the "i" prefix: how far is too far? [Archive]

sahnert

Feb 16, 2004, 02:34 AM

any speculation on how much farther Apple (and others) can go with the iProducts? I was under the impression that the i originally stood for internet with the iMac supposedly making it simple for anyone to get connected. Now the ubiquitous "i" has been hijacked by innumerable third-party software and hardware developers and has been a pretty successfull marketing scheme. Any thoughts on the futre of the "i"?

encro

Feb 16, 2004, 07:36 AM

I hope it is coming to an end because I'm sick of it. No thought for the future.

winwintoo

Feb 16, 2004, 07:50 AM

They've used "e" to death too, what's next "a", "o", "u"

Then we could start over with consonants......

m

Seems like not a bad way of grouping related consumer products. We could have "k" for kitchen, "b" for bedroom, hmm what about bathroom then.

Kingsnapped

Feb 16, 2004, 08:45 AM

Maybe GarageBand is a sign that they're finally starting to let it go? I don't think Apple overuses it, but there is a problem with uncreative third-parties. Monster iCarPlay? Come on...

iJon

Feb 16, 2004, 10:59 AM

the i started out with the imac to signify an "internet" mac or a mac built for the interent. it quickly developed into apple's name for a consumer app, but I think apple realizes that some applications just sound better without it. I don't garageband is a good example, because it is a program of its own. it really isnt a scaled down version of soundtrack or logic, but basically a gap to fill that programs like abelton live filled. i think we will continue to see "i", expecially with the sucess with the ipod. as for the "e", i dont think that will be a habit, apple just used "e" just because flat panel imac became a new type of computer, rather than a replacement for the imac. they chose "e" just because it stood for educational mac and came out for the eduacation market first.

iJon

TimDaddy

Feb 16, 2004, 11:06 AM

Originally posted by winwintoo
hmm what about bathroom then.

pBook? surf while you...

Mr. Anderson

Feb 16, 2004, 11:09 AM

And then there's the XServe, XGrid....

'i' might be on the way out, but I don't think the single letter prefix is going to go out of stile any time soon.

D

Apple //e

Feb 16, 2004, 11:12 AM

iThinkItsGoneTooFarAlready

but how many years of MacProducts did we have?

winwintoo

Feb 16, 2004, 11:22 AM

pBook - that's good!

When we run out of letters, we could revert to the other characters - dot has already been done, slash is overused. Splat would be a good one - *book - that has a nice tinkle to it :D

Caret would denote a better quality - the possibilities are endless.

m

Hemingray

Mar 1, 2004, 10:43 AM

Seems like not a bad way of grouping related consumer products. We could have "k" for kitchen, "b" for bedroom, hmm what about bathroom then.

That's when you move into two letters, "be" for bedroom, "ba" for bathroom (or would it be more appropriate to use "bm" for bathroom? :D )

I think they have indeed worn out the "i" prefix. Why wasn't Safari called "iBrowse", anyway? They'll start to phase it out eventually. At least software side. But imagine changing iPod or iMac. There's no way, there's too much consumer recognition there.

1macker1

Mar 1, 2004, 10:53 AM

I'm tried of the 'i' and the 'e' naming convention also. Sheesh enough already.

kettle

Mar 1, 2004, 11:08 AM

uArse
oBugger
iStink
aBomb
eAtMyShorts
etc
:)

parenthesis

Mar 1, 2004, 11:10 AM

TEG

Mar 1, 2004, 11:13 AM

I like the clever uses, but the bland ones (usually by third parties) have gotten old. That being sais, anyone loose their password on Apple.com and had to click "iForgot my Password"... I laughed over that one for hours.

TEG

encro

Mar 1, 2004, 04:07 PM

I think they have indeed worn out the "i" prefix. Why wasn't Safari called "iBrowse", anyway? They'll start to phase it out eventually. At least software side. But imagine changing iPod or iMac. There's no way, there's too much consumer recognition there.

Because iBrowse was already used by a browser on the Amiga platform about 10 years ago.

stoid

Mar 2, 2004, 10:21 AM

Yeah, I think GarageBand would have better been named iRock! Or maybe i****ingRock?

Nik_Doof

Mar 3, 2004, 04:15 AM

and theres recently pPod too...

phonemonkey

Mar 3, 2004, 05:32 AM

I myself think there could be some interesting variations with the letter f. Lots of possibilities, cover your ears.

Horrortaxi

Mar 3, 2004, 09:30 AM

I agree with Teg. Apple's use of the i prefix is acceptable, but the 3rd parties have killed it. Apple takes the heat because they have a strong association with iStuff. The average person thinks Apple is iCrazy and has 400 iProducts when they really have closer to 10.

I think Apple is moving away from the iThing. When you innovate you get copied, and then it's time to move onto something else.

topicolo

Mar 3, 2004, 12:14 PM

I'm tried of the 'i' and the 'e' naming convention also. Sheesh enough already.

