# What does the "i" in "iMac" stand for?



## whippet0 (Oct 11, 2006)

Hi,

Can anyone tell me what the "i" in iMac stands for? It's something I've always wondered. 


Thanks!
George


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## monokitty (Jan 26, 2002)

Internet. 

(Doesn't apply to any other of Apple's "i" products.)


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## John Clay (Jun 25, 2006)

Originally, I believe it was supposed to mean Internet, since the iMac was designed to be a simple, all-in-one design that people could easily connect to the internet. Since then, however, the meaning has changed a bit, iThink.


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## spudmac (Aug 23, 2002)

How about we now take it to mean i love it!!!


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## Rob (Sep 14, 2002)

I always figured it was for internet too, but my jaded and cynical side says "idiot proof". They are supposed to be "simple" aren't they?


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## Ants (May 6, 2003)

Just guessing but I always thought it was for "intergrated", you know, an "all in one" unit.


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

i think the 'i' in apple products has morphed into the personalization of these products for the consumer 
it might as well be called "myMac" or "myPod"


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## Ottawaman (Jan 16, 2005)

Invisible (control option shift tab i)


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## guytoronto (Jun 25, 2005)

Actually, and I may be wrong, but I believe it is an inverted exclamation mark, Spanish style. 

You see, it's not just a Mac. It's a Mac! Mac! Mac! (this Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!)

Now, anybody could put an exclamation mark at the end, but remember. This is Apple. Think Different.

In Spanish, Mac! would have to be ¡Mac! (that's not an i, it's a ¡ - inverted exclamation).

Since a huge population of the US, one of Apple's main markets, is Spanish speaking, they figured they could target this group.

Unfortunately, multi-level managers, advertisers, and marketers mistook the inverted exclamation mark as the letter "i", referred to it as an iMac (Steve Jobs actually KILLED someone over this mistake - impaled him with a Newton), and it took hold. No going back.

Many people will deny these facts, but it's true. iMac? No. ¡Mac!


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## Kosh (May 27, 2002)

whippet0 said:


> Hi,
> 
> Can anyone tell me what the "i" in iMac stands for? It's something I've always wondered.


It's what people would scream ('iiiiiiiiiiiiii') when they saw the first iMac and realized it had no floppy drive and no ADB (it used USB).

No, honestly it stood for internet, until it got proliferated to other consumer products. http://www.apple-history.com/?page=faq


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## Waynergy (Jan 6, 2007)

The pronunciation of the letter "i" means love in Chinese. So iMac became loveMac, iPod became lovePod.


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## capitalK (Oct 21, 2003)

From Apple's website at the time:

_ Since 1984 there have basically been three kinds of computers. Computers that are large and hard to use. Computers that are small and hard to use. And computers called Macintosh.

Now the company that started the personal computer revolution is helping parents, kids, students and teachers take advantage of internet evolution.

Introducing iMac, the computer that combines all the possibilities of the *internet* with all the magic of the Macintosh._


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## rondini (Dec 6, 2001)

The i stands for I want one


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## Jason H (Feb 1, 2004)

John Clay said:


> Originally, I believe it was supposed to mean Internet, since the iMac was designed to be a simple, all-in-one design that people could easily connect to the internet. Since then, however, the meaning has changed a bit, iThink.


Wow. *56k modem is BUILT IN* oh and ethernet too.



Kosh said:


> It's what people would scream ('iiiiiiiiiiiiii') when they saw the first iMac and realized it had no floppy drive and no ADB (it used USB).
> 
> No, honestly it stood for internet, until it got proliferated to other consumer products. http://www.apple-history.com/?page=faq


You-Esss-beee? How do I connect my laserwriter?

Oh those were the days.


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## guytoronto (Jun 25, 2005)

Just a followup.

Actually, and I could be wrong about this, iMac was actually a large sticker that was stuck to the prototype.

You see, the little thing was so damn cute, people thought it was battery operated. No lie! BATTERY OPERATED!

Well, some clever engineer slapped a big sticker on every prototype that said "I'm AC". AC power! Not DC power / batteries! This solved TONS of problems in the labs, as people no longer wasted half the day trying to jam "D" cells into the case.

Over time "I'm AC" transformed into "iMac"


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## macfoto (Jun 22, 2004)

The 'i' was to indicate internet. At the time everyone else was using 'e' to indicate the same thing to go along with email and ecommerce. I like the Spanish reasoning though.


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## Bjornbro (Feb 19, 2000)

macfoto said:


> The 'i' was to indicate internet. At the time everyone else was using 'e' to indicate the same thing to go along with email and ecommerce. I like the Spanish reasoning though.


Ha! More likely, the "e" prefix was for "electronic".  You know, those PC manufacturers were _so_ clever in their marketing. Look everybody, it's _e_Machine, the _electronic_ machine. :lmao:

The "i" prefix did stand for internet, but was also a rhetorical marketing question. _iMac, do you?_


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## windowsmad (Mar 27, 2008)

*This is what Imac, Ipod and even macbook pro stand for*

Imac stands for Intergrated Macintosh Ariel Cell.
Ipod stands for Intergrated Player on Demand.

And Finally Macbook Pro stands for:
MACINTOSH ARIEL CELL BASE OFFLINE ONLINE KERNEL PROFESSIONAL RADIUM ONSIGHT.


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## The Doug (Jun 14, 2003)

*Nope.*

In this video of the introduction of the very first iMac, Steve Jobs himself explains the "i". Internet, individual, instruct, inform, inspire.


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## harzack86 (Jan 30, 2005)

And the winner of the oldest post dug today is....


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## BlueMax (Aug 8, 2005)

In reference to http://www.ehmac.ca/anything-mac/63203-first-imac-nearly-ten-years-ago.html

*i*nternet
*i*ndividual
*i*nstruct(ion)
*i*nform
*i*nspire


DANGIT! You beat me to it!


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## The Doug (Jun 14, 2003)

Now, figure out what "windowsmad" stands for. :lmao:


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## rondini (Dec 6, 2001)

Dead Thread Walking


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## BlueMax (Aug 8, 2005)

windowsmad said:


> Imac stands for Intergrated Macintosh Ariel Cell.
> Ipod stands for Intergrated Player on Demand.
> 
> And Finally Macbook Pro stands for:
> MACINTOSH ARIEL CELL BASE OFFLINE ONLINE KERNEL PROFESSIONAL RADIUM ONSIGHT.


I realize the offender is a 1-post wonder... Were any dum-dums banned lately?


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## titans88 (Oct 3, 2007)

Good work TheDoug. I just watched that video yesterday on Youtube, and when I say the thread I instantly thought of the video.


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## ZRXer (Jan 18, 2007)

windowsmad said:


> Imac stands for Intergrated Macintosh Ariel Cell.
> Ipod stands for Intergrated Player on Demand.


Yes, yes the thread's long dead, but "intergrated" - no one comments on this spelling? OK, someone called him a dum-dum, but come on - "intergrated"? Dang.


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## eMacMan (Nov 27, 2006)

ZRXer said:


> Yes, yes the thread's long dead, but "intergrated" - no one comments on this spelling? OK, someone called him a dum-dum, but come on - "intergrated"? Dang.


All doze redniks tahks dat ways.


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