Apple fights 'spod' trademark
updated 02:05 am EST, Fri January 6, 2006
Apple files \'spod\' claim
Apple is reportedly moving aggressively to protect its 'pod' trademarks. According to a claims to be the next-generation of mobile radio, enabling users to subscribe to podcasts on smartphones without the need to connect to a PC--and thus bypassing Apple's iTunes. The report says that Apple has filed a trademark infringement claim in a Hamburg-based civil court: "As a result the court decided to forbid Stuttgart-based Liquid Air Lab, the company behind Spodradio, to use the name Spod until the case comes to court. The firm is not using Spod at the moment but had filed a trademark claim along with 'spodradio' last fall, according to Liquid Air Lab's founder Mikko Linnamaeki.
"The German firm is being allowed to continue to use the name Spodradio until the case is heard in court. Founder Mikko Linnamaeki says he will defend his firm's right to the name and will go to court if he has to." Trademark owner Linnamaeki says he is unsure of the claim's validity, as his company does not compete in the hardware or music industries and his firm would defend itself fully against any trademark claims.
Good For Them...
01/06, 02:42am reply
Now they get to ditch their awful, awful name, and get a bunch of free publicity... genius!
WiseWeasel
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Apr 1999
It's getting old...
01/06, 08:52am reply
Steve, suck it up. The word "Pod" existed long before your overpriced little trend toy ever saw the marketplace.
Your company would prosper more if you concentrated less on suing people and more on making a computer that was halfway decent. You really dropped the ball on the MDD G4; try not to do it again, OK Steve?
Monstermind
Junior Member
Joined: May 2000
re: getting old
01/06, 09:36am reply
Keep in mind that this "overpriced...toy" is not just the best selling, but generally the best priced, portable music player on the market.
jimothy
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Joined: Sep 2000
re: getting old
01/06, 09:42am reply
thats true monstermind, thats true!!! fucked up steve
xmen
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Joined: Oct 2005
re: getting old
01/06, 09:43am reply
thats true monstermind, thats true!!! fucked up steve
xmen
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Oct 2005
MDD G4s...
01/06, 10:03am reply
The MDD G4s were rock solid. I LOVE THEM. It's the Quicksilvers that he screwed up, get your facts straight!
As far as the iPod goes... it's fine.
ibugv4
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jun 2003
re: getting old
01/06, 10:08am reply
Do I detect someone who bought an MDD G4 and wasn't happy with it for some reason and is now full of sour grapes?
1. Yes pod existed before Apple was even incorporated. 2. So did windows, apple, macintosh, lisa, finder, etc. 3. so did ever other word in almost every other trademark except Kodak which is a made up word (clever Mr. Eastman). 4. The iPod is very competitively priced. 5. Since Apple struggle to keep up with demand, clearly the iPod is underpriced and Apple should increase the price until supply/demand finds equilibrium. Business 101. 6. If Apple can show that the word Pod is clearly associated with their products and services then they deserve to have that word protected in their markets so that others can't ride their coat tales without permission.
If you don't like trademark law, become a legislator in your country and change it (or if you're in the US, become a judge and change it because everyone knows that courts are where real laws get made, not congress).
beeble
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Joined: Mar 2004
SPOD?
01/06, 12:51pm reply
Why would someone want to name their product after a hung Mac computer ("spinning pinwheel of doom": spod)
johnsonua
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Joined: Aug 2003