[GreenwoodMO]

I don't mind the name.

[Podolsky]

Oh, and Pismo was a good name right?

[madmacgames]

Originally Posted by NateEssex

I really liked "Powerbook". Maybe it's the 3 syllables that's killing it...Mac-Book-Pro.

PowerBook also has 3 syllables. American education at its finest folks.

For the record, I do realize Icruise already pointed this out, but it is so damn ridiculous, it just has to be pointed out again.

[porieux]

...

[baw]

Originally Posted by Podolsky

Oh, and Pismo was a good name right?

I beleive that was the codename. I don't remember seeing ads for the Mac Pismo laptop.

[fisherKing]

Originally Posted by baw

I beleive that was the codename. I don't remember seeing ads for the Mac Pismo laptop.

pismo was, like lombard, wallstreet, etc...a code name.

but, apple's naming ideas for the last several years: "powerbook" (WE invented "tibook", and "alubook", for example), is a great way to keep the masses in the dark, about which mac they buy, and whether or not it's the latest.

i see years ahead of macbooks and macbook pros...

[powerbook911]

I loved the Powerbook name.

However, I do not dislike MacBook Pro. It sounds fine to me, and I will get used to it quickly I'm sure. I never hated it. I am a bit sad to see Powerbook go, but MacBook Pro is fine.

[barang]

Yeah "MacBook" just sucks. I do agree, though, that we'll all get used to it in a few months.

For those of you who remind us that Powerbook sounded just as bad in 1991, I agree; it's just that MacBook seems much worse.

[NateEssex]

Originally Posted by madmacgames

PowerBook also has 3 syllables. American education at its finest folks.

For the record, I do realize Icruise already pointed this out, but it is so damn ridiculous, it just has to be pointed out again.

Okay, I misspoke. From my experience, people don't say, "POW-ER-Book"; it's more like "Powuh-Book". When I hear "Mac-Book-Pro", I hear hard syllables with no flow. At least that's what I meant. I guess I should refrain from posting when I'm on medication.

Thanks for the uncharacteristic Mac support

[Podolsky]

Okay. Does the MacBooks have a code name yet?

[madmacgames]

Originally Posted by NateEssex

From my experience, people don't say, "POW-ER-Book"; it's more like "Powuh-Book".

Of course people don't say "POW-ER" unless they're screaming. Only the first syllable is stressed.

But MacBook Pro is actually made up of 3 words, so if you try to stress all 3, then it does sound rather funny, but if you treat "MacBook" as a compound and only stress "Mac," then it doesn't sound funny and does flow together smoothly, even if the name itself leaves something to be desired.

[sodamnregistered2]

At first I was like, whatever.

Now I'm pretty sure I don't like it.

[urrl78]

Then there's the word "Pro"...I mean, it's like the GM slogan; "We're Professional grade"...like the other truck makers aren't? Like all the other Powerbooks weren't? Gee...I'd better get the real "Pro" version now, since my 1.5 Ghz Powerbook isn't the professional laptop I thought it was.

Sure, the name is not something most of us can't get over, but I think I will always cringe at the full sound of it the same way as if someone kept calling me by my first, middle and last name...

[shunt]

Originally Posted by Podolsky

Okay. Does the MacBooks have a code name yet?

Yeah, it's "Chippy"

...you heard it here first, folks.

[shabbasuraj]

Originally Posted by Dr.Michael

We had a nice discussion right after the Macworld here. (That thread was locked up in favour of the official thread).

Most posters thought that MacBook Pro was a silly name and there were suggestions of how to name it right (like Powerbook CoreDuo).

What is your feeling now?

##########
Edit
##########

here is the locked thread.

name = dumb

[John G. Stillmank]

I like the idea of having "Mac" in the name of Apple's laptop offerings. A "Powerbook" could be a Sony, after all. A "Macbook" can only be a Mac. Powerbook becomes Macbook Pro. iBook becomes Macbook. Maybe the iPod should be the PodMac. *man I'm gonna get flamed for that*

[jwoods]

Nah, not PodMac. MacPod.

