Apple sues startup over "pod" name
As we've seen before, Apple is laying claim to the word "pod." This time, the target is Sector Labs (SL), who are nearly 10 years into development of their Video Pod. More accurately, Apple believes that customers will confuse SL's Video Pod for an Apple product because of the name. The company first gained the attention of Apple legal back in 2009.
Still, SL's Daniel Kokin doesn't see the problem. "My team started working on the Video Pod in 2000, and it took us years to go from prototype to funded," he said. "At that time, Apple didn't even enter our minds as a competitor." He goes on to note that his company's product focuses on projection, something that Apple is not doing.
This is hardly the first time Apple has asked a company or product to change their name. Remember when iLounge was iPodLounge? Or PodShow?
Good luck to all parties involved.
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As we've seen before, Apple is laying claim to the word "pod." This time, the target is Sector Labs (SL), who are nearly 10 years into...
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The pathetic thing is that Apple was on the receiving end of this nonsense earlier in its history with Apple Corps.
Apple has gotten so big they've forgotten where they came from. Or what they values ought to be. "Think different" indeed.
A friend of mine got a trademark on "GODPOD". He successfully negotiated with Apple to do it. Does this mean Steve's ego has one, extremely important limit?
Good luck, Sector Labs. Hopefully you'll win this case and put an end to this kind of nonsense.
September 25 2010 at 6:08 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replywhat about "podcast"?
September 24 2010 at 7:31 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replywonder when Apple will sue farmers for selling apples :) ...
everybody loses, with one exception ... lawyers
So Apple is going after this now?
Aren't they going to go after all of the electric vehicle companies that use it too? I'm sure there are a few.
An electric vehicle clearly does not compete in the same space that Apple's products occupy. In a lot of cases, you can have the same name if you do something completely different.
September 24 2010 at 9:44 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyIf SL had this idea back in 2000 then they should of trade marked video pod. Then they would be able to sue Apple. But it seems they didn't.
Lesson to all. If you come up with a name for a product or service, wether it ships in 1 or 20 years, you better get it trade marked.
That's the kind of thinking that Apple has. They're abusing the patent/trademark system. This should not be the default thinking of a company.
September 25 2010 at 12:38 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI never said what Apple is doing is right. I was merely stating that if you have an name for a product you better protect it.
This "startup" has had this idea for 10 years and it's still not shipped? Also, what's the source of this new lawsuit? The post doesn't say. It does link to a WIRED article that states they already won against Apple for their trademark. So why would Apple sue them again?
This sounds like a way to try and strum up buzz about their product that may or maybe not be vaporware.
Again, to be clear, if Apple really is trying to sue them over their trademarked name then I think Apple is waisting their time and money.
Keep in mind that companies of this size have legal departments whose job is to protect their trademarks and patents. It seems the fanatical tech community believe Steve Jobs is like Mr. Burns, issuing every lawsuit himself. Trying to keep the little guy down. While burning cash to keep his fire place roaring.
Apple can suck my pods.
September 24 2010 at 2:52 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply"Good luck to all parties involved."
No, good luck to Sector Labs. I'm tired of companies trying to claim exclusive rights to generic English words. Apple deserves to lose this one.
Video Pod is sufficiently different, Apple doesn't have a leg here. Now, with Cisco's iPhone and pretty much every other iProduct that isn't made by Apple and isn't an accessory for Apple products and they're clearly trying to cash in on the naming scheme, then Apple has every right of trying to go after them.
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