Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Apple Corporate, iPod Family, Bad Apple
Apple changes iPodsubwaymaps.com
Oh come ON! Bill, my man, you are one dedicated dude, I'll give you that. Apple gives the site owner a call and just like that, ipodsubwaymaps.com is no more... Luckily, isubwaymaps.com lives on! First they don't want you to put subway maps out there without paying licensing fees (because you know, it's top-secret info that took billions to scribble down), and now Apple itself has come down with a cease and desist taking the word iPod outta there. Hey, maybe this means tomorrow's announcement will bring a Madonna iPod with subway maps! Yeah, I didn't think so either. Not that anyone asked me to figure out what goes on in the mind of the Apple legal team (during my visit all I saw was a door to the law department with the faint smell of brimstone coming from the bottom)... And you're right Bill, Cosby's lawyers are so calling next. Good luck!
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Elliott G said 10:57AM on 11-19-2005
Darleen is right. If Apple doesn't police and enforce its iPod mark, it will lose it. But I have to add this. I just bought and watched the DVD release of George Harrison Concert For Bangladesh. The oppening seconds show the APPLE trademark and it is so obvious how Apple Computer has totally ripped off the trademark for music from the Apple company in UK. Apple should cop to this, pay royalties and do the right thing.
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Anthony said 3:50PM on 10-11-2005
just watch out for Subway
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Jonathan said 5:42PM on 10-11-2005
I think that is pretty dumb that Apple has to be that way and force everyone to lose iPod outta their URL. Kinda like the Mike Roe guy who had MikeRoeSoft.com and Microsoft got all ticked off!
heres a domain that someone should purchase: eyepawed.com
or in this particular case: eyepawedsubwaymaps
oh but we dont want to tick off Subway so we need it to say: eyepawedsubterraineantrainroutemaps.com
there that was easy enough...
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Nate MC said 9:46PM on 10-11-2005
isubwaymaps.com anyone? There is no way Apple can own the "i"
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Tom Boucher said 9:40AM on 10-12-2005
yes, it sucks, but if you don't protect your copyright 'vigorously' as the law defines your copyright can be completely invalidated.
I wouldn't equate this the same as the 'mikerowesoft' level of corporate bullying, but they are protecting a trademark.
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darleen Michael-Baker said 10:40AM on 10-12-2005
I think Apple is not only smart but well within their rights to protect the word "iPod." Good grief, we now have iShadows makeup, iPex bras, myPod coffee filters. Where does it stop? As an Apple shareholder (boy do I wish the number of shares we owned had a couple more zero's behind them) I do NOT want to see Apple lose control of the hottest development since the Mac. It is THEIRS and they should maintain strict control otherwise "iPod" will become just another "kleenex" (tm).
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