Made by man

Am I the only person who can tell when a man has been behind the design of a product?

Take for instance the placement of a bathroom basin snug to a right-hand wall. Surely a woman would realise that this would lead to many non-funny bumpings of the funny bone?

What about our under-trial high-occupancy vehicle lanes? Anyone who has sat on a highway during rush hour knows the begging required to get into the left-hand lane - and that`s a full two kilometres before the off-ramp appears. Any closer and you have no chance.

And then there is the much punted GPS system.

There is no doubt in my mind that this is a perfect gadget for men. Everyone knows there is nothing like a piece of shiny tech to get men boasting of their latest acquisition.

For a good five minutes I even considered getting my geek husband one for his birthday. But then I realised that like the other (very expensive) goodies I have bought for him over the years, it would land up forgotten and forlorn in a corner of our study.

You see, it does not take long before the sparkle of a new fad fades. And at some stage my husband - like his male counterparts - will realise he is in essence asking for directions. God knows we can`t have that.

It is the use of a woman`s voice as a default setting that convinces me the common GPS device was developed by a man.

Kimberly Guest, senior journalist, ITWeb

Even worse than the realisation that he is asking for directions would surely be the sudden comprehension that he is being guided by (shock, horror) a female.

It is the use of a woman`s voice as a default setting that convinces me the common GPS device was developed by a man. In fact, I can see the developers now, phoning through to their favourite x-rated call centre to find the perfect voice to listen to. All in the name of research, of course.

Just in case a female or two decided that a GPS system could come in handy, the same researchers got in a male or two to provide some of the alternative voice options. They really needn`t have bothered - women don`t mind who they take directions from, as long as they get there.

Besides, most women I know are adept at reading a map book.

But surely, I hear you ask, men can turn over to one of the male-voiced channels when the pain of being directed by the dulcet tones of a female gets too much?

Technically, I can`t argue that point. The voices are there, eagerly waiting to be selected for your driving pleasure. Nevertheless, I must point out that the practice of getting to these alternatives may require something even more painful than receiving directions from a woman.

That`s right; you need to consult the manual. And let`s be honest, the only time manuals are ever read by men is when they are writing them.

Are navigation devices, therefore, bound for failure? Probably not, if my husband is anything to go by; a man`s appetite for shiny gadgets is insatiable.

Nevertheless, for the women considering acquiring one of these for the special male in their lives, I suggest you use your female intuition to ensure the device is used long enough to warrant the price. That`s right, change the voice to male.

(And don`t forget to keep your trusty map book handy.)