Why did they change ibook to macbook?

[likemyorbs]

i know some people are going to say that they did it because of the switch to intel, but ibook sounded more like one of their products. imac switched to intel too, but they didnt just call it Mac. i think they should have kept ibook. ipod, iphone, imac, ibook. it only makes sense.

[dukebound85]

because they wanted mac in all the computer names

[iGuardian]

I think Macbook just sounds better haha.

[spinnerlys]

Steve Jobs said on one of his keynotes after the Intel announcement, that every computer product will have the word "Mac" in it, hence MacBook.

PowerMac was changed to Mac Pro cause of the PowerPC chips no longer being used by those heavy machinery.

[Cassie]

Steve simply wanted "Mac" in all the product names.

[dvdhsu]

Steve simply wanted "Mac" in all the product names.

It has been repeated many times, but I'll just confirm.
Getting the word Mac in every computer does show us that a MacBook is still a Mac.:D

[bc008]

to me it doesnt matter..

it would be a bit weird if ford still offered a version of the Model T since it would have changed so much over time. Things cant have the same names forever if they change

[Primejimbo]

to me it doesnt matter..

it would be a bit weird if ford still offered a version of the Model T since it would have changed so much over time. Things cant have the same names forever if they change

And why did they change it from the Chevy Cavalier to the Chevy Cobalt?

[NewMacbookPlz]

And why did they change it from the Chevy Cavalier to the Chevy Cobalt?

To try and re-invent/remove the stigma of the Cavalier, because the Cavalier was such a heap

[children]

ibook sounds like a toy... the macbook sounds far better..

[NT1440]

it was changed because it was essentially a whole new product. Apple likes to reinvent when big enough changes come by, like how there OS and Firmware naming goes.

[Ploki]

they might have kept it.
but then , iBook Pro does sound very lame.
and its stupid to call it PowerBook if it doesnt have PowerPC architecture anymore. :)
i hate the whole "iSuck" thing

i like the Powerbook thing :)

[uicandrew]

why does this poll even exist? there is a very clear-cut answer to why the name was changed. no opinions/speculation necessary.

[99MustangGTman]

By doing so our minds think its something new, when it is indeed a more advanced version of the same thing, its psychology.

[zephead]

I really didn't like the name at first. iBook, PowerBook, and PowerMac just rolled off the tongue so much easier. But I guess I just got used to the new names as time went by.

PowerMac was changed to Mac Pro cause of the PowerPC chips no longer being used by those heavy machinery.

It was called PowerMac before they put PowerPC chips in. They probably could've kept the name with Intel processors if they wanted to.

[winninganthem]

iEverything just sounds kinda silly.

[Patriks7]

Steve simply wanted "Mac" in all the product names.

They should've called it iMacBook and iMacBook Pro :o!

[neiltc13]

Steve simply wanted "Mac" in all the product names.

Steve? Are you sure?

[likemyorbs]

iEverything just sounds kinda silly.

better tell that to apple, because it doesnt look like they plan on dropping them i's anytime soon. there's too any of them, renaming all those iproducts would take forever.

[likemyorbs]

it was changed because it was essentially a whole new product. Apple likes to reinvent when big enough changes come by, like how there OS and Firmware naming goes.

look at the original ipod and look at the touch, and tell me they're remotely similar. they're two completely different products, but they kept the name because its ipod

[Prekesh]

MacBook > iBook.

and as someone else said, iBook sounds like a toy.

[Mobile923]

So... lemme figure this out....

(okay, i cant sleep and im freakin bored.)

Prefix:
Mac = Computer running mac os
i = internet

Products (Hardware):
-Pod = media
-Phone = and everything else
-Book = notebook

Suffix:
Pro = for the prosumers
mini = for the budget consumer
nano = for the 'image conscious' consumer
shuffle = simple function
classic = original function
touch = touch sensitive function

im probably forgetting some...

now... the only one that doesnt make sense since they made "Mac" a prefix in the recent product line up... is iMac

They should just simplify it as "Mac" (Mac Mini > MacBook > MacBook Pro > Mac > Mac Pro)
Or if they really wanted to be anal, "Mac mini Pro"

NOW... given that list i just wrote up, put "i" and "Book" back together, and THAT'S what we should all be waiting for.

the new iBook... mini.

