google, so these profiles do not fit me at all.
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andi said 11:15AM on 2-09-2010
Google fits me, I shop at Amazon but here in canada we don't have target. I have to admit Bing was cool at first and I used it when it first launched but now I have just switched back to Google.
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mick said 9:13AM on 2-10-2010
What the hell do you mean you live in Canada and they don't have Target's?? Thats a FRENCH Company!!! Been outside your cave lately?
Greg said 10:24AM on 2-10-2010
mick-
What part of France is Minneapolis in? You might pronounce it Tar-shay, but it is in fact an American company with no international stores.
PonTelon said 3:39PM on 2-09-2010
Honestly, I tend to forget that you guys are even associated with AOLTimeWarner.
Google, online retailers predominately. Hate Walmart with a fire that burns deep within my soul...
So yea, I fit the Google type.
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Valerie said 3:50PM on 2-09-2010
I use Yahoo because I am not a fan of change. It was around before Google. I am also a customer of Verizon - been with them a long time too. I shop at Target - Walmart less often.
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kadajawi said 11:19PM on 2-09-2010
Google. I did try Bing, but usually the search results were useless and I had to go to Google to find what I need. Too bad, the UI was quite good. But perhaps by now the search results have improved, I shall try Bing again. I did use Altavista for quite some time (until Google appeared).
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hkneeland said 8:09AM on 2-10-2010
I have used aol since the beginning. It's frustrating at times, but so are the others. I don't feel I fit the above profile about aol users myself, but evidently that profile fits many of the idiot birthers and right-winged zealots who leave so many stupid comments. I drive an Audi A8 and a Jeep...shop Walmart and Target.
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hahjah said 8:37AM on 2-10-2010
Try dogpile.com it's the best multi search engine out there.
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scottilla said 8:42AM on 2-10-2010
It's Google, like 78.8% of the others. The other search engines simply do not work as well.
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Yvvonne said 8:50AM on 2-10-2010
HHHmmmm I find those results on why I use AOL completely unfounded. My reason for aol is because I have tried both yahoo & google, & I have had some majorly serious issues with the use of them. Yahoo is mostly filled with scammers, so everytime I try to use yahoo I get hit by spam & scammers endlessly. Personally I got tired of trying to get rid of all the issues that hit my computer each time I tried to use it; viruses & trojans everywhere! Plus the end result of typing in whatever it wass I would look for left me still wishing to find what it is I was looking for. Yahoo never takes me there right away.
Google....my daughter is now is 9th grade, but back when she was in the 3rd grade & using a school computer for a class project, she typed in what she was told to type, & up pops a porn site, AT THE SCHOOL! Even the filters supposedly in place did not block it. I also have the same issue with google for the ease of finding things, or should I say "the lack thereof".
I like aol search for the keyword function. It is almost always precise & I can almost always find what I want from scrolling the 1st page of possible findings to my search request. Now that to me is smarter than trying to fight the wanna be's for search engines. It is also less time consuming & allows me to do more than sit & endlessly search!
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Mark said 9:05AM on 2-10-2010
That Yahoo profile matches my mother-in-law perfect. She uses Yahoo, is old, lacks imagination, and I'm sure she feels she can't control her future just from her attitude towards life... :P
How funny!
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Lassie said 9:08AM on 2-10-2010
I've always used Google, it's up on the top right of my MacBook. it never occurred to me to use anything else, really, I have no problem finding things with Google. I'll venture into Walmart, I'm not proud! Name brands mean little to me, I like bargain hunting.....That's hilariously true about the AO Smell users, ick, like turning over a rock with them - all misspelled, frothing with hate, fat peons!
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Gail said 1:51PM on 2-10-2010
So what about Dogpile? It is a search engine of other search engines and you can use very specific search criteria and still get hits without as much garbage.
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Patsy Kingsley said 3:37PM on 2-10-2010
When I use Firefox browser, I cannot access Google. So I use Bing. However, I also have Google Chrome browser, which my daughter prefers, and sometimes I use. I was looking for directions to a new school, went first with Bing, wanted to see the aerial picture, and the school didn't exist-- yet. At least Google's picture showed the building was in progress. I think a lot of research is hooey. People use a) what they are used to. b) what was on their computer to start with. c) whatever works best for them. End of story.
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ghahtak said 9:35AM on 2-10-2010
How about I use 10 different browsers depending on what I am looking for. As for pegging me with a type good luck I can't even do that.
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timothyccampbell said 10:40AM on 2-10-2010
What a crock! Either I am the statistical exception or these folks don't have a clue. My vote is for the later. I use Google because it was the first search engine with any content back many years ago. Now I go there out of habit. It's even become part of my slang as I "google it" frequently. It has absolutely NOTHING to do with where I shop or what kind of car I drive or any ot that crap. People, one size does not fit all. You need to quit trying to make that the case. Really, find something meaningful to do.
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ycav4424 said 10:30AM on 2-10-2010
People who use aol for their news source, have to get use to doing without the comment section. It is probably a lesson in things to come. Others comments are interesting to read and sometimes helpfull in looking at things in a different way. So it is only right that it should be taken off with a promise of bringing it back someday before having a new and improved section to take it's place. I can't help but think that someone posted something that wasn't appreciated by aol or people of influence that they know. Just guessing at 3 months and counting.
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ycav4424 said 10:53AM on 2-10-2010
Don't say anything about aol taking the comment section off of their news stories. Otherwise they won't post your commemt.
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glennbo said 11:01AM on 2-10-2010
test
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