“Apple Computer Inc., maker of iPod digital-music players and Macintosh computers, was sued by Tiger Direct Inc. for allegedly infringing its trademark with the new ‘Tiger’ Mac software package scheduled for release tomorrow. ‘Apple Computer has created and launched a nationwide media blitz led by Steven Jobs, overwhelming the computer world with a sea of Tiger references,’ Tiger Direct’s attorneys wrote in the lawsuit,” Bloomberg News reports.
Full article here.
AppleInsider reports, “At the root of the issue appears to internet search results. Tiger Direct contends that Apple’s use of the name has adversely affected its ranking amongst the Internet’s largest search engines, Google and Yahoo, bumping the company from its usual spot in the first three results. If the court grants Tiger Direct’s request for an injunction, Apple’s rollout of Tiger could be stopped.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Apple first officially announced the use of the name “Tiger” for Mac OS X 10.4 in a press release on May 4, 2004. AppleInsider reports that the lawsuit was filed today in federal court in Miami.
In somewhat related news, the University of Texas today sued Microsoft for turning the name “Longhorn” into a laughingstock. Now, that would actually make some sense.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Tiger Direct issues press release regarding lawsuit against Apple over ‘Tiger’ name – April 28, 2005
This is probably as good a time as any to let anyone who hasn’t dealt with TigerDirect know that they are the sleaziest, rudest, dishonest PC hardware store on the web. I’m not one bit surprised that they would do something as shady as this.
I hope Apple sues them for harassment.
Funny…I search for “tiger” at Dogpile and the top five are:
1. Donate to World Wildlife Fund
Sponsored by: http://www.worldwildlife.org
2. Detroit Tigers Tickets
Sponsored by: http://www.eseats.com
3. 5 TIGERS : The Tiger Information Center
http://www.5tigers.org/
4. Tiger Haven
http://www.tigerhaven.org/
5. Tyan Computer Tiger – Bargain Prices
Sponsored by: http://www.shopzilla.com
Maybe TigerDirect should sic their lawyers on these people instead. I’d love to see the publicity over sueing the World Wildlife Fund!
R: I live in Miami. Is picketing fun?
Skip the picketing, and go right to the “angry mob with torches, pitchforks and rake-thingies” stage.
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“My copy arrived today…so the rollout has already begun.”
lucky.
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I’ve got to wait a whole other day…it’s KILLING me!
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Hey FGump, a quick search for Apple on the TigerDirect website shows exactly 2 products, both HP iPods by Apple. Sorry, no Appely goodness to be found at TigerDirect.
By the way, don’t the search engine ratings only change slightly less frequently than the Amazon Top Ten lists? When a Tiger almost killed Roy I’ll bet they were knocked off the top spot then also. Don’t forget to add Roy to your brand dillution frivolous suite
I just did a Google search on “Tiger” and here are the first three entries returned. So what the hell are they (Tiger Direct) compaining about?
News results for Tiger – View today’s top stories
Is Apple’s Tiger a Kitten? – Red Herring – 1 hour ago
Cisco VPN incompatible with Apple’s ‘Tiger’ – CNET News.com – 3 hours ago
Tiger Server: Open source made easy – MacWorld – 5 hours ago
5 TIGERS : The Tiger Information Center
Dedicated to providing information to help preserve the remaining five subspecies of tigers. News, research, a kid’s section, and a live tiger cub cam feed …
http://www.5tigers.org/ – 15k – Cached – Similar pages
TigerDirect.com – Computer Parts, PC Components, Desktop Computers …
Large stock of components. Also offers great bundles with CPUs already included.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/ – 72k – Apr 26, 2005 – Cached – Similar pages
This is the only way I could find to email them, I’d also recommend calling, and trying to overload their server.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/sectors/help/contactus.asp#email
The suit doesn’t stand the slimest of chances. Tiger Direct doesn’t own the Tiger trademark, nor could it ever. The Detroit Tigers have been around for over 100 years.
What a bunch of imbeciles…
And when the next iteration of OS X comes in a year or so, with yet another project code name, TigerDirect can go back to being an ignored company. Just like the GM G6 will be an ignored vehicle.
Who’s going to sue who on that one?! Besides, what if the Clemson Tigers want to be at the top of a Google search? Can they sue Tiger Direct? I’m pretty sure they’ve been around longer than TigerDirect.
Time to go vent some steam.
apparently, those people at “tiger direct” weren’t quick enough to pounce on the issue or to raise any questions or concerns they had IN THE BEGINNING. yeah, this is F-ed up.
leojsoap,
thanks for the link. I’ve sent my e-mail. If anybody missed leojsoap’s post, here’s the link again:-
http://www.tigerdirect.com/sectors/help/contactus.asp#email
Give those scumbags something to read.
Search “tiger” by Google in Safari
1st: TigerDirect
2nd Apple…
yeah Charko, you seem to be able to go back and submit as many times as you want, so I’ve probably sent them 40-50 emails by now!
MW: total, as in your total emails to this company should at least hit 20
Boy dem Tiger Direct folks will look ridiculous when Apple produces this prior registration:
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/tiger/overview.html
“Apple’s use of the name has adversely affected its ranking amongst the Internet’s largest search engines, Google and Yahoo, bumping the company from its usual spot in the first three results. “
Easy answer: Go fuck yourself.
Search results are no basis for infringement suits. Idiots.
Spome suggesting it’s a hoax. Ride the wave, folks…
For what it’s worth, the suit was actually filed on Tuesday, the 26th, according to the court docket. Bloomberg only picked it up today.
I’m a tiger in bed. I growl and lunge and paw and bite (sometimes).
Now, because of Apple’s “Tiger” my boyfriend is distracted and doesn’t know which way to turn. To his Mac or to me.
I’m gonna sue Apple (my boyfriend doesn’t have any money).
Oh, I used to buy from Tiger Direct. I’m not going to buy from Tiger Direct any more. Why? Because of all the confusion over which name shows up in Google? Nope. I’m not buying from Tiger Direct any more because they’re obviously a_s_s_h_o_l_e_s and not deserving of my money.
Spread the word.
Bambi Hambi
That’s funny. I didn’t realize that Tiger Direct was an operating system.
They’re right. I am confused in the marketplace….
I already sent them an e-mail stating that if they did not set aside this unfounded extortion attempt that I was bocotting them and encouraging evry one i know to do the same. We have a TigerDirect store in town and i have shopped there often. I am going to go buy and express my feelings as well.
Every body go to their site and express your feelings about this and let them see that this kind of bad PR is costly.
Time to gogglebomb them and associate them with “opportunistic douche bag”
I have a TigerDirect outlet store near my house. I was planning on buying a cheap video card from them.
Keyword: WAS.
This company will no longer have any business from me or my family. And, I’ll pass the word to my friends as well.
Opps, i mean “opportunistic douche bag“