Apple has done a great job creating and marketing an entire spectrum
of products and services - most of which begin with an “I”. I am ok with that – it is part of their identity. The “I”, usually lowercase, as a prefix to a product name with Apple began
in 1998 - with the iMac. Apple told us then that the “I”
was for, "Internet, Individual, Instruct, Inform, and Inspire". Even before that there was an annoying trend of sticking and
“E” in front of every product: e-file, e-commerce, e-church, etc.
Now, more than 15 years later, there is still this STUPID
trend of putting and “e” for electronic, or an “i” for internet in front of
every product name. Honestly, it’s
become rather lame. Not just because there
is a “halo” effect that Apple has around any product with and “I” –that’s fine,
it’s part of Apples brand. I do believe
that we are PAST having to label things as being internet or electronic based – the novelty has worn
off.
Tipping Point
Twelve years ago, if you owned a digital camera, it was a novelty. Big, bulky, and low res – I used one that saved
to a 3.5 inch floppy. By 2007, there was
the DIGITAL CAMERA Christmas – most everyone I knew received a Digital Camera
for the holidays. Quickly digital became the majority - film died. It was incredibly annoying,
“let me get my Digital camera”, or “what kind of DIGITAL camera do you have? “ Yadda
yadda. Today the majority of what we use IS digital, or electronic, or based on
the internet. There is NO MORE novelty. E,
or I, or Digital are no longer intriguing marketing buzzwords. In fact the novelty
is now in the ANALOG.
Resolution
Look around. Listen to yourself. If you are still using
terms such as eform, eink, eService – STOP.
Perhaps now would be the best time to start identifying the OUTLIERS of
the analog world – and add an “A” to non –digital services. For example I read
my books on and Kindle – but I still see other people reading “aBook”
Please – I would enjoy your feedback. Are we at a tipping point where most everything
is digitized – or do we STILL need to identify with “e” or “I”?
