By Will Sturgeon, 5 July 2006 17:05
NEWS
The number of gadgets we're carrying around on a daily basis - from BlackBerrys and mobile phones to iPods and PDAs - means men in the UK may be forced to embrace the metrosexual phenomenon of the 'manbag'.
Smaller than a sports bag and often more stylish to boot, the manbag is becoming a must-have item for all UK gadget fans keen to stow their multiple devices.
And while four per cent of men surveyed for a piece of research from business communications company Damovo still go for the 'batman' utility belt approach of clipping their gadgets around their waist, it seems that stereotypical image of the gadget fan at large is being killed off by the manbag.
A third of respondents (32 per cent) still manage to get their techie toys into a pocket but by far the most popular option is putting all the gadgets into a bag.
On a more serious note, the research discovered that 66 per cent of respondents are required to carry a mobile device for work and 44 per cent said it is very important they do so.
And while the idea of being 'always-on' and contactable by the office at all times may not be everybody's idea of a quiet life, almost three-quarters of respondents (73 per cent) said the greater use of mobile devices has improved their work-life balance.
In terms of what users want from their mobility strategy, 43 per cent want the flexibility to work from any non-office location, while 12 per cent want to lessen the load of their gadgets and use just one converged device.
Separate research from silicon.com last year revealed three-quarters of us regularly carry at least three gadgets each day, while eight per cent of respondents said they carry five or more gadgets.
Comments
There are 13 comments. Join the discussion
1. anonymous
My husband has had a 'man bag' for 28 years now. He bought his first whilst on holiday in Sweden and now wouldn't be without one
2. Mike Perry
Is it really narcissistic to want to carry all one's gadgets in a single bag?
3. Jon Collins
Nice article. You're forgetting that for many, a bag *is* a gadget. Is it metrosexual, or are we perhaps evolving to become more like the French...
Jon
www.joncollins.net
4. Stephen FRY
Manbags are nothing new. I purchased my first "sac" from a village market in Blaye France in 1988. Ideal for filofaxes at the time, with fags and keys etc. Now carries the 2006 version of contents: PDA, keys, bottle of water and a banana.
5. Adam Grossman
I wonder when the manbag will hit the states. I've been traveling through NY, DC and SF lately and haven't seen any...although I haven't been looking. I have found that a trusty blazer manages rather well in a manbag's stead. It has got all the pocket space necessary and looks good to boot.
6. anonymous
Honestly, you could pick a better name than "manbag". "Excuse me, could you hold my manbag for me while I tie my shoes?" Come on!
7. anonymous
Just use a cloth or leather "briefcase" or laptop case, work well and doesn't look metrosexual
8. anonymous
Adam Grossman's comment reminds me that on a trip to Barbados a few years back all the locals were wearing shirtjacks - a shirt with a lot of capacious pockets into which all kinds of things were stored. Very handy and quite smart.
9. Kyle
I've had a manbag in the states for about seven years.
You can get them at Travel Stores or Luggage stores. Just buy a "Day Bag" or whatever you want to call it.
10. anonymous
Personally I'll wait until the Sporran makes it to the catwalk..
11. anonymous
Why should women get all the functionality of the handbag. I have had a waist pack for 19 years and love not sitting on my wallet amoung other things.
12. Simon West
In the late 70's I bought a "Pouffe Purse" (apologies for the pejorative). In the 80's I bought a "Bum Bag", in the 90's I wore a jacket, looked as though I had bodily growths where the gadgets resided and got too hot in the summer. Last year I bought a manbag and I no longer care what people think. They're practical and don't in any way indicate my sexual preferences.
I do agree that we need a better term for them to make "yer average bloke" think they're manly enough.
13. Francis O'Connor
While holidaying in Spain my girlfriend suggested I purchase a small satchel to carry our guide book, camera, phone, etc. Sensible idea and we joked about the metrosexual man-bag image. However within 48 hours it was the new home for her lipstick, mirror, mascara, powder, etc. Indeed the gadget bag had quickly received the woman's touch. She left her handbag at the hotel while I carried it's contents around for the weekend. Very metrosexual.