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News Technology Trademarks

Next Sony Ericsson smartphone may be named Xperia Ion according to trademark

Xperia Ion

Xperia Ion

The Sony Ericsson LT28at, that is described as an Xperia “super phone”, may have a name according to a recent trademark filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

On December 13, Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB filed a trademark for “Xperia Ion”. 

The goods and services covered under the application (Serial Number: 85493863) include nothing more than mobile phones, similar to its trademark filings for the Xperia Play and Xperia Arc.

Earlier this month a number of sites reported that Sony will likely unveil its new Xperia smartphones at CES 2012.  CES 2012 is taking place in Las Vegas, from January 10-13, 2012.  The Xperia Arc, one of the newest models in the Xperia line, was revealed at CES 2011.

Discussion: The Next Web, Phandroid, Ubergizmo, Xperia Blog, Mobile Syrup, Geeky Gadgets, Le Journal du Geek, AndroidOS.in, Mobile Bulgaria, Phone Arena and Unwired View

[Update 1 on January 9, 2012: Sony Ericsson and AT&T announced the LTE-powered Sony Xperia Ion, the first Sony-branded smartphone.]

(Image of Xperia Arc via Sony Ericsson)

Categories
News Trademarks Video Games

WB Games planning GreyFoundry video game according to trademark, domains

WB Games

It appears Warner Bros. may be developing a new video game called GreyFoundry.

On December 15, Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. filed four separate trademark filings (85493271, 85493265, 85493259 and 85493253) with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, two of which cover video game software and online video games.

In addition to the trademark applications, it looks as though Warner Bros. may have secured the domain rights to greyfoundry.com, greyfoundry.net, and greyfoundry.org.  According to WHOIS records the domains aren’t registered to Warner Bros., instead, each name is registered to Kite Inc., a full-service strategy and design firm that helps companies build brands. 

Kite counts amongst its customers: WB Games Seattle (screenshot).  WB Games Seattle was recently in the news after laying off dozens of employees.

At the time of this story going online, Warner Bros. has not made any announcement about a new video game called GreyFoundry. 

Here’s a look at the Goods and Services covered in two of the trademark applications:

Serial Number: 85493271
Designing and developing computer game software and video game software for use with computers, video game program systems and computer networks; Computer software design; Video game development services; Video game programming development services

Serial Number: 85493265
Entertainment services, namely, providing online video games, providing online computer games, providing temporary use of non-downloadable video games; Production of video and computer game software; Entertainment services in the nature of live-action, comedy, drama and animated television series; production of live-action, comedy, drama and animated television series; distribution and display of live-action, comedy, drama and animated motion picture theatrical films; production of live-action, comedy, drama and animated motion picture theatrical films; theatrical performances both animated and live action; Internet services providing information via an electronic global computer network in the field of entertainment relating specifically to games, movies, and television; providing a web site featuring film clips, photographs and other multimedia materials; providing information for and actual entertainment via an electronic global communications network in the nature of live-action, comedy, drama and animated programs and production of live-action comedy, action and animated motion films for distribution via a global computer network; conducting contests on-line; providing a computer game that may be accessed by a telecommunications network; and electronic publishing services, namely, publication of text and graphic works of others on-line featuring articles, novelizations, scripts, comic books, strategy guides, photographs and visual materials

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News

Instead of filing a legal dispute, Tumblr buys the domain name tumblr.org

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.

Categories
News Trademarks Video Games

Crowdstar developing another zombie iOS game called Zombie Chopper Strike

Zombie Chopper Strike

With the zombie craze showing no signs of dying down, you can never have enough zombie games.

It looks like social game developer Crowdstar is working on yet another mobile game for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad called Zombie Chopper Strike.

In an application submitted with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on December 5, 2011, Crowdstar Inc. filed to trademark the phrase “Zombie Chopper Strike”.

The goods and services covered in the trademark filing (Serial Number: 85487117) include:

Downloadable computer game software for use on wireless devices and computers; computer-game software, video game software, and computer game application software; interactive-video-game programs; electronic game software and electronic game application software that may be accessed via the Internet, computers and wireless devices; computer software to enable uploading, posting, showing, displaying, tagging, blogging, sharing or otherwise providing electronic media or information regarding the fields of virtual communities, electronic gaming, entertainment and general interest via the Internet or other communications networks with third parties.

In October, Crowdstar quietly released Zombie Universe (screenshot above), an iOS game that allows players to grow a population of zombie attackers, build decaying digs for them to stay in, and lead them on invasions of human towns.

At the time of this story going online, Crowdstar has made no official announcement about Zombie Chopper Strike.

Categories
News Technology Trademarks

Samsung files trademark for ‘Samsung Galaxy Sleek’ smart phones and tablets

Samsung Galaxy Nexus

Samsung Galaxy Nexus

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)