Agreed! When my textbook for my genetics class last year turned out to be called iGenetics, I went nuts. iGenetics!?!?!?!?! :confused:

iriejedi

Mar 3, 2004, 12:23 PM

"I" don't know! :D

any speculation on how much farther Apple (and others) can go with the iProducts? I was under the impression that the i originally stood for internet with the iMac supposedly making it simple for anyone to get connected. Now the ubiquitous "i" has been hijacked by innumerable third-party software and hardware developers and has been a pretty successfull marketing scheme. Any thoughts on the futre of the "i"?

janey

Mar 3, 2004, 02:25 PM

TimDaddy

Mar 3, 2004, 02:36 PM

i dont mind the "i" prefix, but MY MAJOR PET PEEVE IS PEOPLE WHO CANT FREAKIN CAPITALIZE THEM PROPERLY.
I have seen "Ibook" and "IBook" and "IBOOK" etc. waaaayyyyyy tooooo many times. Why cant people spell the way they're spelled..."iBook". Not tryIng to start a fIght here, but my pet pet peeve has been people who demand that other people capItalIze the i's correctly. i have a hard enough time with English and Spanish, i am not goIng to study one company's language of registered trademarks. :p

AngryLawnGnome

Mar 7, 2004, 02:45 PM

iHate these things as well. iT really is annoying. iThought it was leaving for a while until iSight came out. iHope they stop soon. iT's crap.

QCassidy352

Mar 7, 2004, 03:07 PM

Not tryIng to start a fIght here, but my pet pet peeve has been people who demand that other people capItalIze the i's correctly. i have a hard enough time with English and Spanish, i am not goIng to study one company's language of registered trademarks. :p

rofl!

I like the "i" prefix, as long as it's not overdone. ipod, imac, ibook, and the iapps... these are great and should not change. What I don't like are the third party things like "irock" and things like that.

takao

Mar 7, 2004, 03:20 PM

i dont mind the "i" prefix, but MY MAJOR PET PEEVE IS PEOPLE WHO CANT FREAKIN CAPITALIZE THEM PROPERLY.
I have seen "Ibook" and "IBook" and "IBOOK" etc. waaaayyyyyy tooooo many times. Why cant people spell the way they're spelled..."iBook".

reason nr 1:
In english most capitalizing is beginning of a new sentence or brand marks "Coca-Cola" or names like "Steve Jobs". In other languages its completly different,(as a example: german) where it is part of the orthography to capitalize words like objects "Dog" " Computer" "Tisch" "Schadenreude" etc.

nobody has a problem with miss-spelling "Sprite" as "sprite" ;)
sorry for the nitpicking übergeek (why do some people like the word über ? i just don't get THAT ;) )

Applexilef

Mar 20, 2004, 12:53 AM

i ilike ithe iprefix, iI idon't imind iit iat all. iI ithink iyou igot itired iof iit ibecause iof iall ithe iaccessories iout (ilike isomeone ielse imentioned ipreviously).

KC9AIC

Mar 20, 2004, 03:18 AM

At least I've not heard of people actually named things like iSteve or anything. That would have to be one malicious and moronic parent.

boomtopper

Apr 4, 2004, 06:25 AM

To me the i stands for home user or general use. And the power stands for professional. I wonder what it would be like if they made a powerPod.

adamjay

Apr 9, 2004, 01:07 AM

i thought power stood for ... ummmm..... "power"?

Shifty

Apr 13, 2004, 11:09 AM

At least they didn't call the Safari web browser "iBrowse" :) :D

Counterfit

Apr 13, 2004, 11:47 AM

That being sais, anyone loose their password on Apple.com and had to click "iForgot my Password"... I laughed over that one for hours.

TEG Yes, I found that quite humorous as well...

HOLY **** I'M TURNING INTO A REAL INTELLECTUAL!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO :(

SwitchingSoon

Apr 14, 2004, 09:20 PM

It'll be too far only when they get to the
iHateYou

or the iHomo

Otherwise, I don't find anything wrong.....

Counterfit

Apr 15, 2004, 09:15 AM

It'll be too far only when they get to the
iHateYou

or the iHomo

Otherwise, I don't find anything wrong..... New dildo from Apple: iCock, iWang, or perhaps a line of condoms: i****.

TimDaddy

Apr 15, 2004, 01:43 PM

Counterfit

Apr 15, 2004, 04:20 PM

I knew I had seen something like that.

TimDaddy

Apr 16, 2004, 03:00 AM

I knew I had seen something like that.
Actually, I'm pretty sure there really was a product called iBrator. I was looking for it when I found this. I think I saw it in Maxim magazine in 1999 or 2000, but I can't find it anywhere on the web now. I think it was bondi-blue or maybe purple. I am color blind.

themadchemist

May 2, 2004, 05:36 PM

I think this is similar to the following etymological debate:

Which is better, "Two Words" or "TwoWords" for a name?

You'll see the deluge of such names subside, but names with the vowel prefix or with two words combined will be ever-present. There's always going to be something who thinks those names are edgy or fresh. Sometimes they DO work well. Other times they feel tired. I don't even know if it's a general oscillation of opinion. I actually think that on any given day, any given person might feel either way about any given name with these modifications. It's totally based on ephemeral mood.

As far as how far is too far:

iI: The new name for your digital existence.

bennetsaysargh

May 2, 2004, 07:20 PM

well, i too think that we got tired of it because some people take it too far, (iBrator) and others use it moderately, (iJon). there are way too many things though, but i like the phasing out thing because it was a gimmick weather you'll admit it, and it worked.