Does tech jargon perplex you?

BANGALORE: A new study from the AMD Global Consumer Advisory Board (GCAB) - released during its biannual meeting this year in Stockholm, Sweden - reveals why so many people around the world may be delaying their purchases of new technologies. According to the study, too many potential buyers don't understand the language of the technology industry, and are delaying their purchases because products and terminology are too complex.

The report, which surveyed more than 1,500 consumers in China, Japan, the UK and the US, revealed that only three percent of respondents got a perfect score on a technology terms quiz, which included terms such as "MP3," "megahertz" and "Bluetooth." And, only slightly more than half (65 percent) of respondents correctly identified the definition of "megahertz" from a line-up of three possible definitions. Even of the most knowledgeable (those who identified more than seven of 11 technology terms correctly), only slightly more than a third could correctly identify the definition of digital video recorder (DVR).

The study also showed that those who were least knowledgeable (those identifying six or fewer technology terms correctly) are the most likely to delay technology purchases. For example, 47 percent of those who scored the lowest state they will delay their purchases of digital cameras due to complexity. Moreover, the study confirmed that people are delaying purchases of new technologies because the technologies are perceived as too complex. For instance, 40 percent of the most proficient consumers state they will delay purchases of personal digital assistants (PDAs) because the PDAs are viewed as too complicated. Setting up complicated technology products is also a key area of concern.

Nearly half of all respondents (46 percent) strongly state they don't buy anything that is complicated to set up, and nearly two-thirds (62 percent) strongly agree with the statement that they "wish to have things work and not spend time setting up."

"The high-tech industry is spending more than $10 billion a year in the U.S. alone advertising the speeds and feeds of the products. But the industry is not getting the full value of their advertising dollars when, for example, only slightly more than half of the PC users we spoke with don't understand the term 'megahertz' - which is used in a vast majority of personal computer (PC) advertisements," said Patrick Moorhead, chairman of the GCAB and vice president of corporate marketing at AMD.

"The technology industry must simplify its vocabulary so that consumers around the world can better understand the benefits technology can bring to their lives."

The study also suggests that the PC is a gateway to the adoption of other consumer technology products. For instance, 87 percent of those who plan to buy a DVR in the next 12 months already use a home PC, and 80 percent of those who plan to buy a DVD player in the next 12 months already use a home PC.

The AMD GCAB invites the public to take the technology terminology and complexity test, which can be found on www.amdgcab.org, and test their knowledge of technology terms against others' from around the world.