Maybe No One Told Steve Jobs That “iPad” Sounded Like Delicate Sanitary Protection

Yesterday, the Internet scratched its collective head over the name of the new Apple iPad, because it reminded a lot of us of those handy absorbent paper products that many female gadget-owners use once a month.

“Are there any women in Apple marketing?” wondered Brew PR’s Brooke Hammerling.

“iPad? Where were the women when this name was discussed?” wondered NPR’s Alicia Shepard.

“How could they make such a silly, foolish, human error?” wondered Daily Intel’s Jessica Pressler.

“Heißt das #iPad so, weil iTampon schon vergeben war?” wondered @weltonline

Well, here’s a possible answer: Maybe someone did think of the awkward menstrual association. Even if there were no women involved — a distinct possibility — surely someone somewhere along the chain was a woman, or knew a woman. Or had seen a TV commercial promising smiling young ladies that they could swim, ride horses and jog on the beach while using their pinkly-packaged products. Maybe everyone involved knew that iPad was a….spotty….idea, but they didn’t say anything.

Because they were too afraid.

In his book “Borrowing Brilliance” David Kord Murray portrays Steve Jobs as something of a tyrant, who terrorizes Apple staff with his brutal, dismissive criticism. Here are some examples:

p. 188:

“His typical response to a new idea is “That’s shit.” The joke at Apple was never to discuss ideas with Steve on an elevator because your chances of having a job by the time you reached your floor weren’t very good. Employees started taking the stairs when he returned to the Boardroom at Apple after his ten-year exile. People with fragile egos didn’t work there. Not for long, anyway.”

p. 189

“Steve Jobs treated product designers and engineers at Apple to even harsher judgment. “That’s shit” was repeated over and over by Steve.”

p. 161, quoting from Jobs biography iCon by Jeff Young and Bill Simon:

“What made the job so frustrating for the team was Steve’s apparent total inability to overlook any detail of the project. He was a micro-manager to the nth degree. He cared passionately about the smallest of items. Eventually the final result was better for it; however, the path was torturous.”

Guess he overlooked one detail!

p. 188

“Working for him, I’m told by friends who have, is a nightmare. He rips on people and their ideas with little or no concern for feelings or consideration.”

So maybe people at Apple knew about the maxi-pad association, but no one had the guts to tell Jobs, in an elevator or otherwise. The Internet, of course, has no such qualms. Steve Jobs, your product reminds us of a maxi-pad. Ha ha, please don’t put it in the toilet!

Once again, because it’s fun, here’s Steve Jobs proudly introducing his new giant maxi-pad:

Both fabulous illustrations by Philip Bump.

share this post

filed under