Mighty Mouse trademark awarded to Man & Machine, Mister Trouble can stop hanging around now (updated with analysis)
By Ross Miller 
posted October 7th 2009 11:06PM
posted October 7th 2009 11:06PM
Update: Nilay here, with some trademark law nerdery for you. This trademark has a long and convoluted history, as you'd expect. CBS and Man & Machine actually both filed for the Mighty Mouse mark as it relates to computer mice in 2007 -- and CBS actually filed for it first, in May. Here's the kicker, though -- Man & Machine not only filed for this particular trademark in December of that year, but it also simultaneously sued Apple and CBS over their use of the name. Saucy! Both trademark applications were then put on hold while that case was sorted out -- and after two years of bickering, they finally settled the case and CBS abandoned its registration in June of this year, allowing Man & Machine to resume its registration. Since Apple and CBS were essentially precluded from opposing that renewed registration, it more or less sailed right through, and here we are. Simple, innit?
Oh, and for our occasionally misguided friends in the media: it's important to note that CBS and Man & Machine were the involved parties here, and they ultimately settled their dispute out of court. Apple was simply along for the ride, since its agreement was with CBS. If you're going to run with any sensational version of this, we'd suggest something along the lines of Apple screwing this up by not just buying Man & Machine for this mark years ago -- we're certain it would have been cheaper than the millions everyone's undoubtedly spent litigating this since. Got that? Good.
[Via TechCrunch]
Read - USPTO database entry for Man & Machine's "Mighty Mouse" registration
Read - Man & Machine's Mighty Mouse product page
Camera on a mouse... but then it couldn't be a gaming mouse.
But then it wouldn't be a great gaming devi....oh wait, nevermind.
Good. It was the worst thing I've ever bought.
How about "Epic Mouse?"
Get it, like Epic Mickey? Okay, I'll down-rank myself now.
Epic would require it to be at least decent.
Well, they got away with "Mighty" for all those years......
True.
Trademark Fail.
I feel that I ought to point out that, despite the fact that it has received many comments, this is kind of not a very interesting story.
The Mouse Previously Known as Mighty. Sounds like a good name to me :)
It's a shame that having a cartoon called Mighty Mouse in 1944 doesn't count for anything.
Also, Man & Machine sounds like a porn site, not a peripheral manufacturer.
how ??? lol
Man & Machine sounds like a Discovery Channel show, or a New Terminator Movie, even an College Course on Sociology, but porn?
It counts for products that are related to a cartoon show about a super hero (lunchboxes, bedsheets, capes, and such), but to get trademark rights in a computer peripheral, you have to actually sell it as a computer peripheral. Man & Machine did that first, so they won.
I have to wonder what use the rumored multitouch mouse would have. I like my wireless MM as it is, and every time I've tried the different touch gestures on the new MacBooks at the store, I've found it to be less intuitive for me. Physically pushing into the trackpad to click things, as well as swiping multiple fingers in different combinations to control windows, just seems odd. I use basic Expose functions and I'm happy with it.
Yes, I'll probably get one when it comes out... my trackball keeps clogging up anyway.
Who cares anyway?
Not even a Chinese KIRF company would use such a stupid name as "Mighty Mouse".
I guess CBS (owners of THE Mighty Mouse) is laughing all the way to the bank after all those licensing deals.
the pen is mightier than the mouse. That's why WinMo 6.5 rocks.
I LOVE Apple computers, iPods and the iPhone. The mighty mouse, however, is absolutely horrible. I don't mind the squeezy keys on the side. I actually think that's ok(ish). The scroll ball is horrible. The shape isn't great. My wireless one stopped working pretty quick. Logitech make my favourite mice. Once you get used to a Wacom tablet, it's hard to go back to mice, though.
Looks zest fully clean. Don't drop it.
Apple mice isn´t a big deal
But does prototypes from microsoft are like mutantes mice.
Who cares a company like microsoft is only big interest is sell. profits,sell ,profits,sell,profits.sell profits,sell,profits.
Who cares companys like hp toshiba acer dell sony for mention some , is only interest is make cheap products and make profits.
Does microsoft really cares about the consumer experience with the product ??? NO ,their interest is to see how many w7 licences they sold, even if the consumer copy some millions is still a lot PROFIT for them. WHATS IMPORTANT IS THE SALES NUMBER
Does hp dell asus sony etc cares about the consumer experience with the product,???NO their interest is to give to the consumer the lowest price possible , the most cheap material they can get , doesnt matter if is from taiwan, china , quality cheap, design cheap , durability cheap, reliability cheap cheap cheap cheap cheap, doesnt matter if the customer is happy with it or not , or if the product works fine. WHAT CARES IS SALES NUMBER
Does apple cares about the consumer experience with the product ??? YES THEY DO, first of all they give support , apples stores have cost that others companys dont have , products with better quality ,better durability ,better design , green products, user friendly, apple listen the needs of their clients, their upgrades in the products are made after they listen the consumer needs and complains , where they can improve.
in apple they care what the user think, and they working hard for give you the best product ALLWAYS.
apple profit matters but is not the most important ,the most important is YOU , CUSTOMER FIRST.
bring back the puck mouse!
and i agree, i haven't used a proper mouse since i got a wacom tablet either. i dont know if i'd want to
LMAO - the irony! Since Apple keeps hitting on any company who uses an 'apple' in their logo, like the NYC green/recycling logo and the recent Australian Woolworths logo. Looks like they got a dose of their own medicine this time.
Dear Nilay Patel,
I want to be with you. Yes, this is a figure of speech. Thanks for being awesome. Hopefully we can be friends.
Kind regards,
Tinez
Mighty Rat
iMouse
Apple Mouse
Mouse with no Buttons
I sometimes feel copyright does more harm than good.
This is it!
Finally!
Plan of Approach:
1) Sue Apple
2) Say no to any offers Apple will give
3) Force Apple to stop production of their mighty mouse
4) Force Apple to remove all stock of their mighty mouse
5) Force Apple to stop all sales of their mighty mouse
6) Force Apple to call back all sold mighty mouse's (mice?)
7) Profit for everyone (except apple)....
Boy is Apple's Mightymouse the worst mouse in history...
It's a great mouse for about three months, then the ball gets gummed up and it's a pain in the neck.
I've been rocking a Logitech laptop mouse ever since I dumped my Mac.
worst mice/mouses ever?
Apple should trademark theirs as the Carpal Mouse in honor of it's functional benefits.
(and by functional I don't mean what you can do with it, but what extended use of it will do to your wrist, hand and arm)
I vote for iRAT
CultMouse
MytiMouse
Gummed-up Rollerball with a Halfway Decent Mouse
PodMouse
Apple iMouse
iMighty iMouse
I think there should be a vote. Which mouse sucks the most?
This one. Maybe a bottom 10 list?
If the mac n trash mice only have one button then why do macs support the 2 button microsoft mouse?
The right button behaves exactly the same on both mac and pc?