MacBook Pro renaming contest

... PowerBook Icarus, depending on whether sales will crash and burn or not...

I *really* want to call it the "Arch Deluxe".

In honor of what was really, after all, the "Big Mac Pro".

--Peace

and call it just PowerBook. Have service manuals refer to it as PowerBook (intel). I'd prefer that. But eh. I feel truly disappointed by MacBook Pro. It sounds reallly really lame. Not as powerful, macho, or just plane testosterone driven as PowerBook. But, eh, that's just my view.

They could have just named it like they renamed the iMac. Call it the PowerBook Core Duo. Has kind of a nice ring to it.

Introducing the Powerbook Pro

MacBook Pro rolls off the tongue as easily as, er...German street names.

PowerBook DuoCore 53182.462hqcx

Just kidding.

the überBook, SuperBook, FormBook, ClusterBook, ProBook, LightBook, GoodBook Pro
The MetaBook, CircumBook, ComBook, DynaBook, X-Book, HyperBook, MultiBook Pro...
The AnthroBook, AntiBook, InterBook, IntraBook, EctoBook, EndoBook, CytoBook, EpiBook Pro
The MesoBook, OmniBook, PortiBook (LOL), TeleBook, VitaBook Pro
The NanoBook, DekaBook, DeciBook, MegaBook, GigaBook, TeraBook, ExBook, UltraBook Pro
The Macintosh Hardback,
the iBook Pro,
the iTome...
the iLibrary...
oh, yeah... the OmegaBook...
/edit/
I can keep going here...
The BatBook, BatPage, BrainBook, CereBook, EncephelaBook, IntellaBook...
The SpeedBook, ZoomBook, The RocketBook Pro...
the SwiftBook, ScuttleBook, BoostBook, cBook...

ok... I think thats it...

/edit/
nope... forgot DataBook... and, uh, RoboBook

/edit/
one more...
The Macintosh NookBook Pro

I think I like DynaBook best, as it really means the same thing as PowerBook, yet it sounds cooler, and NookBook is actually really good too

iPowerBook, InterPower, NotSoPowerBook, NotAPowerBook

I think Powerbook Duo would have been just fine. Not only would it be a nod to the long lost subnotebook line, it would be in line with Intel's Core Duo marketing.

I can see the new iBook name, too: MacBook, or MacBook Lite

I'm just disappointed that there was no Mini Core Duo. Now I'll just have to settle for a G4 Mini...

Well I think the reason behind changing it from powerbook was it is no longer a powerpc. Although the new name is terrible. macbook pro sounds childish and the new features seem more consumer level rather than pro. Remote and isight seem more of an entertainment feature.

For what its worth, I second that.

The PowerBook name has been around a lot longer than the PowerPC, so I don't think the issues is a matter of "we need to get away from the powerpc naming". Since the first PowerPC PowerBook wasn't until 4-5 years into the life of the PowerBook.

Apple has a considerable investment in the PowerBook name, I'm surprised they dumped it. McBook sounds cheesy to me.

dan k

First PowerBook (PowerBook 100, 1991) used a 16 MHz 68000 processor. Not a PowerPC.

First PowerBook to use a PPC (100 MHz 603e) was the PowerBook 5300 series in 1995. A full four years of PowerBooks before they got a PPC chip.

I agree -- I hate the new name. Why not PowerBook M? or PowerBook 2006? Heck, even PowerBook Fred would be better than MacBook Pro.

I can definitely see professional uses for iSight and the remote. iSight makes video conferencing easy -- saves a business buckets of money over flying across the continent for a 45-minute meeting. And the remote would be useful for Keynote presentations -- you too can be like Steve!

I like the concept of the new power adapter -- have yet to form an opinion of it since I haven't seen it in action yet. My 5-year-old has tripped over my iBook's cord more times than I'd care to admit, and luck can only carry me about so far ...

Apple probably dropped the PowerBook name in favour of MacBook because they're wanting to go in a whole new direction. I would expect that Apple intends to launch a massive marketing campaign in support of the new machine's launch. My guess, made entirely in ignorance, is that Apple wants to really focus attention on the new offerings. This means that a name change was a necessity.

