Tech Origins, part II
Sunday
Since Netflix originally focused on using the internet to rent DVDs, founders liked that this title used both ideas. “Flick” is an old term for film, since early theater films often flickered while playing.
Monday
Before the world knew Uber as a ridesharing app, German speakers knew it as the word for “over/above” (über).
Tuesday
Before “Fortnite” was an epically popular online game, “fortnight” just meant a timespan of two weeks, more common in British English.
Wednesday
Apple’s Macintosh computers are so named because this is one variety of apples, and a favorite of an early Mac developer Jef Raskin. However, the actual apple cultivar is spelled McIntosh, and the company had to tweak the spelling to avoid conflict with a high-end audio manufacturer McIntosh Laboratory.
Thursday
When all the hotels were booked for a San Fransisco conference, AirBandB founders rented out air mattresses in their apartment, calling it an “Air Bed and Breakfast.” This later became the namesake of the now-massive company.
Friday
YouTube is simply as combination of you, who might supply some of the video, and tube, a slang term for earlier cathode ray tube televisions.
Saturday
The “i” in front of many Apple products these days began with the iMac computer series, which effectively saved the company in the 1990s. Since those machines were designed for quick access to the then-young internet, that’s what “i” was for.