“Fujitsu, which applied for an iPad trademark in 2003, is claiming first dibs, setting up a fight with Apple over the name of the new tablet device that Apple plans to sell starting in March,” Hiroko Tabuchi reports for The new York Times. “‘It’s our understanding that the name is ours,’ Masahiro Yamane, director of Fujitsu’s public relations division, said Thursday. He said Fujitsu was aware of Apple’s plans to sell the iPad tablet and that the company was consulting lawyers over next steps.”
“Fujitsu’s iPad, which runs on Microsoft’s CE.NET operating system, has a 3.5-inch color touchscreen, an Intel processor and Wi-fi and Bluetooth connections; it also supports VoIP telephone calls over the Internet, a technology also used by Skype,” Tabuchi reports. “The iPads from Fujitsu can sell for more than US$2,000.”
MacDailyNews Take: We purposely didn’t embed the photo of the thing in this article, because it looks exactly as you’d imagine the spawn of Fujitsu and Microsoft would look. Picture it in your mind and then click to see for yourself. Eerie, huh?
Tabuchi continues, “Fujitsu’s application to trademark the iPad name stalled because of an earlier filing by Mag-Tech, an information technology security company based Seal Beach, California, for a handheld number-encrypting device. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office listed Fujitsu’s application as abandoned in early 2009, but the company revived its application in June.”
“The following month, Apple used a proxy to apply for an international trademark for the iPad. It has since filed a string of requests with the U.S. Patent Office for more time to oppose Fujitsu’s application,” Tabuchi reports. “Apple has until Feb. 28 to say whether it will oppose Fujitsu’s claims to the iPad name.”
Tabuchi reports, “While the dispute between Fujitsu and Apple centers on the United States, there are other iPads around the world. The German conglomerate Siemens uses the name for engines and motors, while a Canadian lingerie company, Coconut Grove Pads, has the right to market iPad padded bras.”
Full article here.
Earlier this month, MacNN reported, “Apple is actively working to take the American ‘iPad’ trademark away from Fujitsu, unearthed documents show. It was recently discovered that Apple is filing for the iPad name in Canada, Europe and Hong Kong, but that because of Fujitsu, the company cannot do so in the US. The Fujitsu iPAD is already a tangible product, a handheld device used by retail workers.”
Although Fujitsu first filed for the iPad name in March 2003, the trademark has still not been assigned,” MacNN reported. “Apple now has until February 28th to make its submissions. The delays may be strategic, as the company could be in a better legal position if it announces or launches an iPad product before filing an appeal.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: “I don’t love the name. I would have gone with ‘iTouch’ if only to teach a lesson to everyone who’s ever incorrectly referred to an iPod touch by that name. It would have been fun to say, ‘Go back and revise those 3.27 million articles where you wrongly used ‘iTouch,’ m’kay?’ Oh, well, a missed opportunity. Instead, we lucky iPad owners will get to endure feminine napkin comments from jealous anti-Apple ignoramuses and sixth grade boys.” – SteveJack, MacDailyNews, January 27, 2010
Sounds like a repeat of Cisco claiming iPhone name…
Well maybe there is a small bit of hope left that they’ll have to drop the iPad name and go with something less… uh… less… sucky.
I hope Apple loses.
Good luck with that, Fujitsu.
MDN you made me click that link and it was funny. It was actually worse than what I could imagine to be the klutziest. Now there’s a talent.
Meanwhile, Apple, please avail yourself this opportunity and re-brand that thing. Call it anything else you like, but please retire this childish ‘i.’ It had its moments, now a new decade to move on with.
This should be good for a few more months of free publicity.
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Apple… drop the iPad name. Go with iTouch.
I sometimes work with Fujitsu products for point of sale applications. The ipad from Fujitsu in this pic looks just like a POS handheld they sell and they are constantly breaking down and retail staff who use them, complain about them being buggy. Fujitsu will fight this since it means $$$$
Good, maybe now Apple can call it iSlate instead. Much sexier name.
iTouch. Thinking DiVinyls song now.
I hope this will force Apple to come up with a decent name.
Is Steve so in love with the name that he’d go through so much trouble? The risk stands that the trademark ruling could go to Fujitsu and he still wanted it. What does he see in the name that’s so special?
iBook, Canvas, iSlate, iTab, iTablet, iTouch. I liked just about every alternative name more than iPad. But it’s about marketing and looking into the future and they must see something that I don’t.
The Fujitsu “iPad” looks like it was a prop created for the 1960’s Star Trek TV show.
Well they couldn’t go with iPed (eeeewww)
or iPud (yikes!)
or iPid (too latin)
or iPyd (too greek)
That about does it for english language vowels.
iTouch is too confusing with ipod touch
and iTouch Max is too much like iPed!
iPad is about the best…(though I sorta liked iSlate)
I agree the ‘ i ” should be retired..
Think: Cheeta, Puma, Jaguar, Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard.. and now, we have a new breed of cat …
Enter “The Tabby” ..
Oh, I dunno— sounds kinda catchy to me ..
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I don’t like the name ipad either. iTouch would be much better
Newton 2 gets my vote. All the i*** names suck. And it would be cool to remind people that Apple was in this market very early on. Then again, I fear the tablet will follow the same path as the Newton and the AppleTV – elegant, sweet, not quite useful enough, and ultimately marginalized from lacking support and the killer app.
How about:
tMac
or
sMac lol
Heh I just caught that
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the Tabby
as in house cat! (and tablet) a sexy feline piece of tech laying around the house. The Tabby that’s great
AAAAAAAARGH!!!
Sorry, I just checked at the picture.
100% fugly. What a fine piece of industrial design (not!)
Even iTablet would be fine or just Apple Tablet. iPad I just don’t like
According to the USPTO there have been seven companies that have filed and published using the name iPad. They range from a clothing company (bras and other undergarments) to industrial companies that make abrasive pads and other uses to a company that makes medical devices and several companies that make electronic devices. Only three have been registered the name iPad. These being Siemans in 2008 and Coconut Pads in 2008 and Mag-Tek Inc also in 2008. The Fujistsu use of the name iPad was filed in 2003 with a publishing date as of 09012009. It has not been registered as of today. As far a “first dibs” goes, that honor goes to Mag-Tek, who filed in 2000 and registered the name on April First 2008. Now thats an April Fools joke.
Good. Maybe Apple will have to change the name. I hate iPad.
Agreed that the i thing is played-out, but it’s worse because of the similarity to iPod. Cognitively it’s too similar, forces you to want to forget one in order to retain the other. Like how it’s so hard to think of John Williams’ theme tunes for Star Wars and Superman at the same time. Although personally I think the dull-dishwater wallpaper and Fischer Price icon spacing are bigger mistakes.
> endure feminine napkin comments from jealous anti-Apple ignoramuses and sixth grade boys.
I think Apple intentionally avoided the “iTouch” name for a similar reason. iPad is a fine name; no one’s going to remember those stupid jokes anyways.