[LAmezq3984]

Did anyone else notice how Apple is moving away from the "i" prefix and using two word titles even more for their programs now? examples are Dashboard and FrontRow, that go along with the standards Quicktime, FinalCut, GarageBand ( I know there are others I am forgetting). That might be a big hint as to where Apple is going with their naming system for their hardware as well. As I speculated in another post, I talked about how Apple was moving towards the living room, and that with their thinking, they would have a seperate device, because "nobody wants to watch TV on their computer", and I called the device "CenterStage", because the software gives you the best seat in the house and the ability to control whats going on, so its called FrontRow.So you would be in the front row controlling whats on center stage! I am guessing that iLife might be called something different when its released. This all makes sense, as Apple will want to move in a new direction with the upcoming intel machines, and having software reflect that is a very good strategy. Apple is starting to see the whole "i" naming system get old, and its time to move on. I like this new naming system, because it still feels very Apple. the i worked in a time when they needed to push the idea that the internet can make your life easier (debatable, haha), and controlling your digital content should be something that was easy, and that you could do yourself. Now that users get that, and everyone else is starting to catch up, Apple needs to move on from it. Any views or opinions on this?

[hmurchison]

We can only hope so

like translucent plastics "iStuff" is getting old.

[BenP]

I think CenterStage is a great name - very clever. Changing the iBook's name might be possible, but I would seriously doubt the iMac, iPod, or iLife would get new names. They are already well branded and I don't see Apple giving up that advantage. iWork could probably be changed. I think Apple will stick with whatever iStuff they already have and stop naming new things with the "i" moniker. It's starting to be used by other companies which is a good reason for Apple to change.

[zippy]

Originally Posted by BenP I think CenterStage is a great name - very clever. Changing the iBook's name might be possible, but I would seriously doubt the iMac, iPod, or iLife would get new names. They are already well branded and I don't see Apple giving up that advantage. iWork could probably be changed. I think Apple will stick with whatever iStuff they already have and stop naming new things with the "i" moniker. It's starting to be used by other companies which is a good reason for Apple to change.

They are very well branded... and that could be the best reason to switch the names once they are released with Intel processors. It will easily distinguish them from their ancestors. Though it is really hard to imagine the iMac being anything other than an iMac.

[sunrain]

Or gee, I don't know, the iPod for that matter. As long as the iPod is around, I don't see the naming scheme fading out. There is *way* too much invested in that name for them to abandon it just because it seems a little played out.

Played out means everyone recognizes it...and that's a good thing from the viewpoint of marketing.

[BlueRabbit]

I don't see iWork changing anytime soon. It's definitely meant to be a complement to iLife, down to the very similar box art. If they change the name, then it becomes more of a separate program, which I don't think is the way Apple wants to go.

[nato64]

i think they're having a good balance on what they're doing. they're going to keep all the iApps but maybe just not introduce more applications with "i" in front of them. that would get old. fast.

[chucker]

Originally Posted by LAmezq3984 [..] and I called the device "CenterStage", because the software gives you the best seat in the house and the ability to control whats going on, so its called FrontRow.So you would be in the front row controlling whats on center stage!

Hmm, now where have I seen that name before; I just can't think of it.

[powerequivalent]

I think that the iMac will go away, and just have the iPod name. The iName is getting old, and boring. We need something new.

[iDaver]

I think the hardware should retain the names; iBook, iMac and iPod. All of the software, the likes of iTunes, iMovie, iDVD, iWork, iLife, iChat and iCal, is a bit much. As the software evolves, those names should be phased out.

[Noel]

You missed iPhoto.

[chucker]

Originally Posted by Noel You missed iPhoto.

And iSync. Except that he said "the likes of", implying there's more.

[Henriok]

They still have the trademark "Junkyard" unused.. I wonder what they intend, or intended to use it for.

I was actually quite surprised when they included the non iApp, Garageband, in iLife.. I like the name, but it's the odd man out among the other iApps.

[Messiahtosh]

Originally Posted by zippy They are very well branded... and that could be the best reason to switch the names once they are released with Intel processors. It will easily distinguish them from their ancestors. Though it is really hard to imagine the iMac being anything other than an iMac.

This is ridiculous thinking. Intel will do very little in changing Apple's main marketing messages.

