CES 2008 product names: Best of the worst
By Barb Dybwad 
posted Jan 11th 2008 2:55PM
posted Jan 11th 2008 2:55PM
More Best of the Worst
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Pretty funny :)
You know, of course, that McIntosh has been around long before Woz and Jobs....
You mean to tell me you guys were close enough to a Rolly to do a hands-on review, and we get nothing?!
why did you guys put of the picture of McIntosh? Have you never heard of them? They have been around for a long time and produce some audiophile quality components.
I'm in also on the McIntosh bandwagon... They have been around forever and make excellent stuff... Definitely NOT low end audio components...
I'm in also on the McIntosh bandwagon... They have been around forever and make excellent stuff... Definitely NOT low end audio components...
I'm in also on the McIntosh bandwagon... They have been around forever and make excellent stuff... Definitely NOT low end audio components...
Doh, stupid browser! Sorry for the triple post!
McIntosh is in a class by it's self. Definitly not a stupid name and definitly better than Panasonic or Sony. They are to audio what Duesenberg and Rolls Royce are to Automobiles. McIntosh is a very old and respectable company since 1949.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McIntosh_Laboratory
I also came here to complain about the McIntosh slight, but it looks like plenty of people beat me here. McIntosh was a reasonably well known name in pro audio and audiophile circles long before Apple was born.
of = up, sorry for the typo
McIntosh was founded back in 1949. This is like the time you guys thought Phoenix Technologies was some new startup.
Engadget doesn't like retru tube amps.
100% game juice!
Should I dare ask what "game juice" is?
Oh mang I can't wait till we start carrying the BigDeal!Pak at my store! Such an easy sell with 100% game juice. You have no idea how hard it is to sell products with a paltry 40% game juice or less! I wanted one of those frickin Zeus flashlights ever since he smote my ass with the 3 d-cell version. Also, wasn't the lavaglow controller voted worst peripheral here recently?
I was going to comment on the same thing; but, it looks like McIntosh has already been adequately defended...
word.
No it hasn't.
Morons! Leave McIntosh alone! I learned something a long time ago in audio - if you haven't heard it, it's probably face-melting awesome.
Of course, some of these other photos seem to disprove that theory...
100% game juice!!
Do I really want to know what "game juice" is?
This keeps happening a lot to me
This keeps happening a lot to me
the name doesn't really make you think "car audio" either though... who cares if they've been around forever, it's still funny
It does if you know anything about Car Audio. It was a big deal when they borought out their first Car Amps (about 15 years ago now). Gorgeous Amps with analog meters. They even make OEM stereos for some Subarus sold in Australia.
LOL@Engadget: Clueless high end A/V newbs.
Again: LOL.
It's like something out of a Cat and Girl episode. That's an immense name for a company. Is Howard Moon on the board or something?
Buttkicker is another one that's been around for a couple years now, and you can think it's poor marketing if you want, but if you head over to an A/V forum, and mention a buttkicker, they'll know exactly what you're talking about.
Marshall
---------
The Real HT Info Podcast
we're not saying we don't like the ButtKicker, in fact we wrote it up 2 days ago:
http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/09/butt-on-with-the-buttkicker/
... but the name is still funny.
I'm amused to see these repurposed as a gamer device. These aren't all that uncommon as a monitor for a drummer. You attach one to their "drum throne" and they can feel the beat coming through it (drummers have a tendency to be deaf after years around cymbols, and there's only so far you can push monitor volume to overcome drum sound levels).
Actually, Buttkicker's ... well, they kick butt. They definitely add to the experience when watching an action movie.
I agree that it is still a funny name.
It's like something out of a Cat and Girl episode. That's an immense name for a company. Is Howard Moon on the board or something?
DAMN YOU SATAN
Obviously the McIntosh pic was put up there by a fresh out of school, minimum wage earning intern who couldn't afford to even look at the McIntosh audio line. Guys you gotta pull that pic it's making Engadget look really foolish. This reminds me of when McDonalds tried to sue a bunch of eateries in Scotland for using their name! Some of the those sued had been in business in one form or another for 200 years. Hint to the intern; Paris Hilton was named after the city in France, not the other way around.
ive never heard of hilton, france.
W.r.t. Image 15 - how can someone who is wearing a silver THUMB ring knock the name of a product/company....?
