Apple pries iPad moniker from Fujitsu
But again: What about the bra?
A week and a day before Apple's "magical and revolutionary" iPad is scheduled to be released, Apple has finally acquired the rights to its name.
As The Reg reported, shortly after Steve Jobs unveiled the iPad to the world on January 27, Fujitsu piped up to let Jobs know that he was using someone else's property. "It's our understanding that the name is ours," said Fujitsu PR director Masahiro Yamane.
We can only guess the extent of back-room cajoling, bargaining, arm-twisting and carrot-and-sticking that has gone on since then, but on Friday patentauthority.com reported that Fujitsu has now legally transferred ownership of the iPad trademark to Apple.
No word yet, however, on Apple's negotiations with the makers of all those other iPads in the wild: a credit-card swiper, Korean defibrillator, pre-fab home, proposed residential tower, commercial-kitchen Bump Bar Unit, Internet Personal Access Device, operating system, memo-taking iPhone app, and cleavage-enhancing technology from a Canadian bra company.
Perhaps that latter company might partner with Apple for some speciality items - after all, Cupertino still sells iPod Socks. ®
COMMENTS
Now if I were fujitsu...
Would I let Apple get away with this iTsmytrademark iOwneverythingstartingwiththeletteri business or just make things really just difficult for them...
Personally, and I don't know what Fujitsu's books look like saying this, if I were fujitsu, I would tell Apple to stick their iFingers up their iCollective iArses..., call your big iPhone sans phone something else, I know we're messing with your launch, but screw you, you corporate iBastards,
Quite honestly, I hope Apple really gave Fujitsu a lot of cash for this. I mean, A LOT of cash.
Honestly, Apple, sometimes I don't know whom I dislike more, you guys or M$.
It's a question of noughts
> We can only guess the extent of back-room cajoling, bargaining, arm-twisting, and carrot-and-sticking
I doubt any of this went on. It will have been a conversation along the lines of
We own that, what you going to give us?
$%)*$&"
I don't think you understand, We own that, you can't sell something called an iPad unless you buy it from us. What you going to give us?
$%)*$&"0
OK, so you've worked out the rules of this little game. Now you just need to work out which ball park we're playing it in.
$%)*$&"00
Now you really aren't trying hard enough are you.
$%)*$&"000
A little better, but you've got to understand things from our point of view. You are the richest computer company with the highest profit margin since someone worked out how to sell a service pack as a whole new experience... So, what you going to give us?
$%)*$&"00000
... and so on.
Now just bend over this isn't going to hurt "me" much.
Calm down, dear.
I'd have a nice cup of tea if I were you. Perhaps with a biscuit.
Silly name for a silly product
Call it what you like Mr Jobs, it's a load of old crap.
Why choose?
"Honestly, Apple, sometimes I don't know whom I dislike more, you guys or M$."
That doesn't have to be an either/or statement - feel free to espouse equality
