When in doubt, accessorize. You could find a wireless telephone or set-top box in any color you wanted, as long as it was silver or black, and computers came in several dramatic shades of beige. Two years ago, the portable phone industry was jump-started by the introduction of attractive hues, ergonomic shapes and branded products.
Cell phones are as much of a fashion statement today as any piece of jewelry or eyewear.
Teenagers showed them one way to go when they discovered it was cool to have interchangeable face panels on their Nokia phones and that personalizing computer monitors with decals and graffiti wouldn't diminish RAM capacity. In December, the company announced that the two-way communications devices would be made available with Snap faceplates in more than 30 interchangeable colors and patterns. Adults may not profess to care what their phones look like, but teens apparently will go out of their way to personalize their appliances. Softech Audio is collaborating with Warner Bros. to create products that not only feature the likenesses of popular Looney Tunes characters, but a soft cushiony texture, as well. They've also decided remote-control devices don't always have to be black, and thus blend in with the nooks and crannies of a rec room.