Exactly one month away from the rumored launch of Apple’s tablet computer, people are going mad around finding out the slightest bit of news.
After the interaction method, the buzz is now back to the device’s name. Indeed, Macrumors claims to have found proofs that the domain iSlate.com was purchased by Apple in 2007.
This wouldn’t sound like much if it wasn’t for Techcrunch’s Robin Wauters that dig deeper and found an entire net of related information. What they discovered is no hard proof, however the amount of clues and coincidence is overwhelming.
What Apple apparently put together over the course of the last 2 years is quite an impressive net.
Basically, Apple created a shell company, Slate Computing LLC, to officially appear in most of the paperwork. They then used this company to secure not only the trademark “iSlate” in the US and Europe but also most of its related domain names, like islate.biz, info and so on.
What’s particularly interesting is that all the transactions around “iSlate” were made between November and December 2007 and they always involve either Apple directly, it’s shell company, Slate computing, or Apple’s lawyers or partners.
Well, we know that Apple likes to leak fake news around its product launches to get more attention, but this seems like a lot of effort for some extra free PR.
What do you think?
I feel that the word “Tablet” is too connected to Microsoft and Bill Gates’ push for tablet computers. It would make sense for Apple to go with something different. Not sure if I like ‘iSlate’ though.
iSlate is a ridiculous name. Sounds like it would be something the flintstones would have.
iTablet is just stupid, not consumer friendly at all!
iPod is a ridiculous name for a product. Who would ever buy something called “iPod”.?
I predict swift failure for this rumored “iPod” device.
iGuide is also a possibility.
Well, If I were Apple and I had free reign to pick any name I wanted, I’d go for “iPad” – it’s a total no-brainer.
I’m guessing that’s probably been taken, or off the cards for some other reason I’m not aware of, otherwise surely people would be using that name more in discussions.