Month: August 2011

Categories
News

Apple got ApplePico.com and 18 other names like iPodTouch.com at same time

iPod Touch

There is all sorts of speculation about what ApplePico.com will be after MacRumors noticed Apple Inc. made an update to the domain. 

The update to the domain name involved Apple removing the Whois privacy, thus revealing to the public that it owned the name.

Apple Pico rumors have ranged from a pico projector, to an “iPod Pico”, to other products and features.

Well, with some domain sleuthing and Whois research, a new iPod model called the “iPod Pico” seems more likely solely based on the domain activity that took place on the exact same day in September 2007 on MarkMonitor’s name server.

For the most part, there is one thing in common among the 18 other domains on the nameserver that day: iPod.

It’s important to point out that Apple newly registered ApplePico.com in late September 2007 after the name had deleted, along with dvbpodcast.com, eyepodblog.com, and eyepodtv.com that had also deleted from its registrar Domainsatcost.ca.  The company did not own ApplePico.com before that date according to Whois and Name Server history.

Here’s a look at the name server report for MarkMonitor published on September 28, 2007. 

Newly registered Apple domain names

Apple not only registered the 4 domain names above, at the same time it also transferred 15 other domain names (see below) from Domainsatcost.ca to the MarkMonitor server. 

It appears most (if not all)19 domains were previously registered to a Derek Nuhn of Canada.

Apple domains transferred in to MarkMonitor's name server

If you pore over the list of names, you’ll notice Apple acquired iPodTouch.com from Derek Nuhn weeks after its initial product launch.

So there you have it, more domain activity all taking place on the same day to add further speculation.

ApplePico.com may be destined for a pico projector, just as PVRApple.com may end up as a personal video recorder that offers Tivo-like recording for the Apple TV.  But as MacRumors first rumored, it could turn out to be the next iPod model.

If you recall, Apple recently won a domain dispute for iPods.com, so something bigger could be brewing.

Come September 7th when Apple holds its iPod event, we may finally know what is to become of ApplePico.com.

Categories
News Technology Trademarks

HTC Rhyme, HTC Enamor coming soon

HTC smartphone

HTC Corporation filed trademarks on August 10, 2011 for HTC Rhyme and HTC Enamor, hinting at that at least two new devices may be on the way by the smartphone and tablet device maker.

The trademark applications, four in total, cover computer hardware and software, as well as devices such as smartphones and tablet computers.

Below are snippets of the actual trademark applications submitted to the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

HTC ENAMOR
Serial Number 85394703
IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: Computer hardware and software for enabling, operating, enhancing, customizing, updating and managing mobile, portable, smart, voice-over-internet-protocol, and wireless telephones, tablet computers and wireless devices; user interface software; computer hardware and software for delivering, enabling, creating, enhancing, customizing, updating, and managing user interfacing, telecommunications and telecommunications services; computer hardware and software for transmitting and receiving voice, image, data, audio, video and multimedia content; wireless modems; accessories for the above goods, namely, headsets, headsets with wireless transmission function, connection cables, stylus pens, phone and wireless communication device cradles, in-car phone mounts, face plates, replacement parts for the above-listed goods, batteries, power adaptors, phone and wireless communication device chargers, cases, pouches, in-vehicle phone and wireless communication device chargers, in-vehicle holders, remote controls, keyboards, microphones, and loudspeakers

HTC ENAMOR
Serial Number 85394677
IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: Mobile phones, smartphones, cellular phones, portable computers, tablet computers, and personal digital assistants and wireless handheld digital electronic devices for communicating, recording, organizing, transmitting, manipulating, storing, and reviewing text, data, image, and audio files

HTC RHYME
Serial Number 85394342
IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: Computer hardware and software for enabling, operating, enhancing, customizing, updating and managing mobile, portable, smart, voice-over-internet-protocol, and wireless telephones, tablet computers and wireless devices; user interface software; computer hardware and software for delivering, enabling, creating, enhancing, customizing, updating, and managing user interfacing, telecommunications and telecommunications services; computer hardware and software for transmitting and receiving voice, image, data, audio, video and multimedia content; wireless modems; accessories for the above goods, namely, headsets, headsets with wireless transmission function, connection cables, stylus pens, phone and wireless communication device cradles, in-car phone mounts, face plates, replacement parts for the above-listed goods, batteries, power adaptors, phone and wireless communication device chargers, cases, pouches, in-vehicle phone and wireless communication device chargers, in-vehicle holders, remote controls, keyboards, microphones, and loudspeakers

HTC RHYME
Serial Number 85394336
IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: Mobile phones, smartphones, cellular phones, portable computers, tablet computers, and personal digital assistants and wireless handheld digital electronic devices for communicating, recording, organizing, transmitting, manipulating, storing, and reviewing text, data, image, and audio files

Nothing official has been released by HTC yet.

Discussion: Engadget, Ubergizmo and Electronista

Categories
News Video Games

Escalation Studios’ secret beta of ‘Friends and Zombies’ game leaked

Friends and Zombies

Plants vs. Zombies is the fastest-selling game in PopCap’s history. 

The company was recently acquired by Electronic Arts for $1 Billion+ and with zombie games so red hot, it’s no surprise that more companies are throwing their hat into the zombie game development ring.

Escalation Studios, a video game developer that creates games for the iPhone, Nintendo and social networks, and developed Doom Resurrection for the iOS, has been working on a zombies-game project which it recently went live with in secret beta on Facebook.

If you try to access the app on Facebook (which can be found on friendsandzombies.com), you get prompted to enter a Beta username and password. 

Tom Mustaine, the director of Escalation Studios, just recently registered the domain name FriendsandZombies.com in mid July, according to Whois records.  The company also filed for a trademark (Serial Number: 85386479) with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on August 1.

