The next big thing that will be hitting the Internet soon is (what we are currently calling) IPTV. (Although I've also seen TVoIP and TVoverIP used too.) It will be the Internet version of TV. (The same way that IPradio/podcasting and P2P music sharing is the Internet version of radio.)
However, IPTV is a horrible name! For one thing, how do you pronounce it? (I've heard it pronouced a few different ways and each way sounds horrible. Not to mention that each is a mouthful.) Also, normal people aren't going to get it. They are NOT going to understand that "IP" (basically) stands for "Internet" and thus "IPTV" is "Internet TV". (I know because I've been using the word "IPTV" when I've been telling friends of mine what I've been working on. And I always have to explain what "IPTV" means.) We need something better. And it seems I'm not the only one thinking this. Jeff Pulver also thinks IPTV needs a new name.
In trying to come up with a new name for IPTV I wanted to have the new name show its lineage to television. To do this, I wanted to somehow incorporate an existing name for television into the new name. While at the same time expressing that this is something new. And also I wanted the new name to sounds good when pronouced and not be a mouthful. My suggestion for what everyone should call IPTV is:
NewTube(Eventually people will probably just spell it like "newtube". But for now, I wanted to make it obvious how to pronounce it.) Here are the reasons why I like this name:
- In many places around the world, (traditional) televisions are called "tubes". (As in "boob tube" and "the tube".) So "newtube" shows its lineage with television in its name.
- The word "new" and the "tube" rhyme (in most dialects on English). So when you say "NewTube" out loud it has a nice sound to it.
- It is only 2 syllables long. Which also helps make it sound nice. And makes it so it is NOT a mouthful to say.
- No one is going to have trouble pronouncing it.
- The word "new" expresses that this is something new :-) (Much like "New York".)
- "NewTube" is a completely new name. So there won't be any ambiguity when searching for it on the search engines.