Generation Gap Exists Between Kids, Parents Over Back-to-School Technology - what is it going to be, something 'cool' or something 'productive':
For the kids, technology isn't just a productivity tool. It's a way of expressing themselves. If they're buying a laptop, they're more likely to care about what it looks like on the outside or if it is beefy enough to run the newest computer games."There is a huge generation gap on technology," said Kathleen Gasperini, senior vice president at Label Networks, a Los Angeles youth culture marketing intelligence and research company. "A lot of tension can build up. Kids are growing up with electronics in every aspect of their lives, and parents just don't understand that culture."
Parents have the easiest time buying multipurpose devices that satisfy everyone. Just as technology used to be tagged as "dual use" for military or commercial purposes, today gadgets can be viewed as useful for education and entertainment.