Low End Mac Reader Specials

TypeStyler For Mac OS X is Now Shipping! Download The Free Fully Functional 60 Day Tryout at www.typestyler.com

Poker Mac Don't install Parallels to play poker online! Poker Mac will show you how to download and install a native Mac poker application such as Full Tilt Poker Mac.

Compare products like desktop computers, apple laptops, apple macs, and LCD Monitors side by side! All the information and reviews to make the best purchasing decision for new mobile phones, sat nav systems, or MP3 players. The Ciao online shopping community makes searching products easy for you.

Low End Mac


iThings Considered

My iPinion

Jake Sargent
2001.02.20

A few days ago, David Shultz published an article on Applelust, iSay: Enough with the iTitles - They are getting iSickening, where he discussed his disgust for titles with "i" names (iExample). I must say that I agree with most of his statements.

The iMac (internet Mac) was a revolutionary name when it first came out - powerful and meaningful, yet simple. It also made sense for the iBook to have an "i" in it, being the counterpart to the iMac. Then we got iMovie. Fair enough - it allows you to share your movies over the Internet. Then came iTunes, again, it makes sense (Internet tunes). The same goes for iCards, iReview, and iTools.

Every "i" in Apple product names meant something until Steve Jobs announced iDVD a few weeks back. Hmmmm, Internet DVD? No, I can't share my DVDs over the Internet, and no, I can't download DVDs from the Internet. What does the "i" in iDVD stand for? This was the first time Apple threw an "i" into a product name for branding purposes.

You're probably wondering: If I'm so against "i" names, why do I write a column called "iThings Considered?"

In my opinion, there are two different types of "i" names - those that have meaning, and those that don't. The "i" in "iThings Considered" stands for "Internet" (Internet Things Considered). It makes sense, is trendy (hopefully), and doesn't make David Shultz sick (my fingers are crossed).

Branding is something that every company does. When someone says iSomething, you immediately think of Apple - and Apple likes that. It is important to Apple's marketing strategy.

What other thoughts come to mind when you hear an iWord? Simplicity, communication, and as both David Shultz (Apple Lust) and Dan Knight (Low End Mac) seem to agree, consumer. The most probable reasoning behind iDVD being named what it is, is the fact that it is a consumer program. Apple knows that if they stick an "i" in from a software title, customers will know that the program is easy to use and targeted towards the average Mac user.

So where is an "i" OK to use, and where is it not?

As David Shultz pointed out, there are many different meanings for "i" in a name ("Internet," "consumer," or for branding purposes). I think that the line is drawn between where a user can immediately identify which of the meanings the "i" is supposed to stand for (if any), and when a user has to think about it.

An "i" title is humorous and clever when put in the right context. Match an "i" up with another word where it doesn't make sense, and things just get repetitive and boring. Sure, Apple should keep sticking "i's" in its product names, and Mac web sites should continue to put "i's" in article titles - where it has meaning. But if Mac web site publishers and users continue to stick "i's" where they don't belong, many people may begin to see it as unprofessional and untasteful.

