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Apple appears to be dropping AirPort branding for Wi-Fi

OneMoreThing...

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Apple appears to be dropping AirPort branding for Wi-Fi

airportsettingsgobyebyetuaw2.jpg

Since 1999, when Steve Jobs introduced the iBook as the first portable computer with Wi-Fi capabilities, Apple has used the term AirPort to refer to 802.11 wireless connectivity. The rest of the world knows this technology by the name Wi-Fi, and it appears that with the upcoming release of Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, Apple will be changing references to wireless networking from "AirPort" to "Wi-Fi" across the system.

The change resolves a common issue for Mac neophytes, who often search in vain for Wi-Fi controls on their new Macs only to find something confusingly called AirPort. The name change may also explain recent reports that Apple's networking products -- the AirPort Express, AirPort Extreme, and Time Capsule -- are in short supply at some Apple Stores. Perhaps a Wi-Fi product refresh and a change in branding will both accompany the Lion launch next month.

Will you miss the AirPort name on Apple products if it does disappear, or do you think it was a confusing proprietary moniker? Leave your comments below.

Apple appears to be dropping AirPort branding for Wi-Fi originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 14 Jun 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.




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Doug b

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OMGZORS! Does this mean that I won't have extra special magic wireless capabilities anymore!!!?!? OH NOOOOEEEZ!

:|
 
louishen

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KInda makes sense, they seem to be trying to make OSX more and more like iOS, to help those coming from iPhones and iPads, after all its called Wifi on the iOS
 
cwa107

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It's about time. I think this has done little more than create ambiguity between the AirPort router and the WiFi adapter in Macs.
 
pigoo3

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I hate to say it...but I have to agree. The terminology of the various Apple Airport products over the years could certainly be very confusing to someone not familiar with Apple WiFi products:

- original Airport card

airport_card.jpg


- the 2nd generation Airport Extreme card:

AirPort%20Extreme%20Card.jpg


- Apple Base Station:

abssnow.jpg


- Apple Extreme Base Station:

Apple+AirPort+Extreme+Base+Station+M8799LL+A.jpg


- the Airport Express Base Station:

MB321


- the Airport Extreme Base Station:

MC340


If you gave the average Apple user a list of the names of the 6 products above:

- Airport card
- Airport Extreme card
- Apple Base Station
- Apple Extreme Base Station
- Airport Express Base Station
- Airport Extreme Base Station

...and asked them to match the terms with the photos...I'm sure a lot of folks would have trouble getting all 6 correct.

- Nick
 
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I do agree with all the above, but will admit i liked the Branding name in the sense as a wireless product. I thought it fit it quite well, but will at least now be uniform with the rest of the industry.

Cheers
 
baggss

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As evidenced by the above pictures, removing the Airport name will apparently make the system more compatable with wireless networks. I mean look at how many more networks are available in picture 2 vice picture 1!

;)

This is the kind of responses I expect from this.
 
Kevriano

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Interesting, given my recent post.
 
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This won't make too much of a difference (I am curious as to what they will call the refreshed routers) but I did enjoy the AirPort name. Sounds less boring 'oh hey, I'm uh...I'm looking for WiFi' and more of a 'HOLY HOTCAKES! AIRPORT IS WORKING, LET'S GET FLYIN'
 
cwa107

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ElegantEsthetic said:
This won't make too much of a difference (I am curious as to what they will call the refreshed routers) but I did enjoy the AirPort name. Sounds less boring 'oh hey, I'm uh...I'm looking for WiFi' and more of a 'HOLY HOTCAKES! AIRPORT IS WORKING, LET'S GET FLYIN'
Click to expand...

I think the router will keep the name. What changes is that the WiFi adapter in your Mac is now referred to just as "WiFi" instead of Airport.
 
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I have come to know the phrase AirPort as a normal Mac user with this iMac and my Airport Extreme Base Station.

Although, I am slightly embarrassed to admit that when I first heard the words AirPort related to an Mac, I thought it meant there was some type of country wide, free WiFi available at actual airports, and only for people who had a Mac laptop... yeah, I like to think that I have come a long way.
 
louishen

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Ttaylor394 said:
I have come to know the phrase AirPort as a normal Mac user with this iMac and my Airport Extreme Base Station.

Although, I am slightly embarrassed to admit that when I first heard the words AirPort related to an Mac, I thought it meant there was some type of country wide, free WiFi available at actual airports, and only for people who had a Mac laptop... yeah, I like to think that I have come a long way.
Click to expand...

I think free wifi at airports to mac users is a good idea
 
RONE

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I hope they don't change the name of their base stations. I like the term "Airport" for Apple's wireless base stations.
 

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