Google files for Nexus One trademark

The mystery of the Nexus One continues to grow ever deeper, but we can pretty much confirm Google's planning to sell something under that name: the search giant filed an intent-to-use trademark application for "Nexus One" on December 10th, and in order to be granted the trademark registration it'll have to use the mark in commerce at some point in the future. Now, don't get too carried away -- sure, that could mean free unlocked GSM Android sets for all, but it could also just mean Google's planning to sell the Nexus One as its next-gen Android Developer Phone. Considering everything we've heard points to the device being limited to T-Mobile 3G, we'd say the developer phone theory is still the most likely, but it's all up in the air until Google provides a sample of the Nexus One mark being used in commerce to the USPTO -- or, better yet, announces something official.

Update: Ruh roh. As we're sure you're aware, the "Nexus" name is a riff on Philip K. Dick's Nexus-6 replicants in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? and ultimately in Blade Runner -- and his estate is none too pleased that Google's using it without permission. According to the New York Times, Dick's daughter -- who is in charge of licensing his work -- was never told of Google's plans, and she's contacted the lawyers now that she's found out. We're guessing Google can still make nice though: she says she would have been open to an agreement had contact been made earlier. So... let's get on that, guys.

[Thanks, Amit]

[N900 Posted Dec 15th 2009 6:14PM]

@ChazClout It struck me as odd, because the device didn't even come out yet. One of the analysts claimed this device will be "yet another iPhone killer". Why do people always jump to that term? There's no such thing as an "iPhone killer". It's just another term that competitive douches throw around to totally mindfuck the general public's opinion of new devices and their correlation/similarity to others. Fuck FOX.

[ChazClout Posted Dec 15th 2009 6:27PM]

@N900
I agree and I'm also bored of the "iphone killer" moniker. Why does everything have to kill the iPhone ffs?

Hardware specification wise the iPhone isn't that hard to beat really so I'm completely unsure at what point a handset "kills" the iphone.

[Munk Posted Dec 15th 2009 5:57PM]

Wasnt SE calling its UX layer on the X10 Nexus?

[amrkvati Posted Dec 15th 2009 6:01PM]

is this the tegrandroid phone that i have been seeking?

[Troll Posted Dec 15th 2009 6:04PM]

"the mystery of the Nexus One continues to grow ever deeper"

here, ill break the mystery. its a piece of plastic with android on it. something you never seen before right?

[VICNYSE Posted Dec 15th 2009 6:05PM]

@TheCodexAlera I AGREE 1000%

[flux73 Posted Dec 15th 2009 6:05PM]

I'll bet the phone sells for under $100 and possibly even free. Google subsidizes an instantly huge Android market (recoups money easily on ads and app development), mobile carriers are fine with it because then they don't have to, and consumers are happy b/c then they can choose whoever they want and not have to be tied down by a contract. Apple should be VERY worried at this point.

[cyclepipe Posted Dec 16th 2009 1:32AM]

@flux73 Dirty hippie. lol

All kidding aside, I want utopia too. It just seems like whenever there is a possibility of convergence on the scale you've described, something mucks it up. As a commenter wrote when the pics of the bravo came out, "I'm rubbing my temples with the positive vibration necessary to bring this to fruition." I'm paraphrasing but you get the point.

[flux73 Posted Dec 16th 2009 4:35AM]

@cyclepipe Don't misunderstand me. This wouldn't be a feel good hippie move. This would be brilliant business move by Google. Why wouldn't they subsidize the phones themselves? It would ensure mass penetration and setup and instant base of users who then click on ads and/or buy apps. It also pushes the yahoo and hotmail holdouts over to gmail. After that, they can kick back and let handset makers improve upon the Nexus One and let them have the market back after they've given it a massive jumpstart. After all, Google is a software company. The only interest they have in hardware is to increase the adoption of their software.

[fourthletter Posted Dec 16th 2009 7:28PM]

@flux73

That's just a dream you had last night unless you can show your working out.

[bioadam Posted Dec 15th 2009 6:06PM]

I do loves me some trademark applications. Note the date. Google just beat out the rampant fury of the blogosphere to retain all priority over this name.

[awfulwaffle Posted Dec 15th 2009 6:22PM]

@AdrianGazz interesting. these pics are coming from here.

www.thenexusone.com

http://tweetphoto.com/6492383

[N900 Posted Dec 15th 2009 6:25PM]

@AdrianGazz HA, the power of Photoshop!

-1 million

[AdrianGazz Posted Dec 15th 2009 6:27PM]

@awfulwaffle There Posting a video soon

[hfm Posted Dec 15th 2009 7:17PM]

So the world might be mended... So the world might be mended...

[DingoJunior Posted Dec 15th 2009 7:18PM]

What claim could Philip K. Dick's estate possibly have? Nexus is just a word that means connection or communication - perfect name for a phone. Big deal that Philip K. Dick also used that word as part of the name of a series of androids in a novel.

