I realize that in the grand scheme of things, this is inconsequential. But one of my favorite nicknames of all time was just added to the endangered species list: the TiBook.
That’s right, the sleek, sexy (paint-chipped) Titanium notebook is no more. In Paris Apple announced the new 15″ PowerBook G4 (which must be odd for the French since they are metric) that’s made of aluminum alloy. Aluminum?
Don’t get me wrong here. The new PowerBook is absolutely beautiful. It includes the coveted backlit keyboard, Bluetooth, AirPort Extreme, FireWire 800, USB 2.0, speed bumps, the works. A dream machine it is indeed.
But aluminum? Coke cans are made of aluminum, not the world’s sexiest notebook. And what am I going to call it? The AiBook? Ack!
OK, so I’m having a little metallurgy fun here at Apple’s expense. And honestly, I’m pleased as punch about today’s announcements. We just have to get to work and come up with a new nickname. I’m sure as heck not going to write, 15″ PowerBook G4 every time I refer to the laptop formerly known as the TiBook.
Do you have any suggestions?
Go the Prince route
TLFKATB
The laptop formerly known as TiBook.
I've been telling folks to stop calling the 12" and 17" TiBooks for months, eesh.
AI is element #13, for the superstitious.
I think 'Metal PB' should do nicely for some time to come.
Chhose Your Field
If you were doing artificial intelligence research, the AiBook would be a fine nickname!
Or you could call it Al.
AlBook
I beleive many have been referring to their 12" and 17" PBs as "AlBooks".
Alternatively... the FlyBook? 'Cause it's so fly? ;-)
/p
Call it the A-Book.
Don't call it the "Al" Book.
Hummm...
Maybe in keeping with chemical convention it should be called the Al Book.
Metric
I am writing from Germany. Just wanted to let you know, that at least in German, there is something as an inch, it is called 'Zoll', the length is 2.54 cm and the symbol is exactly the same: ". However, this old-style unit is not used any longer exept for screen sizes. So we call the ex-Ti-now-Al-Book "fünfzehn (i.e. fifteen) Zoll PowerBook" and write it just the same: 15" PB.
Can't Say "TiBook" Anymore?
I'd like to be able to call it MyPB :)
Tom
Can't Say "TiBook" Anymore?
Wouldn't MyPB be more approriate if it were "lead-lined" ? :)
I was thinking more along the lines of MyAlum (since MyAlAl just sounded silly!?) :)
Here's an idea
How about "PowerBook"? I know, it's crazy.
OK, follow me on this one...
It's been suggested that we call it the "Al Book". Following in that vein, I suggest we simply call it "Betty". As in "I can call you Betty, and Betty when you call me, you can call me Al".
Yeah, it's silly, but Fun. :)
Here's an idea
It is crazy. There are 3 PowerBooks. So we're back to the inches thing added to PowerBook. Too many syllables!
RE: Metric
Not practical, but I really enjoyed your post. But you know, after owning three Volkswagens, I'm a sucker for anything written in German.
Book + size + "Al"
12" PowerBook G4 --> Book 12Al
15" PowerBook G4 --> Book 15Al
17" PowerBook G4 __> Book 17Al
Small Medium Jumbo?
SmAlBook
MAlBook
JAlBook
metric except 4 monitor sizes
In the Netherlands we're metric, except for monitor sizes. I guess that's the same for France. Though the french can be fanatic, sometimes up to rediculous to keep english words out of their language.
"Alu" is often used as short for Aluminium in dutch.
Just call it Powerbook. It will get too far fetched. Though maybe you like this:
The Aluminimum, Alumedium and the Alumaximum Powerbook
Ai Book
Or maybe AIBook as in Artificial Intelligence Book :-)
Anodized Aluminum
Since the machines are technically made of "anodized aluminum", you could call it the AnAl 'Book...
It might not make you popular with Apple... "Hey, how are sales of the 15 inch AnalBook going?" "What about the 17 inch Anal?" "The 12 inch Anal??" Yoiu might also receive fewer legitimate links from the Web, and more links from porn sites :-)
But it's the most accurate and fewest syllables of all :-)
names?