Links for the Day

Recent Content

Recent Deals

  • Best iPod classic Deals, 03.12. Used 20 GB, $119; 40 GB, $139; 60 GB, $159; 30 GB video, $129; 60 GB, $159; 80 GB, $169; refurb 120 GB, $189; new, $214; 160 GB, $228 shipped.
  • Best G3 iBook and AirPort Card Deals, 03.12. 366 MHz 12" clamshell, $89; 466, $125; 500 white CD, $100; 600, $199; 800 Combo, $239; 14" 900, $225.
  • Best Xserve Deals, 03.12. Used 1 GHz dual G4, $499; 2.0 dual G5, $599; 2.3, $749; refurb 2.26 4-core Nehalem, $2,499; new, $2,699; 8-core, $3,449; refurb 2.66, $4,299; new, $4,799; more.
  • Best iPod touch Deals, 03.11. Refurb 8 GB, $149; 16 GB, $199; 32 GB, $249; 64 GB, $339; new 3G/8 GB, $184; close-out 2G/16 GB, $229; 3G/32, $270; 64, $355. Shipping included.
  • Best Mac OS X 10.5 Deals, 03.11. "Leopard" one user, $180; upgrade from 10.4, $150; 5 users, $400; Server, 10 users, $493; unlimited users, $600.
  • Best 17" MacBook Pro Deals, 03.11. Used 2.33 GHz, $1,099; 2.5, $1,349; refurb 2.66, $1,949; 2.93, $2,199; new 2.8, $2,249 after rebate; 3.06, $2,749.
  • Best iPod nano Deals, 03.10. Refurb 4G/8 GB, $99; 16 GB, $119; 4G/8 GB, $129; 16 GB, $139; new 5G/8 GB, $134; 16 GB, $160. Shipping included.
  • Best 15" PowerBook G4 Deals, 03.10. 1 GHz Combo, $400; 1.25 GHz, $460; 1.33 GHz SuperDrive, $539; 1.5 GHz, $550; 1.67 GHz, $589; hi-res, $800.
  • Best iPod shuffle Deals, 03.10. New 3G/2 GB, pink, $53; other, $55, 4 GB, blue, $71; other, $73. Shipping included.
  • More deals in our archive.

Go to the iThings Considered index

  • Mac of the Day: Power Mac G5/2.7 GHz, Apr. 2005 - The fastest G5 CPU Apple ever used, this model included a 16x SuperDrive and shipped with 'Tiger' (OS X 10.4).
  • List of the Day: MacBook List for those using a MacBook or MacBook Pro.
  • Channels
     Power Macs
     iMac Channel
     iBook/PowerBook
     MacInSchool
    Computer Profiles
     iMac
     Power Mac
     PowerBook/iBook
     Performas
     Mac Clones
     Older Macs
     LisaNeXT
    Editorial Archive
    Mac Daniel's Advice
    Email Lists
    LEMchat (uses AIM)
    Online Tech Journal
    Consumer
     advice, reviews
     guides, deals
    Software
    Apple History
    Best of the Web
     Best of the Mac Web surveys
    Miscellaneous Links
     Used Mac Dealers
     Video Cards
     Mac OS X
     Mac Linux
     Macspeak
     RAM Upgrades
    About Low End Mac
    Site Contacts

    Open Link

    Support LEM

    Affiliates

    The Apple Store
    .mac
    iTunes Store
    Club Mac
    MacMall
    iResQ
    ExperCom
    eBay
    Amazon.com
    PayPal
    PCMall
    PC Zone
    Crucial Memory

    Our advertising is handled by BackBeat Media. For detailed price quotes and advertising information, please contactat BackBeat Media (646-546-5194). This number is for advertising only.

    iThings Considered begun February 13, 2001. All iThings Considered articles ©2001 by Jake Sargent. Entire Low End Mac website copyright ©1997-2010 by Cobweb Publishing, Inc., unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. Advice presented in good faith, but what works for one may not work for all. Please report errors to .
      LINKS: We allow and encourage links to any public page as long as the linked page does not appear within a frame that prevents bookmarking it.
      Access our RSS news feed at http://lowendmac.com/feed.xml.
      Email may be published at our discretion; email addresses will not be published without permission, and we will encrypt them in hopes of avoiding spammers. If you prefer your message not be published, mark it "not for publication." Letters may be edited for length, context, and to match house style.
      PRIVACY: We don't collect personal information unless you explicitly provide it. For more details, see our Terms of Use.
      Low End Mac is an independent publication and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Apple Inc. Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh, iBook, iMac, eMac, iPod, iPhone, PowerBook, MacBook, MagSafe, Mac Pro, Apple TV, and AirPort are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. Additional company and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks and are hereby acknowledged.