Here’s a look at the full Whois record:

Registrant:
Tom Mustaine
   ATTN FRIENDSANDZOMBIES.COM
   care of Network Solutions
   PO Box 459
   Drums, PA.  US  18222
  
   Domain Name: FRIENDSANDZOMBIES.COM

   Administrative Contact, Technical Contact:
      Tom Mustaine               
      ATTN FRIENDSANDZOMBIES.COM
      care of Network Solutions
      PO Box 459
      Drums, PA 18222
      US
     
   Record expires on 14-Jul-2012.
   Record created on 14-Jul-2011.

   Domain servers in listed order:

   NS5.WORLDNIC.COM             205.178.190.3
   NS6.WORLDNIC.COM             206.188.198.3

Nothing official has been said by Escalation Studios, but the game is not a rumor. 

It’s already on Facebook with beta testers.

Categories
Disputes Movies National Arbitration Forum News

HappyFeet2.com official site on the way, Warner Bros. wins domain dispute

Happy Feet 2

Fans of Happy Feet will be happy to know, that soon enough, when they type in the web address happyfeet2.com into their web browser they’ll be redirected to official web site of Warner Bros’ Happy Feet 2, set to premier in the U.S. on November 17, 2011, instead of a Go Daddy parked page.

In early July, Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc filed a complaint with the National Arbitration Forum over the domain name happyfeet2.com.

The case was simple for the single member panel.

Warner Bros. made the following assertions according to the domain decision posted online:

Complainant is a producer of motion pictures in the United States and abroad. 

Complainant produced the HAPPY FEET film that debuted in 2006 in the United States and has become the third-highest grossing animated film in the United States with sales of $400 million worldwide. 

Complainant owns trademark registrations on file with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) for its HAPPY FEET mark (including Reg. No. 3,350,899, registered December 11, 2007). 

Complainant has used the HAPPY FEET mark in relation to the marketing of its film of the same name, as well as related toys, clothing, books and a variety of other merchandise bearing its mark. 

Respondent registered the <happyfeet2.com> domain name on May 12, 2009, only seven days after Complainant publicly announced that it would be filming “Happy Feet 2,” a sequel to the original film.  

Respondent uses the disputed domain name to redirect Internet users, for commercial gain, to a generic parking page which features links to the websites of others offering products or services related to and in competition with Complainant’s business.

Respondent offered to sell the disputed domain name to Complainant for not less than $2,500.  

Respondent’s contested <happyfeet2.com> domain name is confusingly similar to Complainant’s HAPPY FEET mark.

Respondent is not commonly known by the disputed domain, and Complainant has not authorized Respondent to use its mark in a domain name.

Respondent does not have any rights to or legitimate interests in the domain name <happyfeet2.com>.

Respondent registered and uses the disputed <happyfeet2.com> domain name in bad faith.

In essence, Warner Bros. won. 

You can read all the details about the domain dispute and decision here.

Warner Bros. Entertainment does own HappyFeetTwo.com, which it redirects to the official Happy Feet Two website on warnerbros.com.

Categories
News Video Games

Brian Fargo to challenge Zynga? Files 12 “with friends” game trademarks secretly

Sparkworkz with Friends

As I wrote back in July, Zynga filed an application (No. 85361265) for trademark rights on the word mark ”With Friends” in the United States, likely as part of its intellectual property strategy to protect its “With Friends” brands.

The “goods and services” section spelled out in its U.S. trademark is simple: “Providing an online portal for computer games, video games, and gaming applications; providing information about computer games, video games, and gaming applications via the Internet.”

But the trademark filing by the social networking giant which has launched popular takes on word games such as “Words with Friends” and “Hanging with Friends”, hasn’t scared off the competition.

Twelve trademark applications that include the phrase “with friends” have apparently been filed on behalf of Brian Fargo, the CEO of inXile entertainment. 

While the trademark filings are public, it took a little sleuthing to link Brian Fargo to the applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, which include “Dominos with Friends”, “Sudoku with Friends”, and even “Crosswords with Friends” among the list.

The applicant for each record is Roxy Friday, LLC, whose active officers include none other than Brian Fargo. 

You may not have heard of Roxy Friday or think the Fargo-names are just a coincidence, but Roxy Friday has two other records on file with the USPTO: Platform Racing and Pinball Construction Set.  Pinball Construction Set was designed by Bill Budge, an Apple II game designer like Fargo.

If that’s not enough evidence, Platform Racing is developed by Sparkworkz, the web division of inXile. 

So what is inXile attempting to trademark?

Here’s a look at the applications, all filed on August 9, 2011.

85393489  FARKLE WITH FRIENDS  
85393477  GIN RUMMY WITH FRIENDS  
85393441  CANASTA WITH FRIENDS  
85393429  YACHT WITH FRIENDS  
85392140  MAHJONG WITH FRIENDS  
85392129  CRIBBAGE WITH FRIENDS  
85392110  BACKGAMMON WITH FRIENDS  
85392099  DOMINOS WITH FRIENDS  
85392092  PINOCHOLE WITH FRIENDS  
85387677  SOLITAIRE WITH FRIENDS  
85387635  SUDOKU WITH FRIENDS  
85387620  CROSSWORDS WITH FRIENDS

Nearly all the filings fall under the same goods and services as Zynga’s “With Friends” filing; International Class: 041, “Providing an online portal for computer games, video games, and gaming applications; providing information about computer games, video games, and gaming applications via the Internet.”

Brian Fargo recently told a reporter with VentureBeat that inXile will focus on social games that can be operated as a service, where the game launches and is operated in perpetuity online. 

Zynga will definitely take notice, and the outcome will have the attention of many in the social gaming space looking to capitalize on games that include “With Friends”.

Stay tuned.

Discussion: Gamezebo, Bloomberg and Games.com