[iDaver]

Originally Posted by Messiahtosh Intel will do very little in changing Apple's main marketing messages.

Does Apple do marketing? Oh yeah, iPods.

[Batman]

Originally Posted by Messiahtosh This is ridiculous thinking. Intel will do very little in changing Apple's main marketing messages.

Exactly. All that is changing is a handfull of chips inside a case. I highly doubt that Apple's product names and case designs, let alone marketing messages, will be affected by the Intel switch. My guess - Nothing will change except the processors (and other chips reliant on a specific processor), smaller case diminsions, more processing power, and hopefully lower prices .

Originally Posted by iDaver Does Apple do marketing? Oh yeah, iPods.

I believe that Messiahtosh was implying that the product naming plans will not change.

[Chinney]

Change the "i" naming scheme. iDonthinkso. Couldn't resist. More seriously, I am not sure that they will drop it from existing lines, but there will be trend away from it for new names. It is being used by so many other companies now.

[defaultmike]

iDon't think that they're gonna be attaching the "i" to everything they do, like they used to. ever since GarageBand was released, we were given that clue. I think the compound names ( FrontRow, GarageBand, etc) will be used more from now on. But they'll def. not change the names of the majority of the existing "i" software.

[Noel]

Originally Posted by chucker And iSync. Except that he said "the likes of", implying there's more.

I know. I was just emphasizing his point that it's all "a bit much".

[iDaver]

One of these days, when "i" has fallen out of fashion, Apple will look back and say "what were we thinking, wasn't that silly?"

I think iMac, iBook and iPod are great names. Perhaps iTunes is good too, since it kinda fits well with iPod. But enough is enough.

[Robo]

Yeah...I think it will look sorta ridiculous in retrospect.

But for now, the iNames are good, for the most part. The "i" unifies Apple's software nicely (hence, "iLife.")

But iCal has to go. Honestly. At least all the other iNames are complete words. And "iCal" doesn't make any sense, anyway. Not only is it not part of iLife, it's exactly the opposite. It's not a media-centric, "Microsoft Office for the rest of your life" app. It's a Microsoft Office-style app. And it really isn't very involved with the internet.

I think iSync and iCal should just be Sync and Calendar, kinda like how Mail is just...Mail.

iChat AV - the other non-iLife iApp - could go either way. "iChat" makes sense, because it does use the internet, and it uses the iSight, but at the same time, it's not in iLife, nor does it fit the profile for an iLife app, so...

[Guido]

Originally Posted by iDaver One of these days, when "i" has fallen out of fashion, Apple will look back and say "what were we thinking, wasn't that silly?" I think iMac, iBook and iPod are great names. Perhaps iTunes is good too, since it kinda fits well with iPod. But enough is enough.

What will you be doing with your User Name?

[Messiahtosh]

Apple does product marketing in general interest magazines like Time and in major newspapers.

[chucker]

Originally Posted by Roboman And "iCal" doesn't make any sense, anyway. Not only is it not part of iLife, it's exactly the opposite. It's not a media-centric, "Microsoft Office for the rest of your life" app. It's a Microsoft Office-style app. And it really isn't very involved with the internet. I think iSync and iCal should just be Sync and Calendar, kinda like how Mail is just...Mail.

iCal is an internet app in that it lets you subscribe to Webcal/iCalendar calendars and lets you submit your own calendars to a site (.mac or other).

iSync is an internet app due to its .mac syncing.

Arguably, that is. Personally, I agree with you. iCal, iSync, Mail, Address Book: they all belong together; they're Apple's PIM. Like Entourage, only done in four separate applications. There's no reason at all for two of the apps to start with an "i", and for the other two not to.

[zippy]

Originally Posted by Messiahtosh This is ridiculous thinking. Intel will do very little in changing Apple's main marketing messages.

And that's really too bad. If Apple really wants people to switch, the market they need to comunicate with are generally people who have used Windows and Intel exclusively and who think that Macs are an entirely non-compatible, niche only machine. Switching to Intel gives them a great opportunity to demonstrate to people the fallacy of thier thinking. As long as they can get people to understand that the new Macs are very compatible with Windows users, they can afford to let people still think that the old ones weren't.

