ABSTRACT
Although lots of technical devices are quite indispensable, the willingness to use the technologies is not necessarily given in all users – some devices are regarded as helpful, others are not perceived as trustful. Technical progress proceeds in every type of technology and new devices have to meet the needs of multiple users. Therefore user diversity is a key factor. This paper examines the effects of gender and age on technical interest in specific technology fields, their effects on purchase criteria for car-, medical-, and ICT and their influence on motivation for usage of these technologies. 92 respondents (21-80 years) participated in an exploratory survey revealing that general interest and interest in specific technology branches is significantly influenced by gender and age. While purchase criteria and motivation for usage differ with the technology context (medical, automobile and ICT), user diversity (gender, age) plays a minor role for adoption and evaluation criteria.
