Apple Sued Over "Mighty Mouse" Name

[rdowns]

http://sanjose.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2008/05/19/daily52.html?ana=yfcpc

Man & Machine Inc., which sells chemical resistant and waterproof computer keyboards and mice to laboratories and hospitals, is suing computer giant Apple Inc. over its use of the name Mighty Mouse.

Landover, Md.-based Man & Machine contends it began selling a device using the Mighty Mouse name more than a year before Apple, whose wireless mouse is also called Mighty Mouse. Man & Machine filed its complaint in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Maryland.

In its complaint, Man & Machine also named CBS in the lawsuit, claiming it improperly licensed use of the name to Apple.

"Apple's conduct will continue to create an extremely high likelihood of confusion among those consumers encountering the Mighty Mouse mark," Man & Machine says in its complaint. "Apple's conduct has harmed and will continue to harm Man & Machine's reputation and goodwill, and has caused the loss of sales and profits..."

The company's suit seeks unspecified monetary damages and an injunction against Cupertino-based Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) continued sales of Mighty Mouse devices.

 

[Prof.]

Just call it the "Apple Mighty Mouse" like they did in the iPhone Law Suit.

Case Closed!

 

[BlakTornado]

Also on Apple Insider: http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/05/21/apple_sued_for_callings_its_mouse_mighty.html

"Apple sued for calling it's mouse Mighty"

When I first read the title, I thought someone sued Apple for calling the mouse "Mighty", even though it's actually pretty crap

 

[Consultant]

CBS purchased Mighty Mouse franchise in the 1950s. Wiki: "Mighty Mouse cartoons became a staple of children's TV programming for a period of over thirty years, from the 1950s through the 1980s."

Apple licensed the name Might Mouse from CBS, the owner of "Mighty Mouse" franchise.

If you go on this company's site, you'll see Da Vinci's famous drawing be made into an animated banner. I wonder which company is the actual ripoff artist?

Probably just a company running out of money and figure they have nothing to loose by proceeding with a ridiculous law suit.

 

[Hemingray]

Engadget has picked up on this too:

http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/21/apple-and-cbs-sued-over-mighty-mouse-name-lawyers-come-to-save/

How utterly ridiculous... CBS had every right to license the name to Apple. Apple did the sensible thing and asked CBS, I'm sure. And these other guys didn't... seems pretty simple to me. I hope they lose big time.