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February 1st, 2007

Apple vs. Cisco: How important is a trademark you don't use?

Posted by Alan Graham @ 5:57 pm

Categories: Apple, Cisco, Web 2.0

Tags:

In Focus » See more posts on: Apple-Cisco

I recently reviewed the new Linksys/Cisco CIT-400. This phone is in the iPhone product line that Cisco is suing Apple over.

Cisco is fighting Apple because they had the audacity to use the iPhone name for their new mobile phone. This iPhone trademark is sooooo important to Cisco they want Apple to pay their legal fees and even go as far as giving up all profits made on the Apple phone. And why shouldn't Cisco prevail here? They've obviously put millions into the iPhone brand and actually have had product on the shelves for months and months with that trademark all over it…  

…wait… 

…that's funny…no iPhone brand anywhere on the CIT-400 I'm holding at the moment. Not on the packaging, not on the device itself. How can that be? I must have been sent a really early version of this device that dates waaaaay back. Maybe it came direct from the factory and they didn't have time to stencil it. Yeah…that's it.

Let's go online and check this out.

We'll start with the Linksys site.

Next –>

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5

Alan Graham

Related Discussions on TechRepublic

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  • Most Recent of 47 Talkback(s)
Strange, or just a little bit
amusing.

Interesting article, and nice use of the Shakespeare. This whole story has had all the marks of a publicity stunt since day one, and your article does nothing to change my view of tha... (Read the rest)
Posted by: fuzzy2k Posted on: 03/09/07 You are currently: a Guest | | Terms of Use
Cisco plus litigation equals Apple  bukake | 02/01/07
who's a scoundrel?  agraham999 | 02/01/07
re: who's a scoundrel?  Badgered | 02/02/07
I agree...  agraham999 | 02/02/07
Strange, or just a little bit  fuzzy2k | 03/09/07
Had to respond  ecrelin@... | 02/02/07
Thank you and its worse?  ecrelin@... | 02/02/07
Tomfoolery? Maybe you shouldnt try to be a lawyer.  Sicilz | 02/02/07
from a lawyer, an old lawyer  woods@... | 02/05/07
A trademark is a trademark  ryansommers | 02/02/07
re: A trademark is a trademark  higaara | 02/02/07
Proof of Use Not Required  Daemonstar | 02/02/07
Proof of Use IS Required  msalzberg | 02/02/07
Oh SHhhhh...  Sicilz | 02/02/07
Exactly.  AnotherThought | 02/02/07
Real life example  frgough | 02/02/07
inane comparison  c00k1e | 02/05/07
Well actually...  agraham999 | 02/02/07
IPFONES OOOPS IPHONE OOOPS  thomasbui | 02/02/07
Trademarks are VERY important! ! !  imaginemn | 02/02/07
Exactly...  agraham999 | 02/02/07
Copyright, trademark, patent etc.  travelingcg | 02/02/07
Here's what I wonder/think...  agraham999 | 02/02/07
Time to get up to speed on what the law actually is...  AnotherThought | 02/02/07
2SHAY!  Sicilz | 02/02/07
Try Again  10k2006 | 02/02/07
Idiot.  salimbag | 02/03/07
Trademark use and ownership  msalzberg | 02/02/07
Outstanding  woods@... | 02/05/07
Blind leading the blind? Or true experts?  Sicilz | 02/02/07
are you serious?  agraham999 | 02/02/07
Missing iPod name  lonniemcclure | 02/05/07
I have an iPhone right here  mary.branscombe | 02/02/07
Good to know, but...  AnotherThought | 02/02/07
Hey idiot  salimbag | 02/03/07
Thank you sir!  Sicilz | 02/02/07
THANK YOU SIR!  Sicilz | 02/02/07
Another winner!  Sicilz | 02/02/07
Apple can steal it... they weren't really using it!  clevebre | 02/02/07
"Apple's exclusion policies...  msalzberg | 02/03/07
Strange Twist  moue | 02/03/07
Where was Apple going before the iPod?  salimbag | 02/03/07
Importance Doesn't (Necessarily) Equal Usage  MoLerner | 02/03/07
I'll call myself Prince!  yurl2007 | 02/04/07
holy stupid batman!!  doctorSpoc | 02/05/07
Cisco Owns it, it's theirs  bill@... | 02/05/07
very important to Ford  fiveohjim1 | 02/05/07

What do you think?

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