Tag: "united states patent and trademark office"
Microsoft files trademark for “Avatar Motocross Madness” game software
Microsoft Corporation filed a trademark application on April 5, 2012, for “Avatar Motocross Madness” with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
The goods and services in the trademark filing (Serial Number: 85590644) cover “Game software” and “Providing a website featuring information in the field of games and home entertainment; entertainment services, namely, providing online video games”.
Motocross Madness was first released by Microsoft Games back in 1998 for the PC, followed by a sequel in 2000.
Based on the title, “Avatar Motocross Madness”, it sounds like Microsoft may be releasing Motocross Madness on the Xbox 360 and allow you to create and use your own avatar in the game with the Kinect.
As of today, Microsoft has made no announcement regarding “Avatar Motocross Madness”.
Discussion: Xbox 360: The Official Xbox Magazine, Shack News, Eurogamer.it, VG247, GameZone, Eurogamer.pt, Multiplayer.it, Eurogamer.net, Videogamer.com and N4g
(Image of Motocross Madness via Microsoft.com)
Microsoft files trademark for “People Powered Stories”, more Google bashing?
Since Google announced changes to its privacy policies, it has come under an onslaught of criticism from all directions including rivals.
Microsoft has already taken aim at Google with its ”Putting People First” advertising campaign and a YouTube video called “Gmail Man”.
Now it looks like Microsoft may have something more in store for Google in the coming days, something that is powered by everyday people.
On January 31, 2012, Microsoft Corporation filed a trademark application (Serial Number: 85530034) for “People Powered Stories”. And as the phrase and trademark description suggest, Microsoft may launch an advertising campaign that is supplied by user-generated content.
The goods and services covered by the trademark filing cover two categories:
Advertising and marketing services; Advertising consultation; Providing information in the field of advertising
Providing online, non-downloadable software and tools for creating advertisements that include user-generated feedback and content
As of today, Microsoft has made no announcement as to its plans for “People Powered Stories” and no website exists.
One thing also to note with the filing is there no first-use date reported, indicating that Microsoft has not started using the mark.
[Update 2 on Feb. 14, 2012:. Microsoft officially announced People Powered Stories, a new social advertising solution.]
[Update 1 on Feb. 5, 2012:. A resident of China registered the domain name peoplepoweredstories.com (Whois) shortly after this story ran.]
Discussion: The Next Web, Simply Zesty, Marketing Land and Neowin.net
Instead of filing a legal dispute, Tumblr buys the domain name tumblr.org
Not all domain name registrations that infringe on a popular trademark end in legal dispute…some end in a pay day for the owner.
That’s what happened with the domain name tumblr.org this week.
On December 14, tumblr.org switched owners from Kevin Marsh of Ohio to the tenth largest social network in the world: Tumblr.
What’s interesting about tumblr.org, is that it hosted Marsh’s Tumblr blog – Willcodeforfoo (screenshot).
I reached out to Marsh by email for some information on the exchange and to see if Tumblr had sent a cease-and-desist letter. I was surprised to learn, that not only was Tumblr not looking to pick a legal fight, but that “They [Tumblr Inc] were really great throughout the process”, according to Marsh.
Due to a non disclosure agreement, Marsh wasn’t able to share many details about the transaction.
What he did tell me about the price tag, was that the sale amount ended in a “0″.
While most professional domainers would never recommend registering a domain that infringes on a trademark, sometimes offering cash for a domain can be quicker and cheaper for big companies trying to obtain that domain.
For the record, Tumblr Inc. does own the trademark on ‘Tumblr’.
The company, which has only submitted one trademark application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office to date, filed the application (Serial Number: 77601575) back in 2008, a year after the company was founded.
Tumblr.com was first registered in June 2006 by the company’s founder David Karp. Tumblr.org was registered a month later in July by Marsh, according to WHOIS history records furnished by DomainTools.
Samsung files trademark for ‘Samsung Galaxy Sleek’ smart phones and tablets
With the highly anticipated Samsung Galaxy Nexus rumored to be released on December 8 in the United States on Verizon, it appears Samsung is already planning its next device called the ‘Samsung Galaxy Sleek’.
On November 23, Samsung filed a trademark application (Serial Number: 85480030) with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for the ‘Samsung Galaxy Sleek’.
The goods and services covered in the trademark application cover: Telephones, smart phones, mobile phones and tablet computers.
Samsung often uses the word ‘sleek’ to help describe its smooth and polished smartphones and tablets.
So far Samsung has not made any announcement about the Galaxy Sleek.
Discussion: The Next Web, Phandroid, SlashGear, AndroidAppTests, Geeky Gadgets, The Tech Report, LLC, uSwitch.com, Recombu, MovilZona.es, DroidDog, Android Community, Technabob, Le Journal du Geek and VR-Zone
(Photo of Galaxy Nexus at its announcement event in Soho, Hong Kong via Flickr)
EA files more trademarks this week, this time for ‘Secret Island’ video game
Video game publisher Electronic Arts has filed a second set of trademarks on November 15th, 2011, for Secret Island, but has made no announcement as to details of the video game.
The Secret Island trademark filings follow earlier applications this week for Blacked Out, which I reported about earlier today.
The trademark applications (Serial Number: 85473042 and Serial Number: 85473035) cover the typical goods and services that precede the launch of a game, like entertainment services, on-line computer games, and downloadable computer game software.
(Photo of Lisianski Island, Hawaiian Chain via Captain Pat Palazzolo)
Electronic Arts files new trademark applications for ‘Blacked Out’ game
Battlefield 3 publisher Electronic Arts has filed two new trademark applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for the phrase Blacked Out.
