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What is with "i" and "HD"?

Am I the only one who has noticed that most products today feature an "i" or "HD" in the model number or name? What is with this? I don't know about you, but I'm fed up with all of this crazy lingo.

Don Reisinger
CNET contributor Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has covered everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Besides his work with CNET, Don's work has been featured in a variety of other publications including PC World and a host of Ziff-Davis publications.
Don Reisinger
2 min read
iPod
I, I, I, I, I!!!! Apple

Am I the only one who has noticed that most products today feature an "i" or "HD" in the model number or name? What is with this? I don't know about you, but I'm fed up with all of this crazy lingo.

The "i" phenomenon started with the iPod, which quickly filtered down to iPod accessories, which quickly filtered down to the rest of the business once everyone realized that putting an "i" before a name may make people think it has something to do with the popular DAP. After all, it makes sense: if you're an entrepreneur trying to sell a junker, you don't want to call it what it is, you want people to believe that it's comparable to an iPod or has something to do with Apple.

I actually heard a few suckers at a Sam's Club discussing this. As I was looking around, I heard one of them claim that a product "must be good -- it's made by Apple." A couple of minutes later, the couple was walking out of the store with an iHome clock radio in hand. Unfortunately, I didn't have the heart to explain to the woman that just because the name has an "i" in front of it, it doesn't mean it's made by Apple. Oh well.

This whole "i" thing is annoying me. Everywhere I turn, the letter pops up to describe a product. And with the news about this iCar, I was about ready to pull my hair out.

iPhone
I hate I Apple

Of course, it won't get any better. Now that the iPhone is out, the cell phone business will be plagued by this letter and accessory makers will be the gateway drug for the rest of the industry to adopt something with that disgusting letter in it. I'm sorry, but it's ugly, stupid, weird and just plain annoying. It needs to go.

What's up with "HD"?

Has anyone else noticed that HD is everywhere too? I understand people are getting excited about the possibilities of HD and everything is provides, but have of these products that have "HD" in the title aren't even high-definition devices. What's with that?

Is there something special with those two letters that I should know about? Just because people are saying, "hey, is that HD?", it doesn't mean we have to be inundated with products that feature those same letters for no reason.

Vizio HDTV
I'll give you an HD Vizio

Sometimes it makes sense: the company is selling a high-definition camcorder or something features a hard drive and the old "HDD" just had to be changed because it was confusing people.

This is ridiculous. Try to find me one product that actually needs "HD" in its title besides an HD camcorder or HDTV and I'll pay you nothing. HD radio? Possibly. Noise-canceling headphones? Please.

Is anyone else as fed up with those three letters as I am? Enough is enough!

In other news, I have officially changed my name to iDon HD.