Apple drops "Computer" from name

Today Apple dropped the word "Computer" from their name. Now, known more simply as "Apple, Inc." to better reflect their steady but relentless move into the wider field of consumer electronics. With a portfolio now spanning software, retail, the on-line distribution of electronic media, home entertainment, digital audio players, cellphones and computers can anyone blame them? You paying attention Samsung, Sony, and Philips... Apple is serious about claiming your turf.

[Esat @ Jan 9th 2007 3:19PM]

Wonder what we'll be ssing in 20 years time.. apple tv's?

[Shmoe @ Jan 9th 2007 3:27PM]

Good move to change the name with after releasing the iPhone. I think Apple's got it right. I want one, that's for sure. But the phone is not perfect. Very close, but not perfect.
1. No HSDPA is sad. They are using Cingular afterall. Of course, it will allow them to add Sprint in the future. Guess I'll have to drop Sprint unless I wait. :(
2. A 2 megapixel camera isn't enough. You can't make decent prints with that.
3. 8 gigs is too small. How are you going to take videos with you?
4. No expandable memory to add more SD cards.
5. Price. I know people will buy it, I probably will, but a lot of people can't afford it.

[Michael @ Jan 9th 2007 3:28PM]

I wonder what the other Apple thinks about this - I smell another lawsuit brewing.

[Mr.Ortiz @ Jan 9th 2007 3:29PM]

Have Apple (Computer) and Apple Records come to an agreement then? This certainly doesn't help the former's position if the latter chooses to sue again. Steve Jobs should just buy out the record company and be done with it.

[Grendly @ Jan 9th 2007 3:52PM]

crazy mac people.... They just make the strangest decisions

[L. M. Lloyd @ Jan 9th 2007 3:53PM]

One can only hope this means that they are going to focus on their little consumer gadgets, and get out of the computer market finally.

God knows they are making much better margins on all these status trinkets than they ever did on their computer products.

[hmurchison @ Jan 9th 2007 3:53PM]

Apple Records cannot sue no more than Apple Inc cannot sue the thousands of companies that have Apple in their name.

Shmoe

1. I'd have to drop Verizon. It sucks that you cannot buy a phone and use it everywhere.

2. I'd prefer a min of 4Mp but 2's a good start. I wouldn't be attempting many prints as well.

3. Clearly I'm going to need a video iPod. At least now I know what the screen is going to look like.

4. Bummer. It'd have been nice if it had a transflash slot.

5. Price isn't bad. Treo's aren't much cheaper really and they simply don't have the UI and quality of functionality (low rez screens) etc.

I'm going to hold off this year and in 2008 I'll see if the Apple iPhone makes sense.

[Nick @ Jan 9th 2007 3:58PM]

The Apple iPhone is more desirable than the PS3.

True innovators in their respective industry's: Apple, Google, & Nintendo.

[L. M. Lloyd @ Jan 9th 2007 4:52PM]

True innovators? Yeah, because no hack company like Microsoft would ever come up with a brilliant idea like shoehorning a desktop OS into a smartphone/PDA! Oh wait, that's right, they already did that. Yeah, but I'm sure Apple had no idea that Windows Mobile existed, well except for those pictures of Windows Mobile devices behind old Stevie.

I love it, even when Apple follows Microsoft's lead, they are innovating. Ah, the glory of branding. Next up, Apple enters the market with a video game console, and all the lemming Macheads coo about how innovative Apple is for taking another cue from Microsoft.

[Nubaeus @ Jan 9th 2007 3:59PM]

So many people are in love with everything that apple does. Don't you understand that other companies have done the same thing way before them? Just no touch screen and about $500 price difference.

Apple is just a fad

[Rick @ Jan 9th 2007 4:00PM]

Apple, huh....and he played a Beatles song in the demo...how far behind is the marriage between Apple Computer and Apple Music? It isn't a small thing...it was given the "oh, and one more thing" place in the keynote.

[Michael @ Jan 9th 2007 4:01PM]

"Have Apple (Computer) and Apple Records come to an agreement then? This certainly doesn't help the former's position if the latter chooses to sue again. Steve Jobs should just buy out the record company and be done with it."

That's actually quite funny, since AR represents The Beatles and is owned by the band members or remaining family. It is not for sale at any price.

[MonkeyDo @ Jan 9th 2007 4:13PM]

I find it funny that you are quoting those companies. Open up a Apple product and you will find that 99% of components come from other companies, most likely those that you mentioned.

