iPod the Kleenex of MP3 players

I think it's MP3 Player that has become shorthand for DAP.

As a couple of comments suggest, it can be a problem if left un-checked.

Having worked in Advertising for many years, I came up against this problem, especially in the business to business market. When a product name becomes the name for all types of product like it, then you have the situation where - in the iPods' case - someone could go in a shop, ask for an 'iPod' and be given a Creative mp3 player. Becasue iPod becomes the name for mp3 players. We regularly ran ads for companies along the lines of 'when you ask for an (iPod) make sure they sell you an (iPod)'. Otherwise, someone walks out - with a Creative for example - it goes wrong, as they do, and he/she says 'iPods are rubbish!'.

I work in retail (Kmart, actually. Poor me) and everyone comes in asking for iPods. I tell them all about them, then they point out some random MP3 player and ask 'what about that one'. I tell them it is not an iPod, and then the customer gets angry because I was supposed to know what they mean!! So yes, every MP3 player is an iPod apparently. But a tissue is a tissue and a photocopier is a photocopier and an inline skate is an inline skate. Although a self-adhesive bandage is a Band Aid. I'll keep that one.

NINTENDO or at least it used to be.

@ Scott #6

Tivo is actively rallying AGAINST the term "Tivo" they threatened lawsuits if it's used as a verb on TV, they do not want brand dillution at all. Brand dillution is very bad. Kleenex can tell you, as can Xerox. Once everything of that type is refered to as the same brand name, there becomes no difference between them in the eyes of the consumer. Any tissue is as good as the next, since they're *all* Kleenex.

it's funny how people with iPods have to address their mp3 player as "iPods". including me. And someone else with a Creative, Sony, Dell, Samsung, etc. address theirs as "MP3".

This is a bad trend for Apple. Eventually Apple could lose its trademark protection for "iPod".

Add Palm to that list as well

Welcome to two years ago. If you work retail, people have been asking for iPods for the past two years, and not having a clue what to get. Another thing is, when your kid asks for an iPod, don't get him this piece of crap MP3 player, get him a damn iPod. Sorry, just had to rant about stupid people you run into working retail.

And Hoovers and Walkman