I can hear it now:

"Boy I'm glad Apple finally makes computers that are compatible with the rest of the world. I just might buy one and get away from Windows."

As ignorant as that statement may be, it would still be a huge victory for Apple if they could get the majority of the Windows world to even utter the first sentence of it.

[evilswan]

Originally Posted by Batman ...the Intel switch. My guess - Nothing will change except the processors (and other chips reliant on a specific processor), smaller case diminsions, more processing power...

this isn't meant as a personal criticism, because i take your point and agree. it's just... as an outsider just coming into the world of mac, where for years mac fans have been talking about how powerpc whups the pentiums ass, seeing us all discussing how moving to the pentium is going to provide more processing power is really, really weird! and funny.

[iDaver]

Originally Posted by evilswan ...seeing us all discussing how moving to the pentium is going to provide more processing power is really, really weird! and funny.

Yep, a lot of folks think Intel is now god's gift to the Mac.

In fact, it's going to be a big pain to a lot of people.

[Elysium]

Originally Posted by evilswan this isn't meant as a personal criticism, because i take your point and agree. it's just... as an outsider just coming into the world of mac, where for years mac fans have been talking about how powerpc whups the pentiums ass, seeing us all discussing how moving to the pentium is going to provide more processing power is really, really weird! and funny.

Off topic:

And it was largely true during the early G4 and G5 years, these were landmarks in chip design and led the industry. The G5 "fastest in the world" marketing scheme was valid at the time of release. The only problem... stagnation of the the PowerPc line, first by Motorola and secondly by IBM. This in turn allows for the Intel architecture (not just the Pentiums) to catch up and surpass most of the PowerPC lineup. So the smart money has become to go with Intel, and move forward.


On topic:

The "i" moniker for software is on the way out. Apple killed the iMac G3 colored computer line and made the new G4s more minimalist in white due to increasing bastardization of the commercial world of cute translucent colored plastic products (e.g. George Foreman grills, microwaves, etc.). This is really the same case with the i product name. Too many different use in all the wrong places. Needs to go, except for iconic software and hardware. Welcome to the new compound name naming scheme...

[shell]

OT:
Considering the slogan for Macintosh is "Think Different," any sort of marketing campaign that says "see we're now just like PC's" would be counterproductive. I imagine that when they release the first intel Macs they will minimize the importance of the new chips. Of course they'll harp on about the power of dual-core and all, but they won't make a big deal about the fact that the dual-core comes from intel.

On Topic:
With the most recent update to the iMac it seems clear Apple is comitted to keeping the iMac around for a while. If it transitions to a media center, with content supplied primarily through the internet by means of iTMS and/or "Vingle" then it will justify the retention of the "i" moniker.

[Robo]

Originally Posted by zippy And that's really too bad. If Apple really wants people to switch, the market they need to comunicate with are generally people who have used Windows and Intel exclusively and who think that Macs are an entirely non-compatible, niche only machine. Switching to Intel gives them a great opportunity to demonstrate to people the fallacy of thier thinking. As long as they can get people to understand that the new Macs are very compatible with Windows users, they can afford to let people still think that the old ones weren't. I can hear it now: "Boy I'm glad Apple finally makes computers that are compatible with the rest of the world. I just might buy one and get away from Windows." As ignorant as that statement may be, it would still be a huge victory for Apple if they could get the majority of the Windows world to even utter the first sentence of it.

No kidding.

My dad is officially anti-Mac. He's never actually used one, but he knows that the rest of the world uses Windows, and that's enough of a reason for him. He thinks that Mac OS is totally incompatible with Windows (or "IBM," as he sometimes calls it). I think I'll shock him when I set up our PC and my Mac on the same wireless network.

He dropped $150 on Office:mac 2004 (Student) alongside my new iMac. I don't really need Office. At all. If I ever really need to use Word, I'll just use our PC (which already has Office). But my dad thinks that my Mac needs Office to open any Windows file ever, apparently. I just questioned him about it, and I mentioned, "Well, iWork would work just fine with me."

He responded, "Well, they don't make an iWork! That's the problem!"

It's a shame, because that $150 could go to so many better uses. I haven't opened the Office case yet - with any luck, I'll be able to return it, and use that $150 to buy Final Cut Express with my education discount. I'd just pick up iWork if I felt I really needed a more complete word processor.