Month: February 2012

Microsoft files trademark for “People Powered Stories”, more Google bashing?

Post author By J.B.
Post date February 5, 2012
1 Comment on 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

Tags Gmail man, google, Google privacy, Google privacy policies, Google rivals, microsoft, Microsoft Corporation, Microsoft trademark, Microsoft trademarks, Putting People First, united states patent and trademark office, uspto, youtube

News Video Games

Ubisoft taking serious look at mobile? Ubisoft mobile domain names registered

Post author By J.B.
Post date February 4, 2012

It looks like Ubisoft could be taking mobile gaming more serious in 2012.

On February 1, the video game publisher registered the domain names Ubisoftmobile.com (Whois) and Ubisoft-mobile.com (Whois).

While domain name registrations are not necessarily concrete indicators of a company’s plans, social and mobile gaming is big business.

In the past year, Ubisoft has been ramping up its social gaming efforts by growing its Bay Area workforce and releasing new social gaming titles on Facebook. But according to AppData, Ubisoft barely breaks the Top 100 developer leaderboard with only 3.5 monthly active users on Facebook, led by The Smurfs & Co.

Zynga by comparison, has nearly 240 million monthly active users on Facebook as of today.

As of the time of this story, ubisoftmobile.com and ubisoft-mobile.com are parked pages and do not direct users to an Ubisoft site.

Discussion: GameSpot and Ubergizmo

Tags Assassin's Creed, Assassins Creed : Altair's Chronicles, featured, Gameloft, Ubisoft, Ubisoft domain names, Ubisoft domains, Ubisoft Mobile

News Technology Trademarks

Sony files trademark for “Xperia Sola” smartphone with USPTO [UPDATED]

Post author By J.B.
Post date February 4, 2012
2 Comments on Sony files trademark for “Xperia Sola” smartphone with USPTO [UPDATED]

Sony may have revealed what the ‘S’ stands for in its new Xperia S smartphone expected to be released in March.

On January 30, 2012, Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB filed a trademark application for “Xperia Sola”.

‘Sola’ means ‘alone’ or ‘only’ in English.

The goods and services covered in the filing (Serial Number: 85528680) include mobile phones and accessories.

In early January, Sony introduced four new smartphones at CES 2012: the Xperia Ion, the Xperia NX, the Xperia Acro HD, and of course the Xperia S, Sony’s first smartphone in the next generation series.

If the ‘Xperia Sola’ is actually a different device other than the ‘Xperia S’, Sony hasn’t made any official announcement at the time of this story.

So, I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

[Updated March 14, 2012:. Sony has launched the Xperia Sola with ‘floating touch,’ NFC, 3.7-inch Reality Display, and Android 2.3.]

Discussion: MobileSyrup.com, tweakers.net, Gizmodo, AndroidAppTests, Phandroid, Electronista, MobiFrance, Geeky Gadgets and Xperia Blog

Tags featured, floating touch, Sony, Sony Ericsson, Sony trademark, Sony trademarks, Sony Xperia S, Sony Xperia Sola, uspto, Xperia Acro HD, Xperia Ion, Xperia NX, Xperia S, Xperia Sola

News Trademarks

Microsoft to launch new publication? Company files trademark for Latinzine

Post author By J.B.
Post date February 1, 2012

It looks like Microsoft may have something in the works for a new publication, focusing perhaps on Latin America.

On January 24, 2012, Microsoft filed a trademark application (Serial Number: 85524272) with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for “Latinzine”.

The goods and services listed in the application include “streaming of video material via the Internet and mobile networks” and “providing on-line magazines accessible via the Internet and mobile networks in the fields of lifestyle, news, entertainment and sports; On-line journals, namely, blogs featuring content in the fields of lifestyle, news, entertainment and sports“.

Microsoft has opened two major technology centers in Latin America in the past six months.

In January, the company inaugurated a major technology center in Sao Paulo, Brazil. In October 2011, it inaugurated its first Latin America MTC in Mexico City.

At the time of this story, Microsoft has made no announcement about Latinzine.

Tags Latin America, Latin zine, Latinzine, Major Technology Center, microsoft, Microsoft Latin America, Microsoft Latinzine, Microsoft trademarks, MTC, trademark, trademarks, uspto