12PB
15PB
17PB
the easiest way of all...
names?
I like that, short, simple, concise.
I mean, anyone familiar and even not so familiar to the macworld would know what you are talking about.
I never liked TiBook anyway.
old macs
Do you still call your new mac a "mac classic"? Please don't call the new powerbooks Tibooks. Face it they are now in the realm of old macs.
Big Al and his mates
How about "Big Al", "Al", and "Little Al"?
why not?
You say you cannot us the name AiBook? ... You just need to rethink the initials. ... I rather like A.I.book, after the movie and the progress I am looking for.
A.I.book would be my vote.
metric
It's not just the French that use the metric system - the whole world uses metric except the US. But we are all quite used to computer monitors being sized in inches.
RE: metric
Geez! I didn't say that *just* the French use the metric system. My gosh...
RE: why not?
Actually, the AiBook is starting to grow on me (saying "A" and "i" as separate letters). Then if we have to denote which model, add the screen size (e.g. 15" AiBook).
What do you all think?
Al not Ai Book
BTW -- Al (that's the letter ell, not i). Al is the symbol for Aluminum. I don't know where Ai comes in.
TinBook!
I like TinBook -- I've seen the name used at MacInTouch.com and elsewhere. Yeah, I know, "tin foil" technically isn't really "aluminum foil," but most people act like it is. Plus it's a slight takeoff on the TiBook name (which I see all over)as well as a bit self-effacing, so I'm sticking with it.
You can call me "Al"!
As most of the commentators have pointed out, the chemical symbol for Aluminium (- as we in the UK call it -) is Al, so logic would have it that it be called and AlBook.
However, "ai" is the Japanese word for love, so there is a certain appeal to using the AiBook formulation. Just think "Love Book", and it takes you right back to almost homonymous TV Series ;-)
Al not Ai Book
Correct. The "A" is for aluminum and the "i" is the standard Apple moniker for stuff (iPhoto, iTunes, etc).
Some folks like AlBook, as in Al Gore (and Al as the symbol for aluminum), but I like the sound and look of AiBook better.
TinBook!
I remember a line from a movie where the character said, "Don't call me that, not even once! Nicknames have a way of sticking..." I think the Windows community would love calling it the TinBook. We should be careful what we say ;)
Mid-Al
Well, my friends are referring to the 12" PBG4 as "Little Al", and "Big Al" applies to the 17" behemoth, so "Middle-Al", or Mid-Al seems a natural fit for the 15" - late to the party, perhaps, but welcome none-the-less.
And I pronounce Mid-Al like "Middle", not "My doll" or "Midol"!
You guys have missed the most obvious nickanme.
I have a 12pb and I call it the yaobook, as in the commercial with yao ming. Not sure what to call the other two.
The easiest quickest...
After all, that's what nicknames are supposed to be. Why go with a complicated acromym/abbreviation that doesn't reall roll off the tongue at all. I think calling them "The Twelve", "The Fifteen", and "The Seventeen" in the context of laptops/PB's would be just fine. Plus it sounds clean and neat.
Only problem is that it could be mixed up with the iMacs. I however like the brevity.
DaveC
RE: metric
Shlock horror - you don't think Derrick thinks the world begins and ends in the US do you?
I think we covered this a few weeks back is posts about the Apple Store (HK is still waiting for one)
I'm keen on the Metric system - but I find it convenient to think feetNinches for height, mileage for fuel efficiency, inches and U's for racks and in inches for screens.
Besides - I guess it is all a bit incongruous talking in inches in Paris. I mean - what is French for inch?
But the US should get with the program - sheesh - you've got a decimal currency do the same for Imperial/(non)Standard/English measurements too.
Big Al Mid Al and Little Al seem great to me... whoever anon. is - he gets my vote.
What to call it
Thanks to the original commercial, we have the Yao Ming PowerBook (12") and the Mini Me PowerBook (17"). Get Apple to feature you and your photographic skills in their commercial for the new 15" and we'll call it the StoryBook.
Michael B