Girls want gadgets

Women now spend six times as much on the latest gadgets than on fancy footwear, a survey shows.

The rise in popularity and style of tech-toys such as mobile phones and MP3 players has spawned a new breed of 'gadget girl', who spends an average of £478 on gizmos a year, compared to £74 on shoes, Sony Ericsson found.

Vanessa Miedler, of Tatler magazine, said: 'It wasn't until gadgets started looking so stylish that women began seeing them as more than just some geeky piece of technology.'