Apple Thoughts: Xeroxing, Levis, Cokes, iPods and iPads

"While a lot of companies have made promises about media tablets this year, Apple's the only one to sell such a device in any real volume. There are some Android tablets hitting the market and the BlackBerry Playbook was recently introduced. But for the time being, Apple's the only one out there with a cohesive product that everyday consumers are actually buying and using."

Funny how product names take on a life of their own, and the products themselves become synonyms (or benchmarks) for any and/or all product(s) in that class. Think about xeroxing a picture, using a kleenex, buying some new levis, drinking a six-pack of coke, or, today, playing music on an iPod. There are many other examples of how certain products define an entire genre. The iPad appears to be creeping into common use as a synonym (and benchmark) for any slate or tablet. This parallels the iPod's rise to iconic status. I know of nobody who asks for an XYZ Media Player for their birthday, they want an iPod. And, like it or not, all future tablets (slates) will be compared to the iPad.