"Would you like the wireless MacKeyboard and MacMighty Mouse with that?"

"What about our MacAirport?"

I hear they are giving free MacMouse pads away with every MaciMac.

Is it just me, or did someone just say McDonalds?

Ok, I'm done.

[icruise]

In Japan (because of trademark issues) they call Airport "AirMac." I hate it...

[:dragonflypro:]

…and I still think all this pontification the name is just silly.

The name is fine, because it is just a name… and marketing-wise a better choice for brand penetration.

Mac

[_kevin]

Yes! "Macintosh ProBook" sounds infinitely better.

[jwoods]

Originally Posted by :dragonflypro:

…and I still think all this pontification the name is just silly.

The name is fine, because it is just a name… and marketing-wise a better choice for brand penetration.

Mac

Yep, it's silly but we can still have fun with it, can't we?

[HazelGirl]

its a ridiculous name and i understand wanting to get away from the "powerpc" name but i think they still couldda kept powerbook....it just sounds cool. they couldda at least called it the powerbook 2 or powerbook duo or something.

or they couldda come up with a brand new name that just didnt sound stupid like macbookpro.

[f1000]

I think we should start calling "Macs" "Acs". We don't want to use that pesky 'M' anymore now that Motorola is out of the picture.

[driven]

It's growing on me. I could get used to it.

I thought "PowerBook" sounded cool, but at least MacBook leverages a valuable brandname and is free advertising everytime someone says it. :-)

[driven]

Blasted double posts.

[MacBliss]

and I will call mine (17") a >>Powerbook Pro<< and nothing else.

[Dr.Michael]

Originally Posted by MacBliss

and I will call mine (17") a >>Powerbook Pro<< and nothing else.

Maybe Radtech will supply stickers (for only 25 $ each) .

[analogika]

Originally Posted by Podolsky

Oh, and Pismo was a good name right?

The Pismo was called "Powerbook G3".

Pismo was never a public name for the 'book, it's a developmental codename that eventually got used outside of Apple to distinguish the last-series Powerbook G3 from its Firewire-less predecessors.

I've heard and used and read "MacBook" often enough by now to have grown used to it.

It will make sense once the iBook series become MacBooks as well.

[Dr.Michael]

Now that nobody is posting any more I read through your posts and counted the ones that more or less clearly said yes or no.

14 like the name MacBook Pro or think it is ok
30 don't like the name

Maybe I should have made this a poll .
Thanks for your discussion.

[f1000]

Just call yours the MikeBook Pro.

[bourgeoisie]

i'd be very interested to know how much of the r&d budget for this new portable went to shrinks and sociologists, predicting the way the name would be received by the public.

with that said, i like 'macbook pro' because it brands the computer in the name, which is important. the people that visit forums like these are convinced mac users, so they don't need to impress us. but apple does need to impress every pc user in the market for a new computer, and i think they made a bold and excellent choice by using macbook pro (and likely macbook for the new consumer portables).

example: when i tell people i have an ibook, rarely do they ask, but it's very common to see a look of confusion on their faces. it's like the term "ebook" or "email", it's very generic and doesn't have any brand power. but then when you hear "gmail" you automatically think of google mail.

macbook and macbook pro will become a much stronger brand than ibook and powerbook ever were or could be, because they have the brand name built in. i don't really get the closed-mindedness in these forums, the brand is evolving and we either have to jump on that train and accept the change, or get out of the way because apple's doing big things.

[Salty]

Quite frankly the PowerBook was probably one of the worst brandings going on. Sure in a lot of it's market it's well known, that's to be expected. When I told people I had an iBook before they just assumed that it was just some laptop, they never realized it was a Mac. I don't think they need to and I hope they don't change the iBook's name.
I think the iBook's name has more than enough brand power. I think PowerBook really wasn't that great of a name compared to a lot of the laptop brandings out there right now.
That being said I imagine if Apple comes out with a MacBook mini or something of that nature things will make more sense. As well once Apple changes the PowerMac to the Mac Pro.

