3 ms·

The naming conversations I've been close to for a couple of decently-high-profile consumer products really were just on the "insanity" side. Like, everyone's a

The naming conversations I've been close to for a couple of decently-high-profile consumer products really were just on the "insanity" side. Like, everyone's argument made sense from a certain perspective, and the "common sense" ideas weren't perfect, but the compromise solutions that resulted had bigger problems. Problems which the media or public noticed more quickly than the people who had finally signed off on them internally... My speculation for the early Xbox names would be that part of it was someone insisting that you don't want to be trying to sell Xbox 2 against PS3 - you're one behind! - and then 360 is a fun way to get a "3" in there... but then what next, you have the same problem again, 460 is nonsensical (Xbox 420 would've been fun...!), etc...

adverbly 6y ago
I don't know why more products dont follow the software pattern of cycling the alphabet. Pick a unique new name each time, and just run it down the alphabet for the first letter of the name. So easy.
- IggleSniggle 6y ago
  I do really enjoy this approach and have used it affectionately for every computer I’ve owned. It becomes its own entertaining challenge to pick a new name that fits with the theme that began with my first computer, “Ambrosia.” Anyway, definitely seems like an actually useful thing for software versions. Android nailed it.
manigandham 6y ago
That’s exactly what happened with Xbox being a number behind when coming up with 360. The later versions could've been handled much better though, or at least just stick with increasing numbers (like 720) instead of reverting back to "One" and now "Series X".
- IggleSniggle 6y ago
  Why do I have the feeling that “Series X” will have only one entry in the series?
  - yroc92 6y ago
    There’s two now- the Series S is the entry-level model.
    - manigandham 6y ago
      But that's a different "series".
helmholtz 6y ago
Why companies won't name their products after the launch years I will never understand. Car companies seem to do just fine with it. Xbox 2001, Xbox 2005 etc.
- pkulak 6y ago
  Who wants to buy a brand new xbox 2013 in 2020?
pkulak 6y ago
Just jump right to 10 like everyone (even MSFT!) does.

adverbly 6y ago

I don't know why more products dont follow the software pattern of cycling the alphabet. Pick a unique new name each time, and just run it down the alphabet for the first letter of the name. So easy.

IggleSniggle 6y ago
I do really enjoy this approach and have used it affectionately for every computer I’ve owned. It becomes its own entertaining challenge to pick a new name that fits with the theme that began with my first computer, “Ambrosia.” Anyway, definitely seems like an actually useful thing for software versions. Android nailed it.

manigandham 6y ago

That’s exactly what happened with Xbox being a number behind when coming up with 360. The later versions could've been handled much better though, or at least just stick with increasing numbers (like 720) instead of reverting back to "One" and now "Series X".

IggleSniggle 6y ago
Why do I have the feeling that “Series X” will have only one entry in the series?
- yroc92 6y ago
  There’s two now- the Series S is the entry-level model.
  - manigandham 6y ago
    But that's a different "series".

helmholtz 6y ago

Why companies won't name their products after the launch years I will never understand. Car companies seem to do just fine with it. Xbox 2001, Xbox 2005 etc.

pkulak 6y ago
Who wants to buy a brand new xbox 2013 in 2020?

pkulak 6y ago

Just jump right to 10 like everyone (even MSFT!) does.