[DingoJunior Posted Dec 15th 2009 7:19PM]

@DingoJunior Sorry, meant to say that Nexus means a POINT of connection or communication...

[TedJ Posted Dec 15th 2009 8:06PM]

@DingoJunior

I have to agree with you here. A dictionary word combined with a number isn't a strong case for trademark violation. You'll note that no one associated with Google has linked the name to the work of Philip K. Dick, that's been left to the speculation of the various tech blogs and news sites.

[sweet greggo Posted Dec 15th 2009 10:47PM]

@DingoJunior

George Lucas successfully trademarked a nickname. Anything is possible.

[dreamsource Posted Dec 15th 2009 7:38PM]

The Borg NEXUS was a class of starbase that was employed by the Borg Collective
................taken form Star trek wiki

[ChicagoPete Posted Dec 15th 2009 10:14PM]

Nevermind that wonderful/evil ribbon of energy in Generations

[madvad Posted Dec 15th 2009 8:55PM]

I'd be shocked to find out that this trademark/copyright issue (not sure whether Phillip K. Dick ever had a trademark on "nexus no.", or just a copyright by nature of the novel) slipped through Google's IP counsel's fingers. This is the same bunch that had Google remove multi-touch from the official release of their software in the US lest they be harassed by Apple's shacky multi-touch patent portfolio, which didn't stop Palm btw.

[Information Central Posted Dec 15th 2009 9:46PM]

Nexus is a regular word in the English language. Sue away, frivolous dolts.

Main Entry: nex·us
Pronunciation: \ˈnek-səs\
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural nex·us·es \-sə-səz\ or nex·us \-səs, -ˌsüs\
Etymology: Latin, from nectere to bind
Date: 1663

1 : connection, link; also : a causal link
2 : a connected group or series
3 : center, focus

[gymnasiumadnauseum Posted Dec 15th 2009 10:41PM]

yeah, there is no case here. nexus is an old, old word (1650ish origin). and if pkd's moneygrubbing daughter wants publicity, its real easy: take all of dicks stories that are currently OUT OF PRINT and put em out physically or electronically. cant find many of his books anywhere, and she wants to throw a fit about a reference. agh.

[mpv Posted Dec 16th 2009 12:27AM]

@gymnasiumadnauseum

Exactly... anyone can make a claim (no matter how frivolous) -- it just means paying a lawyer to write a letter -- but the Dick estate would have argue that Google is attempting to piggyback off the substantial fame enjoyed by their widely celebrated "Nexus" character (...as if). So I don't think they have much juice, and certainly not enough to inspire a judge to grant an injunction against Google (but note, I'm not an IP lawyer) (or any kind).

I doubt they intend to file a suit, though (unless they have adventurous counsel) -- they're probably just making noise, hoping Google will cough up some dough to settle.

[gusgorman Posted Dec 15th 2009 11:05PM]

Nexus is Latin for a convergence isn't it? Hardly a word Dick came up with himself.

[xyvyx Posted Dec 15th 2009 11:37PM]

not sure Dick's daughter has some exclusive rights on the word "nexus", last time I checked, it was in the dictionary before it showed up in Bladerunner.

That said, I think this is pretty cool... get a bunch of employees using this thing & we're bound to get more & better updates, fixes & features for Android b/c of it. Who cares if they sell THIS particular device... maybe Nexus One is more of a platform name like Centrino. ie: you build a phone that can run Android & meets a certain set of standards & you can wear the Nexus label. *shrug*

[cyclepipe Posted Dec 16th 2009 1:26AM]

I think the Dick estate's position is flaccid (couldn't resist), I don't remember any mention of a "NEXUS ONE" in the film or the book. Also the word "ONE" has a substantially different look to it as opposed to the hyphenated, numerical form in P.K. Dick's work. The name has associations with the film, but it's far from blatant. I'm stopping before I get into a tirade about our saturated legal system and sue happy society.

[gymnasiumadnauseum Posted Dec 16th 2009 3:43AM]

@cyclepipe

nexus one name is kinda bothersome actually, if it IS even a br reference. that means that we have to wait for the sixth iteration before its any good, and by then itll have a four year lifespan (ok not a big deal for cellphones) but it will also try to kill us/return itself to google.

[nexusone Posted Dec 16th 2009 6:19PM]

The boot-up time looks to be nearly identical to the Droid.

http://www.nexusoneforum.net

[fourthletter Posted Dec 16th 2009 7:30PM]

It's a developer phone, seriously do we have to spend the next week reading about all this speculation on every tech site on the internet ?

[ohwut Posted Jan 6th 2010 10:06PM]

Clearly the next phone will be the Pylon One, Followed by Gateway One. Clearly the Android Phone division is run by national athletes from Korea.