Comments on: Apple: iPod means our pod

Mac maker cries trademark infringement, sends cease-and-desist letters to companies using "pod" in product names.

[yikes31]

more than what is in a name

The story commented that one of the companies that was told to
cease and desist, had a product that strongly resembled an ipod
in shape, color and some features. Perfectly reasonable if you
ask me.
Also, it mentioned that companies had to go to lengths to
defend their murchandise, copyrights and trademarks or tings
get more difficult later in the day - maybe when someone really
does a like for like ipod rip off.
Finally, WRT the Zen "Nano", I think that copyrighting a SI unit of
measure (nano) might be a little difficult. Nano means
0.000000001. It would be like trying to copyright micro or mega
or giga. The courts would laugh at you.

[k0ssi]

I don't see how "Pod" can be protected.

The word "pod" is a pretty common one in English. I wonder if
Apple will try to forbid the use of "tripod" in camera accessories. Or
perhaps Corel should look into the use of "Pro" in Apple's product
names, since Corel owns the "Paint Shop Pro" name...

Just joking ;-)

[chuck_whealton]

Re: I don't see how "POD" can be protected

They all do it. They do it for legal reasons, but sometimes it appears to go overboard.

I remember seeing a news story on how McDonald's files lawsuites regularly against people using the "McDonald's" name. One was some high society guy over the UK or something. Lord McDonald (?) and he was taking them to court. Don't know how it ever worked out.

Charles R. Whealton
Charles Whealton @ pleasedontspam.com

[asmoore]

Not a Big Deal

To any major company letters like this are nothing more than routine. Lego has been fighting a battle for over a decade to protect their rights to the word "Lego". Google has been in the news in the last week for this same kind of thing.

What you have to realize is that once a word comes into common use a company loses nearly all rights to it. That is why Apple, Google, and any "hot" company is going to be proactive in protecting their rights.

[mainca]

iPod Backwords spells, everyone togther!

DOPi, ok, back to work!

[mainca]

iPod Backwards spells, everyone togther!

DOPi, ok, back to work!

[marlow714]

Mighty Mouse & ATM machines

What about the Mighty Mouse? What about ATM "MAC" machines?

Apple is such a crap company. Steve Jobs needs to grow up and dress like an adult. What a loser.

[J.G.]

Apple did it right

Apple Computer requested and received permission to use the
term Mighty Mouse for its two-button optical mouse. The term
'MAC' predates or is contemporary with the Macintosh, to there is
no issue. (Besides, 'MAC' has been replaced by ATM in common
usage.)

Feel free to post other remarkably stupid remarks you need to be
corrected on.

[Macsaresafer]

MAC = Media Access Control

Try to come up with a valid point before posting, then check your
facts, and your spelling and grammar so that you don't end up
looking like an idiot.

[Mmmhmm]

Not entirely...

Out of line. It isn't about companies trying to fascistly 'reserve' words of the English language as much as make sure that something from another company can't 'ride the fame' of the first.

I think Apple's argument is that is started using the 'pod' motif to describe small portable podlike digital devices. The probably put some amount of time and creativity in picking a unique word that other people hadn't used before... someone came out with.. 'hey, it's kind
of like a tiny pod.. that sounds kind of unique and catchy, let's use that!'

Apparently other companies agree, and suddenly a
word that inspires subconscious images of Apple
products is being tagged onto other companies
products. I can't judge whether this is really 'overreacting' or not, but I can understand the desire to protect both image and creativity (however minor). If it was something really ridiculous is one thing.. but seeing a company use a 'knock off' name has always struck me as kind of lame in the first place.. I think I'd side with Apple on this one (though it probably won't become habit! ;))

[zeeboid]

creative did it first. creative did it better. Apple had better propaganda

Don't be a Pod Person. Creative is still on the cutting edge. now all we need is for the public to wake up and realize they don't need to pay extra for twice the battery life and a built in FM Tuner.

[the Otter]

Feeding the troll?

Creative still hasn?t released anything that can compete with the
iPod. When they come out with an MP3/MP4/AAC/AL/AIFF/WAV/
QT/H.264/JPG/GIF/TIFF player / handheld video game / PIM /
bootable external hard drive, then I might be interested. Of course,
first they?d have to make it look cool, integrate seamlessly with
dozens of cars and thousands of third-party accessories, and work
with something other than M$ Windows. If they can pull off all that,
then I?ll consider their so-called ?cutting edge? products. Until
then, long live the iKing.

[fastfred1]

Apple and it's pod.

OH yeah..errr remember

HAL....HAL..open the POD bay
door Hal

[whpj4]

Apple will loose this one...

Line 6 introduced the POD guitar effects processor in 1997... 4 years BEFORE the iPod.
Greedy bastards