[Grendly @ Jan 9th 2007 4:17PM]

http://www.gotuit.com/player/index.html?c=SM_Entertainment&t=5863
crazy crazy crazy

[Michael Hayes @ Jan 9th 2007 4:22PM]

Did Woz cry?

[s ogorman @ Jan 9th 2007 6:33PM]

yeah ...what this guy said !!! lol

put something in white plastic and graphic designer air heads everywhere go "whoooooooo"

when are you guy going to realise you pay 3 times as much money because it has an apple on it ..

thats like $400 sneakers ... HELLO!?!?!?

[DarkFader @ Jan 9th 2007 4:58PM]

What's next? changing the A to lowercase?

[Waruwaru @ Jan 9th 2007 5:30PM]

No, as poster above said, they are going after Nintendo, so, lower case 'a', and 2 capital 'P's.

[Joe V @ Jan 9th 2007 5:27PM]

This is Apple's attempt to get out of all those class-action lawsuits and stock backdating investigations.

"I'm sorry, the company YOU'RE suing is Apple COMPUTER, Incorporated. We're just Apple, Incorporated."

[Reg Muffet @ Jan 9th 2007 5:58PM]

What the heck is up with Engadget's camera?

I was watching the keynote coverage thinking Jobs was wearing a brown shirt. It was actually black! As shown in other snaps, such as the one on this page:

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070109-8583.html

It's ironic that the gadget experts either have a crap camera or don't know how to work the exposure controls!

[Bob S. @ Jan 9th 2007 6:05PM]

And in 2025, someone who grew up typing on this thing will rename the company 4PP13. Or maybe 4PP13z0r.

[Scoober @ Jan 9th 2007 6:33PM]

Sling Media must be ramping up on a new Slingbox client!

[Joe Henson @ Jan 9th 2007 6:35PM]

Just for those who want computery news... is this new?

http://store.apple.com/Apple/WebObjects/ukstore.woa/61104042/wa/PSLID?mco=19333ED6&nplm=MA073&wosid=gd7HZkbWimFA3hNqePyiIIi2uRL

[grrr @ Jan 9th 2007 7:00PM]

'Apple drops "Computer" from name'

First close-to-correct usage of 'drops' from Engadget in an article title in months :)

[thanatos12 @ Jan 9th 2007 9:00PM]

ummm...
*thinks back to US vs Microsoft in which the DOJ and all 20 of the states that have starbucks agreed that microsoft is and demanded that windows split from microsoft because of the insanely obvious antitrust violations*
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Microsoft
wtf is wrong with them...
i mean im all for apple taking over the world but damn when this is all said and done even microsoft will be suing them for stooping to a level of ignorance previously alloted (and copyrighted no doubt) to microsoft alone [with target pulling a close second]

[Santiago Bustelo @ Jan 10th 2007 6:50AM]

> So many people are in love with everything that apple does

Actually, Bill Gates is top in the list, releasing as "innovations" whatever Apple released almost 5 years ago.

Many Apple bashers like to say that Apple "is not an innovating company, because XYZ was done before" - being XYZ something as broad as screens and pixels. What are you expecting, alien technology?

BTW, I didn't saw these guys rushing to the stores when Apple introduced the Mac in 1984, the Newton in 1993, or the iPod in 2001, just to name three products that changed the industry ever since and whose innovation value cannot be denied today. But I usually see (or read) them whispering about Vista, the last Windows Mobile PDA or the Zune, introduced years after the products they own their "inspiration" to.

These people have the guts to call Mac users "zealots".

I won't be surprised if those unimpressed by Apple's iPhone, will woe and cheer in 2012, when Microsoft finally releases its own phone. And, I guess, rebrands Windows Mobile as "Windows Oiga" to match "Windows Vista" (in spanish, "vista" is "view" and "oiga" is "hear" - and both sound plain silly).

[Bruce Stenberg @ Jan 10th 2007 11:57AM]

The innovation isn't in the idea of the product. The innovation in the design and user experience of the product. I believe apple has learned from there mistakes in the past with Newton that you can't "Leap Flog" into a completely unknown area and get wide spread acceptence of a product. They are doing the safe thing of taking products that are already introduced but with very poor design and they are making them simple, fun and attractive. The idea with the iphone isn't new, but people are already familar with their ipod, with syncing, with itunes, and they want a phone.. they know how simple apples products are... geez so why not just put it all together and make it super easy for the customer. Build from what they already know, don't make them learn something new.. That is the genius of Apple.