Who decided to call it a "mobile device" when "port-a-puter" was right there?

@peterdrake

I know that was a joke, but seriously, when Apple was developing their device, they started trying to design a tablet computer first. But most people at the time could not imagine why they would need a computer that they could carry around with them.

So Jobs got the idea to market the computer as a phone, because everybody knew what a phone was and the advantages of having a mobile phone (called a cellphone at that time).

When it first came out, I thought it was a stupid move to do that because it completely downplayed the power of the device, but of course I was total wrong and selling it as a phone was the correct marketing move to make.

I think young people today associate the term "phone" with those tiny computers they carry around rather than "the telephone".

@Pat a lot of industry folks didn't "get it" before the iPhone came out. like the idea of having such a "weak" camera--folks laughed.
@peterdrake

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