macnn
05/21/2008, 10:05am, EDT
Wednesday, May 21st
Apple sued over use of 'Mighty Mouse' name
Apple is facing a new lawsuit over its Mighty Mouse peripheral, reports say. The case was filed in Greenbelt, Maryland by a company called Man & Machine, which is accusing Apple of violating a trademark associated with its own Mighty Mouse device, an optical mouse designed to be waterproof and chemical-resistant for use in environments such as labs and hospitals. Crucially, M&M began selling its product in 2004, over a year before Apple's device went on the market.
Also targeted in the lawsuit is CBS, one owner of the original Mighty Mouse cartoon that both Apple and M&M use as inspiration. Although the cartoon dates back to 1942, M&M says that CBS improperly licensed the trademark to Apple, as CBS' limited ownership does not actually cover computer devices. M&M and CBS are currently engaged in an approval battle at the US Patent and Trademark Office, where the former is arguing that it actually began use of the name before CBS.
Filed under: Apple
Other story tags: lawsuits, CBS, trademarks, Mighty Mouse
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jesus
whatever.
Due Diligence
I just hate lawyers that sue EVERYBODY then sit back and wait to see who pays.
lawyers?
In this case it ain't the lawyers that started the suit, it is the company who believes a trademark is being infringed.
Did M&M license it from
CBS?
If not, I think THEY are the ones that are screwed.
wtf?
M&M stole their product name "mighty mouse" from the cartoon, and their corporate name is somehow identical to a popular candy. I wonder which ones come first, and I wonder how many other registered trademarks this unscrupulous company has ripped off.
And these clowns are suing the owner of something that comes generations ahead of them?
This company is running out of money. That's why they are making ridiculous law suits. CBS and Apple should counter sue these fools into bankruptcy.
time
And it took them four years to decide this was worth pursuing?
hum
Oops, "M&M" is just an abbrebriation made by the writer of this story. That's not their company name. However, their website looks like it was designed by 10 year olds.
They also ripped off Leonardo da Vinci's drawing. I suspect if this company could, they would probably sue Da Vinci for infringing on the drawing of man with multiple hands.
Who was first?
Who was the first to actually use a mouse, or call it a mouse, with a copmputer? If that was Apple could they not sue M&M?
Can Macnn please?!?!?
Stop using "THE FORMER" and "THE LATTER" in their stories!?! Everyone who reads this site knows that the author of most of these articles is not a Peabody Award winning journalist. There's no point in trying to hide that fact.
Take for instance the following sentence: "M&M and CBS are currently engaged in an approval battle at the US Patent and Trademark Office, where the former is arguing that it actually began use of the name before CBS."
Wouldn't that read much better if "the former" were exchanged with the actual item it is referring to?: "M&M and CBS are currently engaged in an approval battle at the US Patent and Trademark Office, where M&M is arguing that it actually began use of the name before CBS."
Good...
Good! That name sucks anyways. Maybe 'iMouse' is available...