Lawsuits: Google Sued For Trademark Infringement Over Its New ChromeBook: Apple Sued Over iCloud

2011 June 11
by Michael H. Berkens

According to Bloomberg.com, Intellectual property manager ISYS Technologies sued Google for trademark infringement claiming that  the Chrome operating system violates the trademarks for ISYS’s “Chromium” Computer.

Google’s new ChromeBook operates on the Google Chrome Operating Ststem.

I guess as a web browser ISYS had no problem with Google’s Chrome,  but now that there is going to be a computer with the name Chrome Incorporated in it, ISYS filed suit.

“ISYS said today in a statement that it seeks to stop Google and its marketing partners Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN), Best Buy Co., Samsung Electronics Co. and Acer Inc.  from selling Chrome products “on or about June 15.”

“ISYS said it holds patents for the Xi3 modular computer and filed a trademark registration for ChromiumPC with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office last June. ISYS says that Google has opposed the granting of the trademark.”

PcMag.com,  is reporting  that Apple has been sued over its iCloud name by iCloud Communications for trademark infringement.

iCloud Communications contends that Apple has copied its name even offering the same services:

“The goods and services with which Apple intends to use the “iCloud” mark are identical to or closely related to the goods and services that have been offered by iCloud Communications under the iCloud Marks since its formation in 2005,” the complaint, first obtained by The Next Web, alleges. “Due to the worldwide media coverage given to and generated by Apple’s announcement of its “iCloud” services and the ensuing saturation advertising campaign pursued by Apple,the media and the general public have quickly come to associate the mark “iCloud” with Apple, rather than iCloud Communications.”

iCloud Communications has asked the Arizona district court for all of Apple’s profits from iCloud thus far, and for Apple to immediately cease using the iCloud name. Apple has 30 days from the June 10 filing to respond.

 

 

 

17 Responses leave one →
  1. 2011 June 11
    Don permalink

    So what did apple have to pay to cisco for iphone? Instead of “to the cloud”, these guys are going TO THE BANK.

    Don

  2. 2011 June 11

    So why didn’t iCloud Computer go buy iCloud.com? Why wasn’t the lawsuit filed BEFORE the media announcement last week? Why didn’t the folks at iCloud go to the courts when Apple bought iCloud.com? You know, gold diggers are all the same: shill opportunists with a sense of entitlement. It really burns me up. Of course, I am prejudiced in favor of Apple.

  3. 2011 June 11

    many millions should (soon or later) go from Google’s pockets to the ISYS’ pockets :)

  4. 2011 June 11

    and if Apple will lose the sue, it should seek another name for its cloud service … the hunt is open! … :)

  5. 2011 June 11
    Nic permalink

    @Danny Pryor

    Gold diggers? Perhaps.

    But that is beside the point. Apple (who I have loved since I bought my MacPlus in the 80s) has scant regard for existing trademark rights. Over and over again, it uses whatever names it likes and worries about the consequences (costs) later. This makes a mockery of the trademark system. Dam hard if you cant afford to litigate, too.

    Nic

  6. 2011 June 11

    Looks like iCloud Communications is going to win, or earn large sum of money in licensing fees for iCloud.

  7. 2011 June 11
    iguess permalink

    so maybe domainers are the only ones who ignore trademarks?

    @don- are you sure it’s what *did* apple pay cisco, and not what *does* apple pay cisco? big difference between a one-time payment and ongoing payments as apple’s profits continue to rise.

  8. 2011 June 12
    BMR permalink

    Apple is suing eveyone for the infringement on their tradermarks, so given the circumstances I’m glad they have to face the same shit from others

  9. 2011 June 12

    “ooks like iCloud Communications is going to win, or earn large sum of money in licensing fees for iCloud.”

    true, and the amount may be of tens of millions

  10. 2011 June 12

    “..true, and the amount may be of tens of millions”

    Tens of millions or billion… cost will pass it on to the consumer/ buyers of iCloud…

  11. 2011 June 12

    Well , it’s a good thing they’re sueding each other for things they both do . They should not ignore trademarks , this way it would be a fair competition .

  12. 2011 June 12

    RAYY is right about that , the cost will be passed to the consumers and buyers , but it’s nothing we can do about this … this is the way things work around .

  13. 2011 June 12

    Apple and Google will win on both accords because it is apple and Google. I wouldn’t dare fight them.

  14. 2011 June 12

    Settlement bait.

  15. 2011 June 13
    Louise permalink

    Apple didn’t invent i-domains. It’s not entitled to every iCompanyName! Sounds like it didn’t do it’s research ahead of time.

  16. 2011 June 13

    Might is Right

  17. 2011 June 14

    Okay. I work in the same industry as iCloud Communications(ICC). They don’t share any features of Apple iCloud.

    They specialize in VOIP telephones like Vonage but for small businesses.

    If they have any similar offerings or features to Apple, they’re sold as ancillary service features and are not actual products they manufacture directly.

    They have no unique trademark or registration mark on the icloud name on their site… How do you claim trademark infringement when they have none on display?

    I think someone saw a quick money grab for their lower tier B2B service provider and is jumping on this in the only way they know how.

    1. Apple’s iCloud has no phone services tied to it.
    2. ICloud isn’t offering any data storage services, not even data hosting services like Sharepoint or SalesForce.
    3. ICC, even if they did start offering competing services, they don’t even currently follow a similar naming schema, one of their packages is called Total Office.

    Come on. Money Grabbers.

    My company has to deal with a LOT worse miss-associated traffic from a major retailer outside the US, a major news publication, and a VERY popular video game. Our company didn’t sue any of them for name infringement.

    Suck it up and prove your trademark, otherwise, let it go.

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