Asian executives love flat screen TVs, but 3G phones flop

AFP, September, 2004

HONG KONG (AFP) — Flat screen televisions and digital cameras are the hottest gadgets coveted by Asian business executives, but 3G phones and MP3 players are near the bottom of their electronic shopping lists, according to a survey.

The executive lifestyle survey published Thursday by the Far Eastern Economic Review weekly also found Asia's most fervent geeks and gadget freaks are not found in wired Hong Kong or South Korea, but the broadband backwaters of the Philippines and Indonesia.

"The revolution has begun. We are making a technology leap as our homes become 'smart' and our gadgets get married to each other," said survey author Nury Vittachi.

"Most of us only half notice what is happening ... but in fact these developments are triggering material...