The Powerbook name began with the first Macintosh notebook computer. The first Macintosh portable computer was the "Portable", every Macintosh up to the release of the iBook has been dubbed the "PowerBook." The PowerBook family of computers used both 680x0 and PPC processors.

The Arch Deluxe! Now, that's the only reason that I am even posting this. I wanted to comment on McDonalds' failed Arch Deluxe sandwich.

The Arch Deluxe was a doomed offering from the very start. It was meant to be a more "sophisticated" burger for the more discerning adult. However, McDonalds failed to recognize that the more "sophisticated" adult, valued nutritional goodness. The Arch Deluxe, with its higher calorie count and high fat levels were unappealing to the discriminate adult consumer. The Arch Deluxe was also sold at a higher price point than McDonalds' other more popular offerings.

When you combine the contradiction in the product and the target market with the fact that McDonalds marketed the sandwich in a rather "rebelious" fashion, you begin to see how McDonalds totally missed the boat with that product.

To summarize:

The target market was the more sophisticated adult.

Aside from the higher price, McDonalds offered nothing in that sandwich, that the typical discerning adult would identify with.

The marketing of the sandwich was counter-intuitive to the target market.

There really are no parallels to be drawn between the Arch Deluxe and the MacBook Pro. Although, it will be interesting to see how Apple does market this new machine.

MacBook sounds like a committee of boring stuffed-suit pinheads sitting around a conference table decided that the term "mac" as a computing platform has brand value not currently being used. "Mac is the brand! Yet nobody hearing the word powerbook hears that it's a Mac!"

Totally ignoring the fact the Powerbook as a brand name still has some good value, despite a lackluster last year or two. Plus it just sounds cool. If Apple hadn't used the name, someone would have used it by now. And the fact the MacBook just sounds clunky and dumb. Sounds like an educational model with lots of plastic and little power that is built for pre-schoolers.

I vote we call it "New Coke."

Still, I'm thinking we're gonna quickly get used to MacBook Pro, however clunky it seems now. So will the intel iBook be called simply MacBook? Or will Apple find continuing value in the now-well-known iBook name?

dan k

For the professional people. I mean, hell.. that woulda been a lot better than the "macbook"
or apple quarkbook?

edit: whoops, someone beat me to the name

Hmm, I see Apple couldn't use the ProBook name, a company named AMS already had a laptop named ProBook. How long ago was that I wonder?

MacProBook - nertz, that sucks

Apple ProBook - sounds much better

I think in ditching the PowerBook name Apple hopes to substantially grow their market share into segments where 'PowerBook' has little or no recognition. MacBook at least will have some familiarity, even to those who've never even heard of 'PowerBook'.

dan k

I offer: SpeedBook. But only if the commercials end with the familiar, "By Mennen," jingle. SpeedBook, it's strong enough for PowerBook users, but made for WinTel folk.

Okay, so maybe that's not a very good idea. I think the MacBook Pro will do just dandy in the marketplace. Just think of all the successful products that have existed with stupid names in the past. Look at all of the current successful products with stupid names.

I suppose Apple could have taken a page from Microsoft's book of creativity and just called it the Apple NoteBook. The no fuss, no muss, heck, it's pretty darn obvious name.

Anyway, I doubt that it will be too long before somebody here on the Fritter is waxing ecstatic about how great their new MacBook Pro is.

PowerBook M. Simple, and it follows suit in the previous models. PowerBook G3, PowerBook G4, and now, we have the PowerBook M.

The problem with PowerBook M is that it doesn't run a Pentium M. it runs a Core Duo. It'd be a PowerBook Core Duo, which would be fine with me. Of course if they used their strategy of the past several years it'd go more like "PowerBook (Core Duo winter 2006)".

And the first hack will be figuring out how to change the name plate/decal.

Wow, little Stevie (isn't he a wonder?) sure hates the old, and must generate THE NEW (!!!)

BTW I'd like my MacBook Pro supersized, with a 42-inch screen and a foot-step sensitive pad (behind the main keyboard and trackpad) so I can play "Dance-Fever", on my next flight. (Harr, harr, harr. Jeez, I crack myself up.) Therefore I'd like to call this new computer the MacintoshPowerEntertainmentCenter. Only one problem with this idea. . . S.J. forgot to put a HD/BlueRay DVD player in it. (the HyperSuperDrive:plays HD DVD, burns standard DVD's/CD's.)

