From the article:

If this true, which I don't agree that it is, would this only apply to cell phone type gadgets? If so, why? Why wouldn't this also apply to automobiles?

I've lived in Southern California all of my life, and I don't think it's a stretch to say that we have our share of BMW's and Mercedes. And although 95% of these BMW and Mercedes owners don't know how many cylinders they have, let alone that part of their model name refers to the engine displacement, they know what model they have, and I never heard one of them say, "I wish they would rename my 335i to something catchier."

Trendy doesn't seem to care whether you use letters, numbers or both.

I thought of the BMW/Mercedes example earlier today when I was posting in favor of a non-number name (or a name that carries over in addition to a number, like Blackberry 850) for the Maemo devices.

I see two big differences. One is that Nokia puts out a slew of phones. There is a large range of price-points and constantly new models. And what the models are capable of varies within the range at any one time and changes constantly.

BMW puts out only high-end cars. If they had a long-running reputation of putting out cheaper, even if solid, cars, and they introduced a fancy new line of performance cars, they would likely want to brand them so as to distinguish them from their more utilitarian line of cars. That's what Toyota did when it created the Lexus division.

Also, BMW makes a very standardized set of cars. Primarily, there's the 3-series, the 5-series, the 7-series -- and everyone knows what they are. There isn't nearly the variation you get with cellphones. The main difference between the BMW series is just size.

It's much harder to easily track what the various Nokia cellphone models are, just from their numbers. And Maemo deserves a Lexus-type branding.

Also, when someone says he has a BMW, it says a lot right there. Especially if they say the year. If I say I have a Nokia phone, it could be anything, it's almost generic. (Pretty much all you know is what it isn't: it isn't a Blackberry, it isn't an iPhone, it isn't a Pre ... )

So you are saying that Maemo is for Nokia same as Maybach is for Mercedes...

They both start with M...

Actually Gerald nailed it, at least generally.

Numbers seem to work for limited high-end stuff.

Names appeal to the rank and file.

And of course there are exceptions (after all the iPhone is considered distinct), but those are up to marketing to make work.

EDIT: and hey! comment at the article!

You're clearly forgetting the 318i. . . .

But even the 318i (when it was originally released) came with lifetime maintenance and oil changes.

Tim

And that gutless wonder is tough to forget. Can you say Mustang II?

I wrapped up the data cloud series. It's at the top of Planet Maemo as I post this:

http://maemo.org/news/planet-maemo/

Thanks all for helping me learn some valuable lessons in communications...

http://tabulacrypticum.wordpress.com...ational-style/

...and for the reminders (direct or indirect) when I slip back into old, bad behaviors.

Time to build a new PC!