US consumers plan to buy fewer gadgets

So says a survey of 4,427 consumers conducted by ChangeWave, anyway.

Although who these consumers are, what kinds of electronics they've recently purchased, and how many actually plan their gadget sprees 90 days in advance don't appear to have been taken into consideration at all, Seeking Alpha feels the data is strong enough to warn investors of rough roads ahead. The consumer electronics sector, they say, is getting "whacked" and "slammed . . . with a vengeance," partly because fewer respondents plan to buy an iPod or cell phone within the next three months.

Hmm. Either the UMPC blues aren't limited to just UMPCs or a good deal of those surveyed are happily using their iPod touches and iPhones. Tough call.

Comments

[Ian]

I think the meltdown in the US economy has more to do with it.

Ask the same question in other countries and you will get a different answer.

[Al]

As Ian said it is the economy being weak but what it shows is as money is tight the real weak sales in computers are the toys. UMPC and MIDs are toys. Consumers want a functional computer that can be all they need when mobile. Thus it must have a touch type keyboard input, it ideally should be able to run any desktop application and most importantly it has to be folded in some way to be carried in jacket pocket.

The old HP Jornada 720/728, the Psion 5mx, Revo, and others in the 1990's had the right form factor. They provided a wide 7" screen that was narrow, typically about 3.6" which enabled 1/2 VGA display. That form factor also provided a great touch type keyboard capable of 75-85% of full desktop keyboard speeds; best was the Psion's expanding keyboard design.

As the economy is weak UMPC and MID devices better get functional or they are the ones to get hit the hardest. Consumers will spend the money on a pocket computer so long as it is functional to them. That does not mean any thumb input or pen input only; consumers do not want that. Just look at the 2007 UMPC numbers before the economy was really weak, only 350,000 sold?