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Gmail Under Trademark Dispute
fbform writes "As reported by this article on InternetNews, when news about Google's IPO broke on March 31, 2004, some companies (Cencourse, Precision Research and ProNet Analytics) made a beeline for the USPTO to get Gmail trademarked in their name, as Google's IPO prospectus said that its unregistered trademarks included Gmail. Google itself was fourth in line, and it was followed by the Gospel Music Association. This might be a very sticky issue because USPTO Trademark Administrator Sharon Marsh says 'The application process is first come, first served. Applications are processed as they're received, and the person second in line will get a refusal of registration from our examiner.' All of which means that between Google's delay in applying for the trademark, the other organizations' attempt at what can only be called cybersquatting, and the USPTO's bureaucracy, Google could well be denied the use of Gmail as a trademark."
rename G-mail to G-spot. Fits in nicely with their new playboy image as well. ;)
"Is this just useless, or is it expensive as well?"
Then several months later I get a note from one of their financial departments asking me to fill out a survey so they could better get to know their "suppliers".
So send them an invoice.
Need Mercedes parts ?
"Gmail is so wide spread, how can they not get the trademark? And fp?"
That's exactly the problem: Google didn't get fp at the USPTO.