In regards to the subject of my comment (location, et al) a new forum needs to be created for the new category of Intel Based Macs.

Mutant_Pie

Where have you been?

To my poetic ear, you guys are working on the wrong side of the coin. "Book" is the lousy side of the syllables. It's a term which is way beyond its life. "Book" is so religious sounding. I don't think using Mac is such a bad idea, and they probably thought they had to chose MacBook because of strategic market placement. People need to see that Mac is on the move right now, and even though it's got Intel inside, a Mac is a Mac, and the far better place to be. Scrap the "BOOK."

But sorry, I've never even owned a laptop, so with no experience, nothing's coming to my mind.

dan k

...as in PowerBook "eye". Maybe PowerBook i (lower case "i"). PowerBook just implies power; MacBook sounds like it should be served with an order of fries and a shake... a Happy Meal premium.
As for the ad campaign... they should use "Another Postcard" by the Barenaked Ladies. Somehow, that just seems right...

either MacPac or PacMac hehe... or powerbook on intel steroids. someone should make a video of the creature from the movie alien sucking on the monitor of a PBG4 and make a intel book pop out the keyboard, then grow into a large book ... lol sorry ive got a bit of "alien" on the brain.

Booki

or better yet

kooBi

get it? - iBook backwards!

as in... the artist formerly known as Prince...

the laptop formerly known as PowerBook, we could just call it... uh... the



/edit/
(for the sake of the PC users in the audience tonight... what you see as a question mark, Apple users are seeing a character that is shaped like the Apple logo, in silhouette, made from the key combo opt-shift-k... what makes it more confusing is what Apple users are seeing as a '?', you are also seeing as a '?'.)

I'm not seeing question marks or Apple logos; I'm seeing hollow squares. Not to be confused with the hollow circles, or the round pegs in the square holes, as an Apple commercial once referred.

Here's to the misfits... The round pegs in the square holes...

I don't recall the precise wording of the commercial, but it was along the lines of praising those that were actually crazy enough to attempt changing the world -- Because, as the commercial says, they are the ones that actually do!

Think Different.

http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/crazyone.html

Yep, I'm seeing squares under Firefox and X.2.8.

Try relaxing your eyes... and just stare for a while at an imaginary point a few feet behind the screen.... and squint a little and you'll see it... its so cool (anyone else who sees it, don't ruin it for them by telling them what it is!)

Thank you for your submissions!

I panel of randomly selected judges (whomever I happen to correspond with today) will debate the submissions and choose the best name.

The winner will be posted tomorrow.

The judges are overwhelmed! These are the runner-ups:

PowerBook Core Duo
ProBook
MB Pro

Place your votes below. One vote per person and one selection per ballot, please.

Honorable mentions go to PowerBook Fred and Arch Deluxe.

"ProBook" has my vote

I vote for ProBook.

PowerBook Core Duo

Glad you liked "PowerBook Fred"

Probook gets my vote too.

I'm probably going to end up refering to it as the ProBook, but I like "PowerBook Duo" far more.

Huh, well if "Powerbook Fred" isn't on the list anymore, I go for "Powerbook Duo".

iDPowerbook (Intel Duo Powerbook)

Say it fast and it sounds like street slang.

Mutant_Pie

My vote goes out to Powerbook Duo, as previously stated.

It's the easiest to type.

But spell as pRObOOK, just to be ornry.

dan k

Oooh! How about "Powerbook Dual". Kind of a nod to the Duos without messing up future googling.

I vote for Powerbook Core Duo, as it's most descriptive. But I agree about confusing searches with the original duos- perhaps if CoreDuo is one word it might help?

But of course referring to it here by a name that's different than what the outside world is using is going to result in eventual confusion by somebody. I thought the "contest" was sort of a rhetorical question/joke/comment on the new name.

who wants to say a 5-syllable word just to describe the product? I mean, after that you have to mention the speed, and if later versions of it come out (like the powerbook G3 line had, as well as the G4 series) how would you say it in one breath?