“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
Schwärzung, marketshare does not equal installed base. Until you can understand such a simple distinction you are hereby barred from using the title “Lord” in front of your name. You must use “Nitwit” instead.
Funny, I Googled Tiger and TigerDirect was the second return. I don’t think they have a leg to stand on. What could they gain by filing so late? My copy of Tiger is already on its way. FedEx has it in their local terminal and it is scheduled to be delivered tomorrow. Apple shipped most of the pre-ordered copies yesterday or the day before.
this is why the e-market is going nowhere fast. Everyone is out for the quick buck, no one really has anything good to contribute
TO: Peter Amato, Tiger Direct
Peter,
First, I understand some of what Tiger Direct hopes to do regarding Apple Computer; protect a valuable trademark. Go for it. It’s your right.
Second, recognize that, from a practical perspective, Tiger Direct is probably skating on very thin legal ice, and, at best may get Apple to back up a little on how close “Tiger” can be identified as an online store that sells products similar to those of Tiger Direct. That’s it.
That’s about all that will happen. Tiger Direct will not get an injunction against Apple to prohibit the company from selling Tiger (the OS), and it’s doubtful you’ll recover even legal expenses. In the meantime, Tiger Direct runs the risk of alienating many customers, current and soon-to-be former. You know and I know and all consumers know that there’s no “real” confusion between the respective “tigers” of Apple and Tiger Direct.
Third, our company (and companies we represent in our services) has purchased tens of thousands of dollars of products from Tiger Direct each year.
That ends now.
I’m also confident that our action will be repeated by others. Many others.
Finally, what begins now is the steady stream of publicity we can provide to our readers, 40-percent of whom are Windows users. Our unique perspective of Tiger Direct’s apparently shady business practices.
You see, that’s our right, too, what with the First Amendment, and all. They need to be reminded how Tiger Direct works.
tera
—
Tera Patricks
Mac360.com
why don’t they sue; TigerBeer, Tigerbalm, Tiger Airways, Bengal Tiger, Siberian Tiger, Human Tiger, etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc………………………………………………………………………………….
Are we stupid? or are they stupid?
& one more thing, please sue Tiger Woods, for allegedly infringing its trademark.
this is a hoot! This spurious lawsuit will just attract more attention to both Apple’s Tiger and to Tiger Direct. A great advertizing ploy.
any press is good press! in this case for both of them. too baad it makes Tiger Direct people look so stupid.
Tigerdirect directly sucks ass.
Losers.
I wouldn’t have even known of Tigerdirect never mind confused it with anything.
Ok if the commies ban Tiger, all you who manage to do get a copy, be a good kid and share it with the rest of us.
Bandit,
I think that may be the idea. Not many people know of TigerDirect, but a lot of people have heard of osx Tiger.
It’s just free publicity. They rock the boat a bit, they know they probably won’t win the case, no one gets hurt, pay a few court costs and BAM. Anyone who knows anything about OSX Tiger now also know about TigerDirect. Which incidentally, doesn’t sell any Mac products. So all the Mac heads with their new found knowledge of this you beaut software/hardware company are not likely to use the services anyway ’cause they don’t sell Mac stuff. Just goes to show how dumb marketers can be.
Timing a lawsuit just before the product release? Expect to see this thrown out of court. Its called Laches.
WHAT A LOAD OF CRAP!
I havent even heard of this company??
Who the hella re they?
Bill Gates has obviously phoned some of his mates to try and stall Tiger.
So what if internet search results come up with Apples tiger 1st – this law suit is a joke it aint got any legs!
Just another company trying to get some press off Apples Tiger Launch.
My company is called TIGEROUS – I THINK WE WILL NOW SUE TIGER DIRECT as we are NOT in the top 10 searches on the net.
WHAT ALOAD OF CRAP!!
I wonder what day this week Bill Gates called ‘his mate’, the ceo of Tiger Direct, saying “can u help me try and screw up Apple’s launch of Tiger”.
Ummm… Microsoft as usual playing its hand!
Let me get thsi straight:
Tiger Direct are in the pc business BUT they had no idea that Apple was using Tiger as a name for it’s next verson OS??
Where the fuck have they been?
These guys must had had theyre head up their ass for the last 2 years!
There has been so much pre publicity about tiger at IT conferences, web-site etc.
This is total BOLLOCKS.
One guy from Finland said:
Now in florida you can kill anybody you don´t like!
Would you like a free trip to Florida? Maybe someone doesn’t like your mouth. I think It’s disgusting
One guy from Finland:
Maybe they’ll Finnish you in Florida!
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Everyone knows you can’t patent a word like ‘Tiger’ this is not going to hold water, worse than a collondor this case is a siv.
I love how everyone sues apple to get publicity.
Bunch of cry babies.. you cant block progress, get with the program it will be better for you in the long run..
Also every expirence I have had and my friends have had with tigerdirect has been an unpleasant one.. shoddy parts, shoddy service, I wouldnt buy from them evar again.. newegg.com and outpost.com for me
Sure you can register tiger as a trademark relating to computer equipment….. APPLE DID IN JULY 2003! And Tiger Direct who had all the time in the world before hand to register the name chose not to do antyhing until months after Apple filed.
Idiots.. TD is just a joker in the house of cards that microsft built.