Me, Myself and my iPod

The origins of the "i" prefix phenomena and perhaps the first truly successful digital strategy.

It all started back in the late 90's when Apple release a cultural phenomenon known as the iMac which popularised the modern day computer and the Internet over night! Its alternative bright (non-beige) colours and ergonomic design softened the cold hard edge forged by male dominant generic PC producers who were more interested in the computers power and capacity than its friendliness or design.

Shortly after in 2001 the Apple release another cultural phenomenon in the portable field with it's iPod. Though simply an affordable MP3 player its success was again its friendliness using a wheel interface and easy music management through its free proprietary application iTunes.

Then the "i" buz took off. Initially standing for Internet with the iMac, then becalming an identity reference to the self as in Me myself and my iPod. And all of a sudden everyone wanted their own piece of the i phenomenon. We started seeing things like the iBook, the iSight, iCal and now iPhones, iLife and iWork. If you can think of a word and add the i prefix to it, you something with a 21st century ring to it. There are "i" everything now. From iShoes to the eyeToy camera for the Sony PlayStation and millions of other spin-offs, the "i" prefix phenomena has truly taken hold of anything in the personal technology industry.

If there were only a definitive list of all the "i" products available then we could truly see the impact a little lateral thinking from Apple and arguably the first successful digital strategy has caused. I might start one and call it The Definitive iList!

Useful Links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMac
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPod