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SHERRY NOIK

Sun Media

Look no further than Oprah's annual list of "favourite things" to see how times have changed. These days, the cashmere scarf and the perfect make-up kit are joined by the iPod and an HD camcorder.

It's a sure sign that technology, once the domain of the boys' club, has found its way into daintier, less clumsy hands.

But while men typically see all those flashing lights and touch screens as toys, women see them as tools -- tools that help manage work life and organize everyday life.

"A lot of women have to juggle work and kids and their social calendar -- everything from driving carpool to planning dinner Saturday night to doctor's appointments to grocery shopping," says Toronto's Sheryl Steinberg, who has worked in the tech industry for a decade.

True, improved ease of use has made the tech universe increasingly unisex. But two significant shifts have drawn women in droves: the female-centric content and, yes, even the design.

Nielsen Mobile, which tracks wireless trends in the U.S., reported that the number of American women using smartphones had more than doubled to 10.4 million, outpacing men.

In a study released last week, Toronto's Solutions Research Group found that "women are an increasingly important market for technology brands" and estimated that 45 million women in the U.S. bought a digital product in the past six months.

"Tech is getting prettier," Steinberg points out. Look at laptops that come in candy colours and chic cell phone cases women can coordinate with their outfits. Artistic "skins" of cling film can customize a look to suit her style. Netbooks are smaller, lighter laptops that fit perfectly into a Prada. "They're almost positioning them as fashion accessories."