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Comment by solarkraft | Hacker News Reader

Core 2 Duo is a pretty funny name.

Are you going to sell replacement parts this time? I was immensely disappointed to see the initial watches being pretty repairable in theory, but no parts being sold. It was marketed as a tinkerer‘s device after all.

I’m wearing my Pebble Time Steel right now - and quite like it. Haven’t found anything better. It could use some better activity tracking, but the worst thing about it right now is that it doesn’t really have an iOS app (AltStore is pretty flaky). Any news on that front?

For some reason there just hasn’t been a real spiritual successor, so the revival is greatly appreciated.

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I came to say Core 2 Duo is a terrible name :/

Same. It neither describes the product nor makes it easier to search for online. For that matter, it doesn't exactly roll of the tongue either...

They knew what they were doing.

I'm sure they did. However, intentionality neither makes it consumer friendly nor beneficial from a marketing perspective.

And I think it's brilliant: it says "ca 2010 technology, the good parts". Technically, it's not exactly correct (according to Wikipedia Core 2 was discontinued a year before the Pebble launched), but it's one of the few lasting iconic names from that era in technology that aren't Apple. RePebble playing with that reference is exactly the same pattern as xyz-90 letter combinations reminiscent of audio cassette blanks popping up all over the music industry when the 80ies revival was in bloom.

Will it eventually end in a "we got sued by Intel!" marketing gambit? Certainly a possibility. Is assume they have played through both scenarios.

> nor makes it easier to search for online.

Searching for 'pebble core 2 duo' already comes up with a page of results only related to the watch[1] (including this very comment thread, ironically[2].) Search engines are very good these days.

1. https://imgur.com/TE3aaGY

2. https://imgur.com/l4aBszK

for what its worth, from the website copy:

>>I think you might recognize this one It’s almost exactly a Pebble 2, upgraded with modern chips and new tricks. Duo is short for ‘Do-over’.

There's a whole second blog post about Apple support being discussed here:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43401245

> Core 2 Duo is a pretty funny name.

I remember there was also an Intel processor with the same name.

I'm guessing that is why they said it was a funny name.

There's no way it's actually shipping with that name, right?

I'm sure Intel's law firms are drafting a cease & desist as we speak. I'd bet $10 the name changes.

Yeah, maybe... but what harm would it really do? The Core 2 line was killed off over 10 years ago in 2012.

The point of trademarks is to avoid ambiguity of origin. Pebble core 2 duo is definitely ambiguous.

To the average consumer? I doubt it.

Is it? I own a Fujifilm X-T5 camera and Cadillac makes a car called the XT5, but I don't see anyone getting confused.

When you apply for a trademark you have to say what type of products/services it involves.

Intel did make a smartwatch for a while, but I don't think it had a Core Due chipset!

Yeah but I think that's only a factor in the consideration. I doubt it cancels out identical and very distinct names.

Perhaps a trademark lawyer can weigh in. My understanding is that a trademark is strictly limited to the areas (both in terms of geography and vertical) claimed in the application. This is why Apple didn't have to do battle with the Beatles until they got into the music business.

Yeah because "apple" is a common term that people might reasonably expect two businesses to use. The point of trademark law is to prevent consumer confusion.

I am not a trademark lawyer and I haven't even looked this up but if Apple made a "The Beatles Laptop" then I would hope that defence doesn't apply.

The more interesting Apple trademark case was "iPhone", which was in active use by Cisco for their VoIP desk phones.

> This is why Apple didn't have to do battle with the Beatles until they got into the music business.

That went back to the Apple IIɢꜱ. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sosumi

The main thing is if a consumer would be confused. I don't think consumers would be confused about an ancient Intel processor and a brand new smartwarch.

No such thing as bad publicity as they say.

They'll be cheeky, the big dinosaur corporate will come out swinging and look bad like they always do, and they'll get a load of press in the tech websites which is their target market.

I don't think this one would necessarily work out like that - here they have (seemingly) intentionally named the watch identically to a product name that already exists, in a fairly closely related field, that they should know is most likely trademarked...

The bad press comes when it feels unfair for the big company to try and pursue action but in this case it would seem that Intel would be perfectly justified...

I'm gonna name everything I make "Metallica"

> it doesn’t really have an iOS app (AltStore is pretty flaky). Any news on that front?

I thought the Pebble app still worked, using Rebble. My understanding is that they are building a new app for the new watches, if that's what you were asking about.

The only way to install the old iOS Pebble app is by sideloading via something like AltStore (or doing it manually every week). Maybe you can also still re-install it if you had it installed when it was available in the App Store but I'm not sure if that still works.

I have an original backer watch and bought one when they launched. Both stopped working within maybe 6 months and support at the time suggested I just buy another...

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