PC and TV manufacturers fail marketing 101 with ridiculous model names

The HP Pavilion dv7-1025nr is a 17-inch laptop, though you'd never know it from its name.

(Credit: CNET Networks)

Each day during the week here at CNET we have a quick meeting to talk about what stories and reviews we think should be promoted on the CNET home page. Not so surprisingly, computers and TVs are popular among our readers, so those types of products tend to get a lot of play on the CNET home page. But, the problem is these computers and TVs have the most ridiculous model numbers attached to them that it makes it very difficult--and almost comical--to pitch them.

Take a recent selection of model numbers from the Home & Hardware schedule. From HP you have the HP Pavilion dv7-1025nr and HP Pavilion dv5-1004nr. Then there's the Gateway GT5692, Sony Vaio VGN-FW140, Compaq Presario CQ50-115NR, Toshiba Satellite L355D-S7815, and Toshiba Satellite U405D-S2852. On the TV front, you get stuff like the Panasonic Viera TH-50PZ850U, Westinghouse VK-40FS580D, Mitsubishi LT-46148, Toshiba Regza 42RV530U, and Vizio SV470XVT. The list of wacky names goes on and on, which makes you think: what are these people thinking?

By "these people" I guess I mean the marketing teams of these various companies. I mean, haven't they learned anything from Apple? Some of the cell phone manufacturers seem to have. Now we're seeing popular phones like the Samsung Instinct and LG Dare that have simple one-word names that people can easily remember. There's a shocker.

I'll give Dell credit for trying. At least its models kind of make sense now and are limited to four numbers (for example, its Inspiron 1525 is a laptop with a 15-inch screen). But my God, the Toshiba Satellite L355D-S7815? What the hell is that? I have trouble rattling it off correctly in a meeting and sometimes miss a number or letter.

And so I ask: Can we please put a stop to long, stupid model numbers that don't give you any idea what the product is? I'm singling out certain computer and TV manufacturers but the poor-naming phenomenon is fairly widespread--there are plenty of electronics products with ridiculous names. Anybody have any insights into all this or nominations for the most absurd model number?

Thanks.

[eliwuzhere]

I hear ya!

[cpakkie]

I guess it's kind of hard since they have so many different versions of notebooks that fall under the same line. But these numbers are getting ridiculous...

[tipoo_]

amen to that! send this as an angry letter to every company in existence!

[tech_junky48]

Not EVERY company. Apple seems to do well enough, and Samsung and LG have been trying in their cell phone divisions recently (SLM, Dare, Blackjack II, Instinct). And dell's system makes sense. They have the computer subsection (inspiron) the screen size (15) and the generation (25). I think this is the easiest system for a fully customizeable computer. Although, if they don't bring back "demension" than they might as well eliminate "inspiron" (Demension used to be desktops, inspiron laptops, now both are the same) to make it a "Dell 1525"

[IanSpringham]

Bring back the days when we could expect no more than 2 digits in any IT product name!

I am also still eagerly awaiting the release of the PDP-12 and the ZX82.

[clumpkin]

IBM / Lenovo has a good scheme in place. They present the R/T/X etc. series with a two digit reference to their generation (i.e. T40, T41, T60, T61 etc.) and on the bottom of the unit is the long crazy alpha-numeric model # for technical support. Best (or worst) of both worlds.

[jonesns]

If they have to use numbers, at least do it like Dell. My laptop is a Inspiron E1705, with the 17 meaning a 17" monitor. It uses numbers, but it makes some sense and doesn't go overboard with it.

[thespud9k]

Dell has actually gotten even better with the numbering. They've taken a leaf out of Apple's "note"book (ha, I make pun) and ditched (mostly) the "E1405" naming, replacing it with "Inspiron 14" for a 14-inch and "Studio 15" for a 15-inch. The XPS notebook line remains their only consumer line with a letter in the name.

BTW, I have a Toshiba Satellite 13" notebook, and they decide to call it a U305-S5097, because apparently if you change any of the features (CPU, RAM, HDD, etc.) the model number changes. They have a specific code for every configuration. Most retarded thing ever. And it's no help at all in dealing with tech support.

[bakedpatato]

Yup, that is phail(changing model #'s for different configs). I have a Toshiba Satellite as a secondary laptop(primary is a XPS M1705) and it came with non functioning USB ports, and when I was in customer service, I kept screwing up the model number(it was driver conflict, how strange).
oh and great pun, tis a knee slapper!
i hear you IanSpringham,would make things much bettar.