I have been meaning to get this off my chest for a while: I hate pink notebooks. And seeing the release of the baby pink Samsung NC10 —one of my favorite netbooks on the market—I have just about had it with companies slapping pink on their current notebooks to make them appeal to women. First, let me start off by saying I have never been a pink lady. I never liked pink dresses when I was a little girl and my room was never outfitted like that of Elle Woods; no pink boas, curtains, or tutus in sight. Oh, and Paris Hilton's pink-outfitted Bentley makes me want to throw up. But even if I liked the color pink, I think I would still hate pink laptops (and I am not the first to say it, either). Too often these days we see notebooks vendors and other consumer electronics manufacturers (cell phone, MP3 makers), trying to reach out to the female market by simply (or half-assedly, if you ask me) taking an existing product and making it pink. And its not typically a solid pink either; it tends to be that wretched muted Barbie, newborn-baby pink. Sure, some women do like pink, but most are attracted to a lot more than the color; they want a product that is modern, sophisticated, sleek, and useful. That is why a survey in 2007 found that only 9 percent of women thought it was important that gadgets looked "feminine." Turning a notebook or netbook pink doesn't make it for a woman; in fact, many woman prefer the typical white, silver, and black schemes. The pink in my mind is patronizing; it says, "Hey, we got this in pink! Now it's perfect for women!" This isn't to say companies aren't already going beyond the pinkwashing. For instance, Sony's P Series is aggressively marketed toward women and comes in a variety of hues. And that is exactly what I would like to see: notebooks coming in a selection of stylish and bold colors, and if baby pink is one of them, so be it. So, before you buy your special gal a pink laptop (or gadget) this upcoming Valentine's Day, make sure you know she wants one, unless you're okay with sleeping on the couch for a month. Note: Pink products that support Breast Cancer research are totally fine in my book.
