“These application numbers don’t yet officially appear in the USPTO database,” Purcher reports. “Apple has supposedly filed their trademarks for the Apple Store design under International Class 035 covering ‘Retail store services featuring computers, computer software, computer peripherals, mobile phones, consumer electronics and related accessories, and demonstration of products relating thereto.'”
Purcher reports, “The filings present a mark that ‘consists of distinctive design and layout of a retail store.'”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Tears flow in Microsoft’s vaunted retail operation as chairs go flying overhead. Who will Microsoft copy now?
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Arline M.” for the heads up.]
We should start a “death pool” to guess when Microshat will close those barren customerless stores. I”ll take Feb 2011..
@ Britney’s Postpartum Sister™,
If you had gone into the back room you might have caught Ballmer with his head buried in HIS barrel of Cheese Puffs; you could have asked him to share, but you may have gotten bit.
The most appropriate thing M$ could copy for their stores would be to follow the Circuit City model.
@NCIceman
Great . . . just when I finally got over the scars of watching that video the first time . . .
@Zune Tang. Get some help, man. Microsoft is in court 24/7 concerning patents that they protect and lose on. When they lose, they appeal like whinners at every opportunity: Whaaaaaa.
Did you actually say shrines? Hahahahahahahaha. Ya ya ya, the alter of uselessness I bow to thee mine lord Redmond. Tell us more about your freaky shrine, pleeeease! Thanks for that crazy image.
The judge in the old GUI infringement suit against microsoft’s windows in the 90’s, was later quoted as saying if Apple had sued on the basis of “trade dress,” they would have won. Of course by the time Steve Jobs got back in, the matter was too far lost.
@ Zune Tang
“Got sick on my Zune headphones during the long car ride and they replaced them for free.”
Well, that can happen cooped up in that wired cage in the back of the Prius.
Haven’t seen you in a while on the board. Welcome back…err, so to speak. You always make me laugh.
@ Zune Tang. You bagged two this time. Not your best catch, but not bad.
No, on a second look, only one. You’ll have to work on it. “MAC” usually does it.
“How’s that computery retaily store stuff workin’ for ya Microsoft?” (Sarah Palin slang voice)
How much can it cost MS to remodel two freakin’ stores?
If they are serious, they’d just put in a McDonalds inside and pray folks want fries. Or they can put the Kin in the kid’s meals…
Microsoft will not be copying Apple anymore on the retail stores, because once no one is paying attention to the existing Microsoft stores (which is about now), they will be quietly closed. Another failed Microsoft experiment, funded by the Windows/Office cash cow.
Who will Microsoft copy now? They will copy Gateway….
and shutdown all of the stores!
The dancing at msft stores. It’s a Moonie Cult. ooooh – Beware, be very afraid – hahahaya. This is Msft being cool.
Catch it here if you didn’t see it yet:
Considering the various B&M;retail establishment layouts (think centuries of prior art), Apple might just might have a difficult time trying to get a trademark for this.
I always enjoy the ZT takes… and sometimes they’re actually hilarious as hell. Nothing beats a good chuckle– thanks, Zune Tang®.
ZT’s back! Long time, dude.
You’re going to have to come up with a new handle soon, though. People are forgetting what the heck a “zune” is.
-jcr
So is Apple creating a trademark of a table with a computer sitting on it?? If Microsoft puts a computer on a table in their store will that be a trademark violation? Seems pretty petty to me. Can you get a trademark for simplicity anyway?
If Apple continues to create great products with innovation, I hardly think they need to worry about Microsoft copying them which they have done for 30 years.
Remember the mighty Zune!