Portable IM Device Works For Teens?
A couple weeks back I trashed the new device from Motorola that lets people use AOL instant messenger (AIM) all over their house. It runs through your computer and its connection, so it’s really only useful in the house. I thought this didn’t seem like a big market, since most people, in the house, can simply go to their computer – and if they really want a mobile solution, they can just get a handheld device like the Danger hiptop. However, an initial review of the device suggests that it could be a hit with its real target audience: teenaged girls. The idea is that these girls don’t want to be out in the open where their family can read all their secret IM messages. By having this device, they can go hide in their room or out of the sight of prying parents. Of course, at $100, it still seems a bit on the pricey side for a device that doesn’t do very much. And, as more teenaged girls get mobile phones of their own, and those phones come equipped with AIM, there will be no need for this device.