I don't get the eneloop picture, I'm pretty sure you guys have covered those before. I've got a few they're pretty good for rechargeable batteries.
Those Hisense guys are completely ripping off the design from Bicentennial Man.
http://www.ketzer.com/original_movie_props/bicentennial_man_robot_suit.jpg
Retract the McIntosh photo before I am forced to move to Giz!
Ditto!!!!
Eneloop is not that bad. It's the name of a frigging rechargeable battery and it makes sense. Damned good product too.
I find it pretty funny that the same people who are now poking fun for stupid names routinely go all mushy over something called an "eye-podd"
I had a friend with a Broksonic TV in college. It definitely lived up to its name. I never thought that brand would still exist...I'm impressed!
Oh wow, my parents had a Broksonic VCR for years. It was so cheap, it didn't even have a display! I am also surprised they are still around.
Oh Engadget, when are you suckers going to hire a web developer that knows about this great new technology called Ajax so I can scroll through the pictures without leaving this page?
Jake: "Hello?"
Jake: "Engadget, it's for you. It's the year 2003."
-jp
McIntosh has got to be a mistake. I would love to have my theater room glowing blue with McIntosh amps.
If I'm not mistaken, Apple Inc. pays a licensing fee to McIntosh Labs for the name, even though it's spelled differently. McIntosh Labs is now owned by the same Japanese company that makes Denon and Marantz, but McIntosh Labs continues to make extremely high-quality equipment.
Who picked this list? Tsunami has been making decent car audio for a decade, like others said McIntosh has been at it since 49, the Warlock name actually makes sense for it's context...premium vehicle security. Y'know, WarLOCK.
You guys are full of FAIL today.
Barb, it's either you or your staff who needs to brush up before mocking some of the bigger and more respectible names listed here. (Tsunami, Buttkicker, McIntosh, eneloop). You guys actually work in tech?
not sure if you actually read the site, but we never shy away from mocking any of the bigger and more respectable names in tech... one might even say it's an overarcing narrative
McIntosh????
Bet you guys had NO IDEA that, Apple had to license the name Macintosh from these very guys from McIntosh, now a division of D&M Holdings (Denon and Marantz).
At least you didn't run around the floor of the show with TV-be-Gone remote zappers, but this is DAMN close.
Please keep the keyboard away from children at all times...
I love you guys, I really do... but the McIntosh slight just earned you MAJOR demerit points. McIntosh basically created the category of high-end audio and remains one of the best audio component manufacturers in the world. I own a fair amount of the stuff that pops up on here, but between that stuff and my McIntosh amp, there's no contest I'd pick the McIntosh every time.
Oh, and by the way, McIntosh is a traditional Scottish spelling, so you kind of look a little stupid putting it up there...
What is up with that "Zeus Lightning" display? That picture looks like it was drawn by the owner's 12 year old kid. Sorry to say, but it looks absurdly amateurish and cheesy, and doesn't inspire confidence in their products or in them as a company.
Zeus, we know you're proud of your kids, but do yourselves and everyone else a favor and hire a professional to do your displays next time.
I know it's been covered to death, but LOL @ the McIntosh pic. You guys really think the world revolves around Apple, eh?
as everybody before me has said, McIntosh have been in the audio business since 1949 they make some of the best gear around, i find it disappointing that you think so little of them, do your research!
Engadget 2008 blogger names: Best of the worst
Barb Dybwad
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FLAMEBAIT!
nice gallery - can we like get a software upgrade on the comments? It just doesn't make sense to open more than 1 tab per story to avoid the messy reverse navigation.
the difference btw me and the McIntosh fanbois in this thread is... i think your comment is funny. come on guys, you made your point already -- did you know there are 23 other images in that gallery? do you have thoughts on those or did the drastic takedown of a respectable AV company melt your laptops? i hope you're not the same ppl who thought the gizmodogate active sabotage of a moto demo was the funniest thing EVAR
i used to work for a cellphone store and we carried those same pouches... only $10.
magicJack!!!! Come on!?! How did you guys not get my favorite one? I laughed out loud when one of the guys I was with told me about it. Of course, I then ordered it on Tuesday night and it was waiting for me when I got home on Friday, so I'm already jack'n.
You guys missed the best one. I found this over in the CES International Gateway at the Sands:
"SHI TSANG Metals"
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2007/2181143498_341c571db7.jpg