In an attempt to rationalize its Windows PC lineup, Samsung announced Friday that it will gather all its Microsoft boxes under the ATIV brand.
The move will affect Samsung's Series 3, 5, and 7 all-in-one computers and more than half a dozen of its laptops.
The all-in-one models, which were announced last summer, will be called the ATIV One 3 (Series 3), ATIV One 5 (Series 5) and ATIV One 7(Series 7).
Samsung's laptop models will be renamed the ATIV Book 2 (the Series 3 300), ATIV Book 4 (the Series 3 370), ATIV Book 4 (the Series 5 510), ATIV Book 5 (the Series 5 Ultra), ATIV Book 7 (the Series 7 Ultra), ATIV Book 6 (the Series 5 Chronos), ATIV Book 8 (the Series 7 Chronos), and ATIV Book 9 (the Series 9).
Samsung apparently didn't want to totally rationalize its lineup, since the company is renaming the Series 3 370 and Series 5 510 both as the ATIV Book 4.
Tablet line also renamed
Prior to the renaming splurge on Friday, the ATIV designation was reserved for Samsung's Smart PC line--itself a bit of confusing nomenclature
"Whether Samsung is trying to confuse buyers into thinking they're buying a laptop, or can't make up its mind what it is, the Samsung ATIV Smart PC is (mostly) a tablet," wrote Lloyd Casein a review of the product in PCWorld.
With its new renaming scheme, Samsung appears to be addressing that confusion. The ATIV Smart PC Pro is becoming the ATIV Tab 7, for example, while the ATIV Smart PC is now the ATIV Tab 5.
In addition to re-christening its PC line, Samsung also announced something it calls SideSync.
The feature enables you to switch from working on your PC to your Android-based Samsung smartphone by simply connecting the two devices via a USB cable.
When connected, you can respond to a text on a mobile phone from the PC keyboard, as well as view maps, photos, and multimedia from your phone on your PC screen.
You can also make edits to files on your phone via your ATIV PC and even drag and drop files from one unit to another.
Samsung's president Jun Dong-Sun has been critical of Windows 8 in the past -- even comparing it to the much maligned Windows Vista. Whether this new naming scheme will have any impact on PC sales or is just putting lipstick on a pig remains to be seen.
