USPTO backs down on iPad mini trademark objections The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has withdrawn its primary objections to Apple's trademark filing for the term "iPad mini" – but Cupertino is not completely off the hook quite yet. "Upon further review of the application, the examining attorney has determined that the following refusals issued in the initial Office …
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Berns, however, notes that there may still be reasons to deny trademark protection to "iPad mini". For one, although Berns has found "no similar registered mark that would bar registration" (her emphasis), there may be similar marks in "prior-filed pending applications" that would bar Apple from gaining a trademark.
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Paris, because she's a lady . . .
I'm not an Apple fan by any means, but was it just me thinking that the trademark of "iPad mini" was well within bounds, or at least reasonable? The other parts of the story I read a few days ago were laughable.
No, I don't like Apple, but this trademark for "iPad mini" seems reasonable in comparison to other trademarks like "TV Guide". Maybe the USPTO got one right, maybe the sun does shine on a dogs ass every once in awhile.
Regardless, you sure can tell the scheduling of government workers by the elapsed time. Notice the weekend gap were nobody was working the USPTO, if someone was this probably would of been decided on Saturday (Possibly Friday if enough people in the government were NOT sports fans and didn't take leave...Baseball is back).
Sorry to disagree. The term iPad is already registered, so nobody except Apple could name a product "iPad mini". Why this redundancy, then? My guess is that they want to use this registration as a stepping stone for legally harassing any manufacturer who dares to use the word 'mini' in their products. Yes, if the case ever goes to court chances are that the case will be dismissed or ruled against Apple, but most companies just lack the money to fight Apple in a court.
IMHO, the only thing Apple is getting better at lately is at gaming the system. :-(
I forgot to add that Lee-Anne Berns seems to agree on the reasons why Apple is trying to copyright the terms "iPad mini", as suggested by this paragraph in the article:
"In addition, and as in the earlier ruling, she requires that Apple amend its trademark application to include a disclaimer that it doesn't seek to trademark the term "mini" per se, and that it makes no claim on that term other than in the product-identifying term "iPad mini".
It seems that the USPTO has at least someone who understands the issue. Kudos to Mrs. Berns.
"Regardless, you sure can tell the scheduling of government workers by the elapsed time. Notice the weekend gap were nobody was working the USPTO"
I fail to see the point of this statement. Are you perhaps saying that government workers work sensible, reasonable hours? The kinds of hours that are but a memory for private industry workers? I fail to see any reason why an office worker ought to be at work on the weekend except in very rare, specific cases.
The Austin Mini Countryman (1961–1969) was 2.1m long and weighed ~690kg . The BMW Mini Countryman (2010-present) is 4.1m long and weighs 1,265kg. That is, nearly twice as long and twice as heavy!
If there was any justice in this world, BMW should lose the right to use the "Mini" name. Apple, by producing something "smaller than the original", have at least demonstrated that they grasp the meaning of the word.
OK -- so the Greeks already had it (though a short skirt and pom pom shoes doesn't scream battle honours to me) and Issigonis had the mini in production.
But if push came to shove, would we want the Quant mini banned?
I'm fine with consigning the maxi to the scrap heap, the midi was just a skirt, but the mini...
OK so some people got a little excited by a pdp 8e, but honestly I think we can generally agree a mini is something that I will refer to as a belt when my daughter attempts to go out for an evening wearing one.
[she will then roll eyes and we'll proceed to re-enact some classic drama during which doors will be slammed (front or bedroom) and I'll laugh my head off because it'll never be shorter than the stuff her aunts wore]
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