Category: Trademarks

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News Technology Trademarks

Samsung files new trademarks for Lens, Shortcut, Centura, Montage and Array

Windows 8 Samsung Tablet

Samsung has filed several new trademark applications that cover mobile phones, smartphones, and tablet computers.

The filings suggest Samsung is preparing to launch several new devices called the Samsung Lens, Samsung Shortcut, Samsung Centura, Samsung Montage, and the Samsung Array.

The trademark applications were all filed on September 9, 2011 by Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. 

Of the five trademark filings, the ‘Samsung Array’ was the only one that had been filed in the past.  However, the trademark application was abandoned in March 2011, then re-filed (Serial Number: 85419340) to not only include smartphones, but tablets as well.

The trademark applications for Samsung Lens, Samsung Shortcut, Samsung Centura, and the Samsung Montage are all new.

Discussion: Geeky Gadgets

(Photo of Samsung Windows 8 Tablet via Weibo – MichelleHu)

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News Trademarks

AOL to launch NVIBE social network? Domain acquired, trademarks filed

AOL

It looks like AOL Inc. plans to launch a new social networking site called NVIBE, more than a year after selling Bebo, a social networking site it had acquired for $850 million in 2008.

On September 9, 2011, AOL became the owner of the domain name nvibe.com.  On the very same day, the company filed five different trademark applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office covering a range of goods and services including online local and community social networking services.

So far, AOL has made no announcement, and no other technology or news site has mentioned NVIBE, but by the looks of things, NVIBE.com is slated for some type of local social network.

Here’s a quick look at the five trademark applications, filed last week with the USPTO.

Serial Number: 85419192
Online social networking services; online local and community social networking services

Serial Number: 85419185
Providing a website that enables users to connect with people in a particular neighborhood or city; Providing user-defined content and content of others selected and customized based on the known or estimated geographical location of users

Serial Number: 85419176
Providing neighborhood and community information in the fields of education, entertainment, local events and activities, current events, shopping, arts, culture, and sports; Providing information about community and neighborhood livability

Serial Number: 85419162
Providing geographic information, destination information, interactive maps, and driving directions via computer and communications networks; Providing information, news, and commentary in the field of travel via computer and communications networks

Serial Number: 85419151
Providing information and news in the field of local business

At the time of this story, nvibe.com does not resolve to a web site.  Here’s the current Whois record for nvibe.com.

Discussion: ReadWriteWeb, Techmeme, Business Insider, Webrazzi, San Francisco Chronicle, Financial News Network Online, @mathewi, The Motley Fool, BusinessWeek and Denver Post  

Updated September 15, 2011 5:24am:. I discovered AOL also owns neighborhoodvibe.com and registered five trademarks for “Neighborhood Vibe” in August 2011, similar to the NVIBE trademarks; serial numbers 85391630, 85391628, 85391626, 85391625 and 85391623.

Neighborhood Vibe by AOL

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News Trademarks

Groupon Goods closer to launch, detailed trademark application now filed

Groupon Goods

Groupon may soon be launching its rumored Groupon Goods service.  In late August the company registered a bunch of domains with ‘groupongoods’ in the names.  Robin Wauters of TechCrunch hypothesized that Groupon could start focusing on opportunities other than “restaurants, spas, massages and pilates classes”. 

While TechCrunch received “no comment” from Groupon regarding the domain registrations, Groupon edged closer to launching the “Groupon Goods” service by official filing a trademark application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on August 29, 2011.

Groupon does register domain names that don’t necessarily materialize into anything, but the company’s trademark filings number only over a dozen, most of which have turned into something. 

The latest filing covers three areas, and is somewhat similar to its generic filing for GrouponLive, a service by Groupon that provides deals on local entertainment, further strengthening rumors of a new niche service.

Here’s a closer look at the trademark filing (Serial Number 85409592). 

IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: Electronic publications featuring coupons, rebates, price-comparison information, product reviews, links to the retail websites of others, and discount information
IC 016. US 002 005 022 023 029 037 038 050. G & S: Publications featuring coupons, rebates, price-comparison information and discount information

IC 035. US 100 101 102. G & S: Promoting the goods and services of others by providing a website featuring coupons, rebates, price-comparison information, product reviews, links to the retail websites of others, and discount information

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Disputes National Arbitration Forum News Trademarks Video Games

ModernWarfare3.com domain name battle ends with an Activision triumph

Modern Warfare 3

Modern Warfare 3

The domain battle between Anthony Abraham and Activision over ModernWarfare3.com has come to an end.

A three-member panel of the National Arbitration Forum has ordered the domain name transferred.

Earlier this year Anthony Abraham launched an unofficial fan site for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, attracting thousands of Facebook fans in a matter of days.

In late June, Abraham began lashing out at Activision, the publisher of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3, in a series of statements and videos that appeared on the ModernWarfare3.com website, and throwing support instead to Electronic Arts’ Battlefield 3.

Activision eventually filed a complaint (read here) which revealed the identity of the Battlefield 3 fanboy.

According to the decision posted online, Abraham argued that the term “modern warfare” is generic and is not monopolized by Activision.

Activision was required to prove that modernwarfare3.com is identical or confusingly similar to its trademark, that Abraham has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the domain; and the domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith.

The three-member panel ruled in Activision’s favor today, having established all three elements required under the ICANN Policy.

Here is a copy of the decision by the National Arbitration Forum so you can read all the details.

Discussion: Game Informer, Joystiq, NeoGAF, CVG, GamesIndustry.biz, MCV, Ubergizmo, The Escapist, G4, Eurogamer.net, 1UP, Tiscali, Gamespot, FZ, Kotaku and Gaming Union

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News Trademarks Video Games

Square Enix files new trademark application for Final Fantasy Versus XIII

Final Fantasy Versus XIII

A recent trademark filing by Square Enix should reinvigorate fans’ hopes that Final Fantasy Versus XIII may finally come to fruition after first being announced years ago, way back in 2006.

Square Enix originally submitted a trademark application in May 2006 (serial number: 78873744), and now the company has submitted a new application (serial number: 85411360) which was filed on August 31, 2011, more than five years later after the original.

Here’s a look at the goods and services covered by the trademark application.

IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: Computer game software; video game software; sound recordings in the form of optical discs, magnetic discs and semiconductor ROMs featuring music and fictional stories; audio visual recordings in the form of optical discs, magnetic discs and semiconductor ROMs featuring music and animated fictional stories; prerecorded compact discs featuring music; prerecorded video discs featuring music and animated fictional stories; mouse pads; straps for cellular phones; video game controllers; downloadable musical sound recordings; downloadable ring tones for mobile phones; downloadable wallpaper graphics for mobile phones; downloadable electronic publications in the nature of magazines, journals and newsletters in the field of computer games and video games

IC 016. US 002 005 022 023 029 037 038 050. G & S: Computer game strategy guidebooks; video game strategy guidebooks; song books; musical score books; comic books; magazines featuring computer games and video games; posters; stickers; calendars; postcards; stationery; collectors’ cards; trading cards; photographs

IC 028. US 022 023 038 050. G & S: Dolls; toy figures; plush toys; stuffed toys; inflatable toys; toy scale models; toy vehicles; toy guns; toy swords; playing cards; card games; board games; jigsaw puzzles; hand held video game units

IC 041. US 100 101 107. G & S: Providing on-line computer games; providing on-line video games; providing information on computer game strategies and video game strategies via computer networks and global communication networks; providing information on entertainment in the field of computer games, video games, card games, animated cartoons, comics, novels and magazines; providing on-line non-downloadable comics; providing on-line non-downloadable magazines, journals and newsletters in the field of computer games, video games, cartoons and general entertainment

Though no official release date has been announced, it looks as though it could be sooner than expected.