What does iPod actually mean?

[natrino]

The 'i' thats what apple seem to put in front of all there products what does that mean. as for the 'pod' part well 'pod' means unit doesnt it?

[ipodphoto30]

i remember reading about how someone asked about this before. i think the i means internet. but since then the i has been a gimmick for apple to use as a signature on their products now.

[lkalliance]

"i" started out as "Internet," but has become an Apple signature.

I've always taken "pod" to mean "extension" or "subunit," and it turns out that the way I use my iPod is actually as an extension of my computer. I listen to songs on iTunes but when I go away...I can take my iPod. I load and view digital photos into my computer but when I'm away...I can do the same on my iPod. I can watch videos on my computer but now when I go away...iPod.

The name also connotes a unit that doesn't take input itself but carries something to be used in a remote location, and that's more or less how Apple has packaged it (though third-party products expand on this). It's a carrying case for your digital assets.

This is why I don't expect iPods to gain data-input capability beyond what they've already done. Apple expects you to do the real stuff on the computer (and of course they prefer it to be one of theirs).

[CraigNB]

Originally posted by lkalliance
"i" started out as "Internet," but has become an Apple signature.

I've always taken "pod" to mean "extension" or "subunit," and it turns out that the way I use my iPod is actually as an extension of my computer. I listen to songs on iTunes but when I go away...I can take my iPod.

perfect.

[subzeropod]

Acronym / Definition


IPOD / Internet Pod

[somegods]

Well it comes out of the gimmicky product naming of the late 90s, where every company that had anything to do with the internet/computers put an 'i' or 'e' in front of their name (eMusic was actually born in this era, not that we're completely out of it.) Apple, however, seemed to be inverting it by tacking the lowercase 'i' onto products aimed at fairly personal uses rather than internet-centric services, therefore the 'i' is used more or less in it's pronoun form (in a tongue-in-cheek marketing sort of way.)

Like you have your youPod and I have my iPod.

[roxics]

That's the way I've always taken it

i = personal

Like me, myself and I

In other works personal mac, personal tunes, personal pod, ect.

It's like when computers first came out they were so expenisve the entire family used the same machine. Now everyone has their own. These things have all become personal and personalized.

[mathwiz91]

the i started out on iMac and stood for internet as u guys said....
it caught on and now its apples signature