French-born Frederique Bros is a Graphic & Web Designer who started her own online lifestyle technology magazine www.womenlovetech.com/ to empower women with technology.
It’s a helpful blog with lots of quick technology tips and reviews.
Meet Freddie.
Martine: Freddie what in your view is the biggest obstacle for women when it comes to technology?
Freddie: I think that many of us have been taught from a very young age that we aren’t good at maths or with technology. I think we should educate girls from a very young age that it’s ok to do some coding.
Women like us didn’t grow up with an iPhone and an iPad in our hands, I do believe some women also don’t like reading instructions.
You are going to make mistakes and that’s ok because you learn from your mistakes. I don’t know how many times I find myself stuck at my computer crying, I just say, “I need help.” I don’t think it’s all women though, it’s generational.
MH: A lot of readers are understandably very nervous about their privacy particularly when it comes to online shopping, any tips?
FB: Yes be very prudent when you give your banking details online, be very, very secure. I think the only way to be secure is to have Paypal. Even if I want to buy something and it only asks for credit card, I will think twice before giving my credit card. And even if they have the symbol at the bottom of the website – telling you it’s secure, blah, blah, blah – I don’t do it.
People should be worried, a lot of people are using the password 1,2,3 they’re using the same password for banking: emails, credit card and social media. People are going to do more coding, so people are going to do more hacking so we need more security. You need to make their life more complicated, be very creative with your password you know?
MH: I noticed will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas and The Voice is very vocal about the importance of coding.
FB: I so strongly recommend young girls and women take up coding, in America it’s a thing you have to learn at school the same as English. More and more people are going to code, create applications, we are going to live in a pure technology world for sure. In America they’re one step ahead.
MH: I hope Australia isn’t left behind.
FB: I’ve been living here for over 13 years now, even if I sound like I just arrived by boat yesterday (laughs) Australia is quite tech savvy.
MH: You wrote about technology being a bit of a ‘boys’ club?
FB: I was nominated as a finalist for the best independent media for the IT journalism awards. I know a lot of journalists some are just lovely. When I’m with the boys and talking technology they just told me,”You’re never going to win, it’s a boys club.” It hurt. Who gives a shit about the gender in the end we’re all passionate about writing about technology and what we love to write about and who cares?
MH: Do you ever just want to shut the technology out?
FB: Yes! Sometimes I just disconnect everything, watch a movie and just say, “don’t call me.” I do a lot of meditation sometimes I disconnect and we need that. Sometimes you just need to grab your dog, grab your kids without anything you know, without your iPhone just enjoy it you know.
MH: What do you regard as the ‘next big thing’ in technology?
FB: The fingerprint reading is going to be big, with the iphone5 you don’t need a passcode. Soon they will use unique identity to open your doors or your car.
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