The earliest generation of mobile phones certainly had drawbacks. Nerdy and utilitarian looking, they came in a limited number of colors (black and gray) andwere bulky and adrag to lug around. The same with Palm Pilots, the first brand of affordable personal digital assistants, or PDAs. Boring. Half of potential buyers looked on them for what they were: boy toys.
But, boy, have they come a long way. Sleeker and more functional than ever, wireless phones like thenew super thin, 2.29-ounce Sanyo SCP-6000 are capable of accessing Web sites and checking e-mail.The Treo 180 Communicatorfrom Handspringcombines a cell phone,PDA, Web browser and messaging capability in a single device.Later this year,Nokia, the world’s leadingcell phone maker, known for its interchangeable and color phone covers, will roll outa digital-camera-in-a-phone, called the 7650.
These and a slew of other versatile and powerful little devices, known in industry parlance as mobile electronics, are finally getting the other half of the buying audience’s attention. PDA sales this year are projected to reach 11.3 million, an 18 percent increase from 2001,according to eBrain Market Research. Forty-four percent of the buyers will be female. Andcell phonesreallyhave taken hold:More than 70 percent ofwomen now own them, says Helen Marie Graves, an eBrain analyst.
The explosive growth ofmobileelectronics also has spawnedarelativelynewcategory of merchandise:gadget accessories. Coach, the fine leather goods maker, for instance, now has a line of cell phone and PDA cases designed just for women. Constructed ofhigh-quality leatherin a rainbow of colors, the cases arecompact, stylish and practical.The PDA caseshaveinside pockets to hold credit cards and a Velcro attachment for keeping the organizer in place. And, most welcome, they don’t hog a lot of roomin your briefcase orhandbag.
Dooney & Bourke and Hermes also have a few ideas on how to dress up your gadgets.In its “business and techno-related”category, Dooney & Bourke offersa wide range of casesfor CDs,pagers,PDAs and cell phones. Hermes, of course, takes tech accessories to another level. Its gold chestnut colored Palm V cover,made of Mississippi alligator, retails for $1,550,almost four times the cost of the device it is designed to hold.
And, there are otherluxury embellishments to make gadget loversswoon. Next month, Montblanc, the Swiss maker of fine writing instruments, debuts its Royal Stylus for PDAs, adornedwith41 diamonds and rangingfrom $1,465 for the stainless steel model to $3,910 for a solid platinum one.
