Tag archive: Trademark

The Shenzhen Municipal Intermedia People's Court has rejected (Chinese) two trademark lawsuits filed by Apple over the trademark for the term “iPad,” ruling that the Chinese company Proview, based in Shenzen, had registered for the trademarks for “iPAD” and “IPAD” in China as far back as 2001. Although Apple had a contract to use the trademark, the court ruled that since Apple's deal was only… Read More

Back in January, phone maker Sony Ericsson filed a trademark infringement case against WiMax operator Clearwire, claiming Clearwire's logo has gradually been getting closer and closer to Sony Ericsson's own. Although a judge denied Sony Ericsson's request that Clearwire immediately be barred from using its logo, Sony Ericsson now says the matter is resolved and it won't be pursuing the trademark case against Clearwire.… Read More

Microsoft has lashed out against Apple's typographical choice in the latest installment of the ongoing dispute over Apple's attempt to trademark “App Store.” It's too small, the software giant said in new motion filed this week with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Apple filed paperwork for the trademark in 2008, shortly after launching the iTunes App Store. Earlier this year, Microsoft filed a motion with the… Read More

Apple is prepared to fight for the trademark rights to “App Store”. On Monday, the Cupertino-based company filed paperwork with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO), challenging Microsoft's claim that “App Store” was too generic to qualify for trademark status, according to Politico. Apple didn't pull any punches, either, accusing Microsoft of blatant hypocrisy in challenging the trademark. Microsoft,… Read More

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has applied to trademark his name for “public speaking [and entertainment] services.” Assange will soon be extradited to Sweden where he will defend himself against sexual misconduct charges. It is possible that he will be sent stateside to face espionage charges for releasing confidential diplomatic cables. As his legal woes continue without any sign of slowing down, Assange has seen his notoriety likewise… Read More

Motorola has a few things to be excited about. Its sales are up thanks to Android, its relationship with Verizon is going great, and it has a hot new tablet coming out. Now, all eyes are on CES. The phone maker is set to debut multiple products at the show and the rumors are flying. Pocketnow has been pouring over trademark applications and discovered that Motorola has been trademarking the name “Motorola Xoom” all across the world.… Read More

The United States Patent and Trademark Office is really losing it. The department is granting Facebook a trademark to the word 'face.' The social network already owns the word 'book.' Facebook received a Notice of Allowance from the USPTO, now all it must do is pay a fee and file a Statement of Use to obtain its trademark. Luckily the trademark has some limits. According to TG Daily, the trademark covers use of the word… Read More

After some legal back and forth between Facebook and Lamebook, the satirical site is getting sued by its own subject matter. Lamebook showcases some of the hilariously inept postings on Facebook, keeping user names anonymous. The site  claims the use of the name “Lamebook” is within its First Amendement Rights and has been in the process of seeking judicial support that it is not infringing on Facebook’s trademark. Apparently Lamebook’s step… Read More

Europe's Court of Justice might have just thrown the doors wide open on highly fractious online advertising and search gaming: in a judgement, the court has confirmed that use of a competitor's name as an Internet advertising keyword does not constitute a violation of European trademark law. The ruling may be the last stage in a batte between trademark holders and online search giant Google…and will almost certainly be a… Read More

Online auction giant eBay has won a trademark infringement case brought against it by luxury goods maker L'Oreal (which also owns Yves Saint Laurent and Lancome), in which L'Oreal had tried to argue that eBay was liable for trademark infringements from users selling counterfeit goods on the service. While the court essentially agreed eBay could be going more to prevent trademark infringement, it ruled the auction giant… Read More

Google, the Open Handset Alliance, and a host of mobile technology companies including Samsung, T-Mobile, Motorola, Intel , Asus, Sony Ericsson, Toshiba, Vodafone, Qualcomm, and SiRF plus many others have all been sued for breach of trademark for using the word "Android." Android, of course, is Google open source mobile operating system—which is increasingly looking like it might make the leap to netbooks and other devices… Read More

Love them or hate them, emoticons are part of the common currency of online correspondence. But could you imagine trademarking one? Russian businessman Oleg Teterin can. He says the Russian federal patent agency has granted him a trademark on ;-), the emoticon used to convey a wink, and he’s planning on charging companies that use it. On the Russian television channel NTV he said: "I want to highlight that this is only… Read More

Dueling partners Apple and Cisco has given themselves yet another extension on the deadline to reach a resolution in their dispute over use of the iPhone trademark: Apple now has until February 21 to respond to Cisco's iPhone lawsuit, during which time both companies will continue working to resolve the matter. Apple announced its Internet-enabled, iPod-capable iPhone at Macworld San Francisco in early January, setting the mobile… Read More

Folks in the tech and communications industry were rather surprised when a product called the iPhone appeared back in mid-December—but it was a VoIP wireless handset from Cisco subsidiary Linksys, rather than a hybrid iPod/mobile phone from Apple. So when Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs introduced the company's forthcoming mobile phone/widescreen iPod/Internet communications device at Macworld yesterday under the name iPhone, more… Read More

One of the currently best-known advertising slogans from the eBay auction house has become the object of a taut trademark dispute. From October 2003 to January 2005, eBay invested 60 million euros into advertising for the slogan “3…2…1…meins!” After an immediate decision of the Hamburg Land Court (Germany), eBay can not any longer use the slogan in a trademark manner for goods like games. Approximately a… Read More