[driven]

I can't wait for my MacPod. :-)

[Dr.Michael]

Originally Posted by f1000

Just call yours the MikeBook Pro.

Well, doesn't sound bad! I will honestly take this into account and prepare a sticker as soon as my Tibook collapses

[aneurysm]

i don't mind the macbook pro, then again my last 'book was a 1995 duo, i was kind of hoping for a little nostalgic naming but dreams are just that... Now with the mac pro news it has me thinking about apple's attempt to perfectly define all of it's products-

[1]if the ibook becomes the macbook, then the imac becomes the lone 'i' product in the 'actual' computer lineup and to me, that sounds disunited. it seems to me just calling the imac- mac would be a better option in that case, and 'i' names would be relegated to software, ipod, and future media products.
or
[2]imacbook doesn't sound that bad, 'i' for the consumer range as it is/was.

-aneurysm

[jwoods]

I think I'd rather see iMac Portable than iMacbook.

[hldan]

Amazing, all the opinions here. MacBook Pro may sound corny but only to existing PowerBook users.
MacBook Pro is really a cool name! It's just new and as I mentioned only real users of PowerBooks are really gonna be affected by the new name. I thought the Mac mini was silly but it's been well accepted because it's never been called anything else.
We have enjoyed the PowerBook name for many years which is why everyone is so attached to it. 2 years from now MacBook Pro will be a household name and Powerbook will sound like old school.

I can't speak for everyone here but these names never had flare to me but look how big the name has become.

iPod (thought it was a boring name, look at it now)
iMac (thought it would never take off, it's a household name, even your grandmother knows what an iMac is)
Names take time to grow and if this were Apple's first notebook computer the MacBook Pro name would sound cool to everyone. Anyone declined to agree, your just kidding yourself and you are not open to change.
Apple seems to know what they are doing, besides the Macintosh Performa they haven't turned out a loser Machine by any name.

[jwoods]

Lisa?
Newton?
Apple III?
Puck mouse?

It seems they've had a few losers over the years.

[hldan]

Originally Posted by jwoods

Lisa?
Newton?
Apple III?
Puck mouse?

It seems they've had a few losers over the years.

Okay, if you wanna get that technical about it, I meant they haven't turned out a loser machine with a crazy name since Steve Jobs re-joined Apple.

[mikochu]

If you googled for "MacBook Pro" or something right after the keynote, your first result is a forum thread. The thread poster called the PowerBook a MacBook by mistake and everyone was giving him crap about it. It was pretty funny to read.

[t_hah]

The "MacBook" name does not sound very good in Hungarian. The "MacBook" pronounced in Hungarian pretty much sounds like "failure".
There was a TV show where they talked about some MacBook Pro news, and even the guy mentioned a few times that he hoped that it would not "fail" as its name says so...

I am getting used to it otherwise. Do you guys know anyone who is selling "PowerBook" stickers to put over the MacBook pro name? :-P

[christ]

Regardless of whether I like the name, I'm pleased that the questions asked in this thread have been answered by Steve Jobs himself.

Even he thinks that Macs should have 'mac' in their title. It only took this long for it to finally filter through.

[Dale Sorel]

Originally Posted by christ

Even he thinks that Macs should have 'mac' in their title. It only took this long for it to finally filter through.

Uh... iMac

[christ]

Originally Posted by Dale Sorel

Uh... iMac

Uh ... Powerbook?

I must have missed your point.

[terigox]

It's just something new... generally people don't "accpet" new things quite as much.

Legacy: practice makes perfect

[Dale Sorel]

Originally Posted by christ

Uh ... Powerbook?

I must have missed your point.

My point was simply that Apple has used the term Mac in their products names for some time. But I see your point about the naming of their laptops, which is the topic of this thread after all