A dozen college-age strangers recently spent three weeks living together so they could be observed while working to launch an imaginary Internet venture.
Real World takes a dot-com twist?
Nope.
Peering in on them were researchers for Microsoft Corp., one of a growing legion of technology companies scrutinizing the habits of young people to understand what may appeal to them today and decades from now.
From Microsoft to Sony Corp., Nokia Oyj to AOL Time Warner Inc., global titans are paying more attention to kids -- the customers who are supplanting business people as trendsetters for high-tech products and services.
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