Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Apple Corporate, PowerBook
The password is . . . Mactel
Well, we may not know for sure whether Apple intends to stick Intel Inside stickers all over their computers, but according to Ina Fried over at News.com, Apple has filed a trademark for the term Mactel.Could a more horrible combination of the words "Mac" and "Intel" be created? You know, I said that I'd have issues with an Intel Inside sticker on my Apple machine, but I think I'd have even more of an issue with them changing the name of my favorite computer from "PowerBook G4" to "PowerBook Mactel." I mean, yuck.
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
iFelix said 3:36PM on 6-15-2005
Maybe it's just a way of stopping other people from using it...
I agree it is an awful name.
I personally think the new chip should be called the G6.
Reply
nezromatron said 3:42PM on 6-15-2005
Just because they trademarked it doesn't mean they will use it. It might be just to stop someone else from trademarking it first.
I had no idea that the Mac community was full of so much whining about insignificant things.
Who cares what they call it or what sticker is on it? Go-gone is your friend.
Reply
djones said 3:46PM on 6-15-2005
"Could a more horrible combination of the words "Mac" and "Intel" be created?"
Yes. Rob Griffith's favorite (and mine just because it's cute, but I admit to it being plain awful for an actual product name): Mintelac. Literally "intel" *inside* "Mac".
Reply
Rawktavio said 3:50PM on 6-15-2005
more of interest to me is what apple is going to do to introduce this new line of computers using this processor. What is the next processor going to be called? i know not g5 anymore and i'm excited to see what case desgin they choose to make around this new chip with a much reduced heat sink requirement. Imagine a powermac that is smaller than the current g5? i can't wait. I sincerly hope that they slim down the powerbook line even more so, this could be a new design line as a whole, well i hope it well be. I would be sad if they just keep the developers box idea.
Reply
Pedro said 3:54PM on 6-15-2005
It is terrible, but I would rather Apple have the rights to it then some other company calling something a Mactel.
And yes... it would be a shame to put an intel inside sticker on one of those beautiful PowerMac (or whatever its going to be called) cases. I hope this is not the end of the handsome apple case.
I would like to add that I also do not like the Mactel movement... in fact I would like to see everyone stop using it, not like its going to happen, but its just a goofy combination of words.
Reply
Josh said 4:11PM on 6-15-2005
Macintel is far better. Did they copyright that too?
Reply
Tom Edwards said 4:13PM on 6-15-2005
Jobs did say they had some new PowerPC products coming out later this year. Perhaps some special ones only available for PowerPC to get rid of the last batches?
Personally I don't think Apple will use that trademark. They own quite a few other trademarks that they'd never use, they just keep them for protection. We all know how sensitive they are.
Reply
Jim in Holland said 4:43PM on 6-15-2005
You've heard of defensive copyrights, yes? Often created to defend the identity of a product, to keep it from being abused. Apple clearly likes to control its brand identity - what better way than to take control of a word it likely despises?
Reply
Evan Holt said 4:52PM on 6-15-2005
The latest Joy of Tech touches on this...
http://www.geekerotica.com/joyoftech/joyimages/696.gif
Reply
Robert Knight said 5:36PM on 6-15-2005
Macintel, Apintosh, Macintosh featuring Intel, Intelosh, mTel...
anything but Mactel, please Steve, save us from Mactel!
There are so many better names...Intelitosh, Mapple-tel, need I go on ;)
I have afeeling we're either going to get a good name OR no stickerson our new computers, but not both. I can't imagine Intel being ok with their chips just sitting inside the machine unceremoniously. I'm hoping for Mapple-tel.
Reply
Bollocks Mate said 11:26PM on 6-15-2005
Well, I'd say that's only marginally better than what could have been:
INMAC.
And the ads for that would have been worse:
"Hey, what's IN your MAC?"
Doh! Hehehehehehe........
Reply
dreamer said 11:50PM on 6-15-2005
wouldn't intac be so much cooler. the intel mac.
Reply
Pedro said 10:26AM on 6-16-2005
really... we can all say goodbye to power book and power mac. i blieve that the 'power' prefix in the name comes from the PowerPC chip. without that chip it wouldnt be right to use the name... so what would be the new name of the former 'power' line up? I would really hate to see:
IntelMac
IntelBook
Reply
fra said 1:13PM on 6-16-2005
Look,macheads made the switch from Motorola to IBM fine.
same with OS9 to OSX
C.K, Apple ARN'T gona use the term wintel 'cause it isn't a 'Buzz word' (i mean, it's just yuck)
Apple wont put an 'Intel Inside'(cause it isn't white) sticker for all to see on the system (probably on the back)
Trust Apple!
Reply
iFelix said 6:04AM on 6-17-2005
One of the problems with all the combination names mentioned is that they dilute the brand Intel, which Intel have worked (and spent lots of money) to get into people's heads.
One of things you don't do with a well remembered brand name is change it or dilute it.
I still think it will be referred to as the Intel G6 (and possibly Intel G7 for the PowerMac).
Reply
Justin France said 10:46PM on 6-19-2005
...or, you could just get over it.
The fact that hoards of macusers even started taking -defense- to the entire Intel vs. Motorola/IBM chip issue is just...naff, and small.
Think Different, people. IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER.
If the fact that the chip in your computer has a different brand mark on it is weighing on your mind, well... what can you say? Like you - the computer is just a tool.
Reply
Bobby Love said 6:36AM on 7-01-2005
Come on.. Apple arn't about to be sticking stickers on there chassis..
it's much more likely that if ANY mark of intel is on the units at all it'll be subtle and kick ass.. remember Apple make thier own chassis, and therefore can machine a cool lil intel logo into the aluminium in the bottom right corener.. nice! (it's more likley to be on the side anyways.. after all, wheres the apple?)
OK, keep the following points in mind when thos of you worried aboutt he performace speak up.
IBM's PC chips (cyrix)
over heated, used odd bus clock speeds, fell over if you sneezed in the direction on the cpu, couldn't even think about speed jumps in later production and genrally were rather bad eggs!.. Yet, we have the G5 (chior in back groud)
INTEL's PC chips are
stable (it's windows that fals over), Don't make much heat, can be over clocked to buggery and so have a good future for speed and are, lets be honest, good chips all round! so imagine Intel's developers working with Apples project managers.. if Apple can drive IBM to make the G5 then Intel and Apple is a good idea! Bring on the G6!
Reply