The phrase Blacked Out, which commonly refers to temporarily losing consciousness, has several meanings so it’s hard to know exactly what kind of game EA has in store.
Both trademark filings were submitted on November 14, 2011.
Serial Number 85471685 covers, “Computer game software; Downloadable computer game software via a global computer network and wireless devices.”
Serial Number 85471683 covers, “Entertainment services, namely, providing an on-line computer game; Provision of information relating to electronic computer games provided via the Internet.”
Electronic Arts files trademark applications for ‘Prison Kings’
Electronic Arts is up to something when it comes to online games.
The game publisher filed two trademark applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on October 10 for the term “Prison Kings”.
Serial Number: 85443304 covers, “Entertainment services, namely, providing an on-line computer game; Provision of information relating to electronic computer games provided via the Internet.” Serial Number: 85443315 covers, “Computer game software; Downloadable computer game software via a global computer network and wireless devices.”
“Prison Kings” follows recent trademark filings for Style Empire, Fly with Me and Road Trippin’.
Discussion: Joystiq
EA files Style Empire trademark, fashion or interior design game on the way?
This week Electronic Arts has filed yet another trademark application for an unreleased game called “Style Empire”.
With The Sims Social now on Facebook as the No. 2 most popular game behind Cityville, and over 60 million monthly active users according to AppData, it wouldn’t be surprising to see EA expand its library of games that allow users to design interiors or create their own fashion.
It’s possible Style Empire could be for a different type of game as well, but as of today, nothing is official, because there has been no news announced by EA.
EA does not own the web address StyleEmpire.com. StyleEmpire.com is currently an online retail site that sells designer merchandise.
Here’s a look at the two trademarks filed on September 26, 2011.
Serial Number 85431706: Computer game software; Downloadable computer game software via a global computer network and wireless devices
Serial Number 85431709: Entertainment services, namely, providing an on-line computer game; Provision of information relating to electronic computer games provided via the Internet
Discussion: Game Informer and Joystiq
Square Enix Ltd. files ‘Core’ trademark for the provision of online game services
Square Enix Limited has filed a curious trademark application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for “Core”.
The goods and services covered by the filing (serial no. 85421330) include “Entertainment services, namely, the provision of online computer game services; online computer game services provided by means of an internet portal; information and advisory services relating thereto.”
Could the company be renaming its online store to ‘Core’ and enhancing it as well, similar to what Electronic Arts did with Origin?
Unlike previous filings out of Tokyo, Square Enix Ltd. is the European division of Square Enix Holdings Co. based in London, and it publishes content from the Square Enix Group.
(Photo of Square Enix at Tokyo Gameshow ’08 via Kennosuke Yamaguchi)
Nintendo finally files trademark applications for Wii U in the U.S.
Nintendo has filed nearly 20 trademark applications (several including images) with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for the word Wii U.
The goods and services cover a broad range of items from consumer video game machines to trading cards.
Filing trademark applications is one thing, but not owning the domain name Wiiu.com is still a problem for Nintendo. In June, according to a rough estimate provided by the analytics website Compete, traffic to the website was over 3,000 visitors. Prior to that, wiiu.com, whose owner is hidden behind Whois privacy, registered zero visitors.
Wiiu.com is currently a Shopping.com affiliate site that displays videogame and console ads.
Here’s an abbreviated look at some of the trademark applications all filed on August 9, 2011 by Nintendo with a priority date of June 3, 2011.
Serial Number: 85393202
Issuance of point cards; advertising and publicity services or providing information therefor; issuance of trading stamps or providing information therefor; implementing promotional prize drawings, quiz programs, raffle tickets, questionnaires and games, or providing information therefor;
Serial Number: 85393204
Telecommunication via electronic bulletin boards or providing information therefor; communication via consumer video game machines; providing information on communication via consumer video game machines;
Serial Number: 85393212
Providing images via communication with hand-held game machines with liquid crystal displays; providing images via communication with arcade video game machines; providing images via communication with consumer video game machines;
Serial Number: 85393213
Clothing for domestic pets; bags and the like; pouches and the like; unfitted vanity cases; umbrellas; walking sticks; bags and luggage, namely, shoulder bags, handbags, purses, carry-on bags, carrying cases, tote bags, backpacks, athletic bags, gym bags, traveling bags, duffel bags, satchels, school bags, school book bags;
Serial Number: 85393218
Clothing; waistbands; belts for clothing; shoes and boots; sportswear; shoes for sports other than horse-riding boots; masquerade costumes; clothing, namely, bandanas, coats, infant wear, jackets, jerseys, mufflers, pajamas, pants, scarves, shirts, shorts, sleepwear, socks, sweatshirts, sweat pants, swimwear, T-shirts, tops, underwear, vests, warm-up suits, wrist bands;
Serial Number: 85393191
Card games and their components; hand-held game machines with liquid crystal displays; protective films for liquid crystal display of hand-held game machines; AC adapters for hand-held game machines with liquid crystal displays; parts and fittings for hand-held game machines with liquid crystal displays; other toys; toys for pets; dolls; Go games; Japanese playing cards, also known as Utagaruta;
Serial Number: 85393180
Note books; mechanical pencils; other stationery and study materials; trading cards; magazines (publication); catalogues; pamphlets; other printed matter including books, booklets, manuals, posters regarding video games, calendars, game cards, greeting cards, trading cards, stickers and sticker albums; photographs; photograph stands, namely photo frames; banners of paper; flags of paper; pre-paid value cards and gift cards
Serial Number: 85393173
Consumer video game machines fitted with a camera function; consumer video game machines; programs for consumer video game machines;
Discussion: Kotaku and Nintendo Everything
