[usurp]

I had some what of a nightmare yesterday about the future of the MacBooks.
I think that Apple is going to start selling it with Windows installed as an option.
It sounds stupid I know but why else would you want to stick the MAC in the name? If you remember the iPod really took off only after they made it work with PCs. Also if you look at Palm they are now selling Palms with pockpc on it.

I am thinking Apple is gonna do what Palm did. Split up into hardware and software. Hardware caters for both MacOs and Windows while Software also caters to both. Imagine the iLife on windows for example. Apple could make a ton of money that way which is all they seem to care about recently.

Did what I just say now make any sense?

[alcimedes]

Nope.

[sonichart]

I'll second that.

[Kickaha]

No, no, I think usurp might have something there...


They could call it a... *WinBook*!

[usurp]

i think everyone is in denial

[chucker]

Originally Posted by usurp i think everyone is in denial

That would include you.

It's really simple. Although the "Power" in "PowerBook" did not originally stand for "PowerPC", it was clearly associated with that once Apple introduced the "PowerMacintosh", which did in fact stand for "PowerPC". This became even more obvious when Apple switched (somewhat temporarily) to their 2x2 matrix.

Secondarily, "Power" was also, of course, supposed to represent being for prosumers and/or professionals. However, Apple more typically uses the suffix "Pro" rather than the prefix "Power" for this (e.g. Final Cut Pro) and, in fact, has for a long time (e.g. FileMaker Pro or System 7 Pro, dating all the way back until the early 90s).

Finally, "Power" also, of course, has a connotation of high performance. To Apple's embarrassment, recent G4 CPUs didn't exactly deliver that. While being very good in terms of low power consumption, they also didn't scale enough at the same time, and especially nowhere near as greatly as Freescale kept on promising (although it looks like the 7448 will be available in speeds close to 2 GHz after all).

Then there's the fact that, being Intel-based, little differentiates the machine hardware-wise from a different-branded laptop. Apple laptops have been produced by ODMs for a long time anyway (Quanta, Asustek, etc.). Putting "Mac" in the name helps a lot to distinguish the machine from another vendor's offerings.

It has very little to do with whether it runs other operating systems or not. Apple likes simple names and products that just make sense. Whether they sound catchy is only the second priority, not the first. "Mac Book Pro" answers, within the name itself, three questions: it's a Mac, it's a notebook and it's for professionals.

[Kickaha]

blah blah blah fishcakes

I think they called it a 'Mac' book because, maybe, just *maybe*... it's a Mac.

I know, I know, crazy as all heck, but there it is.

[saschke]

i have to completly agree with chucker here.
MacBook Pro - a Mac notebook for pro's. No questioning...

[SpecMode]

Just so long as they don't go and rename the PowerMac to "Mac Pro", I'll be happy.

[usurp]

i am bookmarking this topic so i can come back to it in the future and tell you guys "I told you so"

but seriously though, why is it hard to imagine that Apple might be interested in letting users run windows on their macs. I don't like the idea but I am a terrible business man also.

[chucker]

Originally Posted by SpecMode Just so long as they don't go and rename the PowerMac to "Mac Pro", I'll be happy.

I wouldn't be surprised if they do.

[jondaapplegeek]

Originally Posted by usurp Imagine the iLife on windows for example. Apple could make a ton of money that way which is all they seem to care about recently.

I could see them making iLife, possibly even iWork etc made for Windowz, but no way selling Windowz on Apple hardware...

[spotcatbug]

Originally Posted by chucker I wouldn't be surprised if they do.

Yeah, I thought that was the obvious next step in the renaming of the Mac line.

[psmith2.0]

Bookmark all you want, usurp. You're still smoking crack.

Dr. Kick's post is the most reasonable one in this entire thread. No need to get all Fox Mulder about it.

[BuonRotto]

Originally Posted by Dr. Kickaha They could call it a... *WinBook*!

Yay! Everyone's a Winner!

Mac Pro would be consistent, no? It would annoy me more at this point to leave PowerMac having dropped PowerBook.

[chucker]

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 Dr. Kick's post is the most reasonable one in this entire thread.

I feel insulted now.