Survey: Consumers Intimidated By Tech Jargon

Consumers are intimidated by technology jargon and therefore are delaying purchases of high-tech equipment, according to a survey by chip manufacturer Advanced Micro Devices Inc. The survey of 1,500 people in China, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States found that many consumers are afraid they can't understand such commonly used devices as DVD players.

Just 3% of those surveyed got a perfect score on a quiz (available at www.amdgcab.org) on terms such as MP3, megahertz, and Bluetooth. Among the most knowledgeable (those who identified more than seven of 11 terms correctly), nearly two-thirds failed to correctly identify the definition of digital video recorder (DVR). Two-thirds of all respondents strongly agreed with the statement that they "wish to have things work and not spend time setting up."

The survey, released Monday, indicates that consumer advertising is missing its mark. "The technology industry must simplify its vocabulary," says Patrick Moorhead, VP of corporate marketing at AMD.