Poll: So... what's the Apple tablet going to be called?
By Nilay Patel 
posted January 26th 2010 8:30PM
posted January 26th 2010 8:30PM
- iTablet: The most obvious name, but Amtek's had the US trademark since 2006 and has been selling the various actual devices like the iTablet T221 (pictured above) under the brand for a while. Of course, trademark issues have clouded Apple product launches before, so anything's possible.
- iSlate: Popped up in some trademark and domain name filings a while back and then applied for in the US by a shady company called Slate Computing, LLC that only seems to exist on paper. The registration can't be granted until the USPTO receives an example of the name being used in commerce, and that hasn't happened yet.
- iPad: The least likely, and only because Apple's had the most to directly do with it. Fujitsu sold a Windows CE-based iPad retail handheld for a few years, but let the trademark application lapse until June of this year. When the USPTO published the application for review by other mark holders, Apple stepped in and filed an opposition, presumably because "iPad" sounds too much like "iPod." That's the only real claim Apple has, as far as we can see -- it can't just oppose the registration because Steve wants to call it the "iPad" really bad. And if he does, all he's got to do is pay Fujitsu some of the billions in cash Apple has lying around -- so why tip his hand with the USPTO filing?
- Slate: The NYT's Bill Keller referred to it as "the impending Apple slate." Maybe he meant it as a proper noun?
- Canvas: Panic's Cabel Sasser tweeted this after the paint-spattered "latest creation" invite went out. It's certainly nice, but there's no evidence that it's real at all.
- Tablet: The Apple Tablet. Might as well at this point, right?
| iTablet | |
|---|---|
| iSlate | |
| iPad | |
| Slate | |
| Canvas | |
| Tablet | |
| None of the above -- but it'll be awesome. | |
| Whatever, I just want this all to be over and Mobile World Congress to start. Windows Mobile 7, baby. Android. The good stuff. |
I am going to go for MacBook Touch.
@Mottay83uk That's what I was thinking. They're going to extend the Macbook name with a Macbook Touch. iSlate and iTablet sound gay. Maybe Mac Slate or Macbook Slate. But I think they'll incorporate Macbook into it
@Chizzed Yeah I just think it makes sense. The Macbook range is the most recalled 'mac notebook' brand from the wider audience and this was cut back to only two products last year (Air and White Unibody). Also, this would follow suit from iPod to iPod Touch. From a branding perspective it would deliver more info from MacBook Touch to everyone than iSlate or iTablet would as the majority of mass market consumers will not be aware of what a 'tablet' actually is.
iPod Touch DX
iPhone DX
Hehehehe ;)
"apple slate" has a much better ring to it than "islate" or "ipad"
Call it the Entablet. See what Topolsky thinks of it afterward.
Here's my two cents on the matter, way late.
The worst product name apple has ever come up with? iPod Touch. I don't know any non-geek who calls it by its actual name, preferring instead to call it the naughty iTouch. I think, at least I hope, the iPod Touch represents the end of the little i naming convention.
Consider Jobs' proclamation a few years ago that "Mac" would now take center stage in their naming convention. That was back when they nixed the PowerBook and iBook lines. That's the first little-i dead. iMac is a juggernaut brand, so it will never die, as are iPod and iPhone, which just makes sense as a name.
Onto the tablet. I could see Canvas as a name, but not really. I think all your names could work with Mac in front of them. MacTablet, MacSlate. MacCanvas would probably be pronouns "machanvas" so no good. MacSlate and MacSlate Pro could exist at one point. Of course, you can't have a mac running an iPhone OS, so who knows what the hell is going to happen.
I do believe that this is going to be a new product line with a name that carries the eight of such a venture. Remember when Jobs flipped on the Macintosh and it said Hello? It's gonna be like that. Meet MacSlate.
"The Tablet! The Tablet! All hail J!" A bit wordy but familiar and catchy. MaxiPad? Nope. Taken. It's anyone's guess.
It should be called iHype...
" iDon't Really Care " .. just taking a stab at it
Maybe its going to be called the Palatte which would be an awful name.
The Apple Slice
combine trademarks: iPad + iSlate = iPlate. you can eat off of it too!
It might be the Applet
surprised so few people voted iPad. it was the most obvious...
@Wikimon It's easy to say it was "the most obvious" now...
I've come from the future!! the name is iPad.. like the thing your mom uses.