i* vs. Mac*

Seriously, WTF — I do not understand why everyone is so worked up over the new laptop’s name.

1. The growth for Apple is in getting the non-computer person comfortable
   • “The computer for the rest of us.”
   • It’s a simple name — people will understand it immediately
     • …and in informal tests, so far the non-techies like it
     • Don’t forget: Simple is what got the iPod up to 14 mil last quarter
2. The “Mac” name is very valuable. Jobs wants to take advantage of that
   • He also gets to create a naming convention for product lines
     • Perhaps i* = solutions, both hardware (iPod) and software (iLife)
     • Perhaps Mac* = computing platforms (MacBook, future fun like MacPad)
   • If by chance people make a notebook = MacBook association, even better
3. If the name is the main deal-breaker for you, then you’re a moron

Anyway. As far as #2 goes, the only problem is the Intel iMac doesn’t fit into this unless we look at it morphing into a media center product later in it’s life cycle. That is, something easy for the home that integrates primarily as an i* solution platform and not targeted for those with full computing needs.

Or it may just be an issue of still figuring out how to reposition the iMac since it is still such a powerful brand that it has both “keywords” in it.