Idiots: Apple Claims Usage of ‘Podcast’ and ‘Pod’

After allowing the amateur community to create the podcasting phenomenon, then leveraging the support and technology created by other people, Apple is now going after companies that try to put the word ‘pod’ or ‘podcast’ in their names. What a bunch of assholes. Somebody’s lawyers aren’t busy enough. Other suggest we move to terms like mediacast, audiocast, videocast. Ugh.
Update: After more reading – Apple is going after the terms ‘podcast ready’ and ‘mypodder.’ Still pretty dumb, I think.


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5 responses to “Idiots: Apple Claims Usage of ‘Podcast’ and ‘Pod’”

  1. Tara Kachaturoff Avatar

    Where(TM) will(TM) this(TM) all(TM) end(TM)? What’s(TM) the(TM) obsession(TM) with(TM) owning(TM) all(TM) the(TM) words(TM) in(TM) the(TM) universe(TM). It’s(TM) completely(TM) absurd.(TM)
    Enough(TM) said(TM).

  2. Chicago Apple Fanatic Avatar
    Chicago Apple Fanatic

    Andy – check out this article for a better idea of what Apple’s up to with these lawsuits.
    http://blogs.zdnet.com/ip-telephony/?p=1252
    Apple itself is seeking a Trademark for “IPodcast.”

  3. A.R.Yngve Avatar

    Tara(tm) is(tm) right(tm).
    😉 ™

  4. AudioInfoMarketing.com Avatar

    My company is heavily involved in helping authors to switch from paper to audio. The technology is often beyond their ability to access so we do most of the work. One of the marketing strategies is what we referred to as podcasting.
    What Apple is doing is a time-honored strategy. Back in the early 80’s the phone company did something similar. They would allow MLM companies believe that they would share the revenue with the MLM companies if the MLM distributors would sign up new clients for the phone companies.
    After the MLM company invested a lot of time, effort and money to recruit distributors and the distributors spent time, effort and money to recruit both distributors and new enrollees for the phone companies the phone companies would suddenly renig and the MLM companies went out of business. However, the phone companies got to keep all those new long distance phone customers.
    A friend of mine, Leonard Manion was a marketing consultant for a GTN a small long distance phone company which was eventually purchased by Wiltel after Leonard got it turned around. He told me he had turned down quite a few consulting jobs because of this unethical behavior.
    Once he brought my attention to this I started seeing other companies do something similar. Some would simply steal a market. Others like Apple would start suing everyone. It’s important to keep in mind that many times because someone is suing (Apple) doesn’t mean that it’s because they truly believe that their rights are being infringed. Instead it’s simply a “marketing ploy” to get media attention for their product and to keep their name in the spotlight. Think: “Free Publicity”. Think: Branding.
    There are a lot of things that go on behind that curtains that most people are not aware of. I personally prefer more ethical ways of doing business. I think MediaCast is a good term to use. The more of us who use these more generic terms the less market that Apple has.
    Audio Man

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