The Name Game Goes On for Apple Tablet

Now that the arrival of an Apple tablet is apparently a foregone conclusion, the name game has begun for what exactly the device will be called.

With the amount of speculation surrounding domain names allegedly purchased by Apple, you would think the British Government has personally assigned James Bond to the case. Indeed, all patience has apparently run out when it comes to anything related to this yet to be released Apple tablet.

Coverage from the Washington Post puts it best:

On the heels of reports that Apple has owned iSlate.com since 2007, some are logically wondering if the tablet will bear that particular moniker. Others, however, believe "magic slate," which is also believed to have been registered by Apple, is a more likely name for the device. Of course, there is no shortage of insiders who feel both titles miss the mark by not towing the line with familiar Apple product titles. For this reason, plenty of folks maintain that Apple would be best suited to call their tablet an iPad to nicely flow with other popular products like the iPod and iPhone.

Perhaps if not for an October speech given by Bill Keller, executive editor at the New York Times, we wouldn't be having this discussion about the "iSlate" this weekend. In his talk, Keller now famously referred to the "impending Apple slate." Of course, I am yet to read on any blog that Keller may simply have been referring to the "Apple slate" as in a project on the company's slate. The word "slate" after all, means to schedule or designate. A dictionary example gives the following illustration: "Our professor has slated the art history lecture for Thursday afternoon."

Despite the fact that none of us will know for sure what the tablet will be called until it is actually unveiled - most likely next month - that isn't going to stop many from investigating. But, chances are, even James Bond won't be able to crack this case ahead of time. As some have speculated, its possible that even Apple is yet to formally decide on a name for the tablet.