[Wikinerd]

imac switched to intel too, but they didnt just call it Mac.

well we won't want to all it macMac, won't we?

(ibook->Macbook, iMac->macMac...)
:D

[NT1440]

look at the original ipod and look at the touch, and tell me they're remotely similar. they're two completely different products, but they kept the name because its ipod

like you just said, they are both ipods.....

The macbook was considered a revolution of their laptop lines, warranting a name change.

The touch is merely evolution of the ipod line.

[ziggyonice]

Because getting "Mac" back in the name of the computer made it stand out again. The Mac was coming back, it was time for all Apple's computers to be known for what they were: a Mac.

[Darth.Titan]

It was called PowerMac before they put PowerPC chips in. They probably could've kept the name with Intel processors if they wanted to.

No, before the PowerPC chips came along, there were LC, Performas, and Quadras. Granted there were still PowerPC based Performas after the switch, there were no non-PowerPC based PowerMacs.

PowerMac = PowerPC inside.

Perhaps you meant PowerBook. There were lots of PowerBooks before PowerPC came along...

[iSee]

Steve simply wanted "Mac" in all the product names.

Right.

Remember, this is branding and marketing, so it doesn't have to be consistent and logical all the time. It's about creating and identifying a brand that communicates a message.

Actually, I think the Macbook name makes sense.

Macbook = a notebook that runs Mac OS. This name capitalizes on Apple's Mac brand, which is a very positive brand these days.

Remember, the when iBook name was introduced Apple was still on Mac OS 8.x. At that time it wasn't really something to focus on. Instead, Apple chose a name that connected the computer to the acclaimed iMac. The message then was: iBook = notebook version of the iMac.

So back then they wanted to extend the iMac brand rather than the Mac OS brand.

Consistency in naming is important (which is probably why the iBook name lasted as long as it did), but sending the right message is important too.

[The Samurai]

Right.

Remember, this is branding and marketing, so it doesn't have to be consistent and logical all the time. It's about creating and identifying a brand that communicates a message.

Actually, I think the Macbook name makes sense.

Macbook = a notebook that runs Mac OS. This name capitalizes on Apple's Mac brand, which is a very positive brand these days.

Remember, the when iBook name was introduced Apple was still on Mac OS 8.x. At that time it wasn't really something to focus on. Instead, Apple chose a name that connected the computer to the acclaimed iMac. The message then was: iBook = notebook version of the iMac.

So back then they wanted to extend the iMac brand rather than the Mac OS brand.

Consistency in naming is important (which is probably why the iBook name lasted as long as it did), but sending the right message is important too.

I second this.

If they were to name it something stupid like the iBook v4.0, it wouldn't go with their company 'ethos' as such where they try and portray a 'simple' image of the Apple brand.

Take Dell for example, I often get confused by their range with their Inspiron ranges - they've got various models in this range and they are very ambiguous i.e. 6400, 1525, 1520.

With Apple, everything is clear and one can easily 'paint' a picture of the model/looks/spec when one says 'Macbook'.

p.s. I voted for 'who the hell cares'. :D

[Benguitar]

Who the hell cares..

I am personally fine either way, I wouldn't be surprised if in the future they bring the term "iBook" back.

Didn't Apple bring "Leopard" back?

[iGaryMonnecka]

look at the original ipod and look at the touch, and tell me they're remotely similar. they're two completely different products, but they kept the name because its ipod

bad analogy. you should be comparing the classic to the original. The touch is a completely different product using different technology.

[Demosthenes X]

Who the hell cares..
Didn't Apple bring "Leopard" back?

Not AFAIK. But they did start using the internal (animal) codename in marketing starting with Jaguar... maybe that's what you're thinking of?

[Primejimbo]

To try and re-invent/remove the stigma of the Cavalier, because the Cavalier was such a heap

so is the Cobalt.. like how the Ford 500 became the Taurus.

[ThomasJL]

Contrary to popular belief, the "Power" prefix in the name "PowerBook" is not related to the name "PowerPC". In fact, the use of the name "PowerBook" predates Apple's usage of PowerPC processors.