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NASA names its DC headquarters after its first Black female engineer
From this point forward, NASA’s Washington DC headquarters will be known as the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters, named after the agency’s first Black female engineer.
World of Battleships rechristened World of Warships
In a move to make the title more congruent with the entire Wargaming universe, the game formerly known as World of Battleships has been redubbed World of Warships. The studio, however, emphasizes that the change is in moniker only; nothing has changed gameplay-wise for the upcoming free-to-play naval game in which players get to participate in sea-faring combat using historically accurate vessels. Additionally, World of Warships will be included in the Wargaming.net common economic system, which will allow players to distribute resources between all three titles. The game is scheduled to launch next year. [Source: Wargaming press release]
HTC ChaCha to be known as ChaChaCha in Spain, somebody didn't do enough market research
As it turns out, the word "chacha" is used as a term of disparagement in the Spanish language. Coincidentally, perhaps after somebody hit HTC's marketing genii with a Spanish phrasebook, the HTC ChaCha will hereafter be known as the ChaChaCha in the land of sun, sand and siestas. This follows mobile search engine ChaCha suing for trademark infringement a couple of days ago and serves as an instructive example of why one should do one's market research before deciding to use one's internal codenames as retail product nomenclature.
Mitsubishi i is the new name of the i MiEV for American market, coming next fall for $30,000
Mitsubishi promised it'd bring the i MiEV over to the US before 2012 and now it's rehashed that pledge with a slightly more detailed roadmap and an indicative price point to boot. Maurice Durand, the company's communications manager for North America, is quoted as saying the newly renamed i will cost "around $30,000" when it launches, which is expected to happen in fall 2011. Sales expectations are a very modest 20,000 units by 2015, but apparently the idea is for Mitsu to just get its foot in the US electric vehicle market before introducing more powerful and versatile people carriers. The i is pitched as primarily a commuter's vehicle, though it has been enlarged slightly to accommodate US safety regulations and "larger frame people." Be honest, Maurice, you mean larger waistline, not frame.
Samsung 'selectively' drops OmniaHD name in some countries
Rumors have been flying the past couple days that the OmniaHD is no more -- at least, not in name -- and it turns out that's partially true. We've received official word from Samsung that the S60-based superphone will be "selectively" renamed to "i8910 HD" in some countries "due to business issues." The spokesperson didn't expand on what those business issues were or what countries would get the name change, exactly, but let's be perfectly honest: this is one of those phones that could be called "Rotten Eggs in a Box" for all we care and we'd still line up to buy it at any price. Anyhow, Sammy says it'll still be using the Omnia name going forward for other products -- just not this one.
