n'Gadgets store has us pondering a name change, new line of business

Engadget's iconic and recognizable logo has a long history of being used in unauthorized ways. We should probably be appalled or something, but we'll leave that to the lawyers -- because we can't help but find it amusing. This time around, it's Batteries n'Gadgets -- a store at a mall in Toronto -- that saw fit to take liberties with our logo. Nice work, Canada!

[Thanks, David]

[Alexicov Posted Jan 2nd 2010 9:34PM]

So you guys gonna start reviewing those new batteries that all the hype is about?

[liftedngifted1 Posted Jan 2nd 2010 9:37PM]

@Alexicov Its Like Nokia Vs. Apple

[OCEAN CLAK Posted Jan 2nd 2010 10:07PM]

@Alexicov

will they send their lawyers to the store apple styles and shut it down

[Konrad Posted Jan 2nd 2010 10:16PM]

@Slutty McNugget

your name is amazing in a way I cannot describe.

[isotrex Posted Jan 2nd 2010 10:33PM]

@Slutty McNugget
LOL @ your name, the pic and the article.
Can't help but wonder, is there no original idea left in this world?

[Alexicov Posted Jan 2nd 2010 10:35PM]

@Slutty McNugget

I think my best friend just got a new nickname thanks to you!

[MrMadness Posted Jan 2nd 2010 10:46PM]

@Alexicov

This is the most backwards assumption you all can make.

Here's wtf is really going.

In Canada Radioshack got rebranded as "The Source" when it was bought by Intertan.

http://www.thesource.ca/
Have a look at the logo. Clearly that is what they are copying.

This store is a direct clone of "The Source" which was formerly known as Radioshack (still is in the U.S.A)

What now engadget? The Source is now owned by Bell, who has big bad lawyers themselves.

[Steve2000 Posted Jan 2nd 2010 10:51PM]

@Alexicov

Your theft was probably subconscious but 'n Gadget has been around a lot longer than engadget. Sorry.

[N900 Posted Jan 2nd 2010 11:14PM]

@jon

"Joshua Topolsky Posted Jan 2nd 2010 10:41PM
@farsideoff Let's make a deal. We'll decide what's breaking news and who's ripping off our logo, and you just keep complaining about it in comments. Deal?"

It didn't sound like he was joking when he typed that. Anyways, your comment is a fall on deaf ears. Just ignore it. After all, the internet is serious business.

[jon Posted Jan 2nd 2010 11:29PM]

@N900

Frankly, it sounds exactly like he was joking to me.
That combined with, "...because we can't help but find it amusing.", and "Nice work, Canada!"
Should make this whole thing pretty hard to take seriously.
Not to mention the fairly light-hearted tone all the other logo infringement articles have taken.

I just feel bad for the clueless.

[N900 Posted Jan 2nd 2010 11:49PM]

@jon Very true (and I'm JUST now getting those implications you mentioned in their article and ones of the past, lol)

But you know, there's this weird vibe between the public and the editors that's been getting worse since the Google Incident. Some people take a lot of things seriously around these parts. I mean look at me down there; I thought they were being paranoid, and now I see it was just a misconception. I wouldn't call them clueless......maybe...over-reactive?

[garrenteed Posted Jan 2nd 2010 11:52PM]

I think they're safe. There are only 2 (green i think) waves coming off vs. engadget's 3, there is a dot in the "g," and "n'gadgets" is a completely different word(s) and font than "engadget."

[jon Posted Jan 2nd 2010 11:56PM]

@N900

What Google incident are you referring to?

As far as labels go, you're nicer than I am.
I'll stick with clueless and stupid. Maybe ignorant, if I'm feeling generous.;)

[Steve2000 Posted Jan 3rd 2010 12:15AM]

@garrenteed I wasn't joking when I said that Batteries N' gadgets has been around since at least '86 in Canada.

[N900 Posted Jan 3rd 2010 12:18AM]

@jon This one here http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/hey-google-failing-to-spellcheck-android-2-0-can-have-undesir/

Before the camera firmware was released for the Droid, this version had shown a misspelled message whenever you tried to force quit the Finance application. Many people got upset and claimed that Engadget was no better than Google was, and when the editors tried to explain themselves, they got downvoted to hell. Ultimately it lead to Josh removing the rank buttons. This was actually the final straw for that occasion since there was an article back before that where Thomas and Chris expressed their opinion of capacitive over resistive screens and each also got downvoted. There's been this whole vibe going on ever since.

In fact, scroll to the page where I quoted Josh's comment. Read and observe.

[jon Posted Jan 3rd 2010 12:37AM]

@N900

Ah, I missed that one. Probably because when I saw a post about spelling errors, I moved the hell on.

As to Josh's post in this thread, I saw that. It's like kindergarten.

[sweet greggo Posted Jan 3rd 2010 12:21PM]

@jon

Of course that comment no longer exists. I swear, it's like a buncha over zealous dweebs running a BBS around here. So many egos from so many self conscious people. Man, high school must have been rough.

[jon Posted Jan 3rd 2010 1:59PM]

@sweet greggo

Actually, I thought Josh's comment was funny. His next response too.
When I said Kindergarten, I was referring to the, pathetic, self-righteous, indignation in the replies to was obviously a joke.

[Northred Posted Jan 4th 2010 8:26PM]

@Alexicov

I love when some shit happens in Toronto, Montreal or Nunavut Americans always group it into "canada" and blame the whole nation....

[Switchbitch Posted Jan 5th 2010 12:30AM]

While we're on the subject....

http://www.carpetone.com/

[jol Posted Jan 2nd 2010 9:35PM]

Oh come on, it's a gadget store in Canada.

[ZacharyTG Posted Jan 2nd 2010 10:20PM]

@jol What is that supposed to mean?

[noodles2k Posted Jan 2nd 2010 10:34PM]

@ZacharyTG it means it's a gadget store, and it's in canada...

[FallenArms3 Posted Jan 2nd 2010 10:47PM]

@jol Canada is on a different planet, so copyright rules don't apply.

[paul34 Posted Jan 2nd 2010 11:44PM]

@jol

There's also a store right past the security checkpoints in PHL (Philadelphia international) with your logo, Engadget.

[jareth86 Posted Jan 3rd 2010 2:03AM]

I never knew Engadget had a copyright on the RSS logo :/

[Andir Posted Jan 3rd 2010 2:31AM]

@jareth86 I never knew you could "copyright" a logo... Isn't that a matter for the trademark folks?

[xbit Posted Jan 2nd 2010 9:36PM]

If only there was a country that we could place the blame on...

[jon Posted Jan 2nd 2010 11:09PM]

@xbit

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOzG7bBylRo

[Zorque Posted Jan 4th 2010 4:16AM]

@jon
yep, that was the joke, thank you

[Blackwheel Posted Jan 2nd 2010 9:37PM]

I don't know about this one guys... this could honestly be a coincidence.

[jcpb Posted Jan 2nd 2010 10:00PM]

@Blackwheel
Evidenced by how much people cared when they saw a store name with a trademarked, very-well-known image of Japan Railways, and used that image to sell unlocked cellphones.

I wish I was joking.

[VjSky Posted Jan 2nd 2010 10:07PM]

@Blackwheel
Yeah, you became oversensitive now. It is not even the same font, yes it is blue and there are those signal bars ( oh my god, even apple stole them ;) ) but it is not a ripoff. You guys just sue each others over everything these days

[daytripper Posted Jan 2nd 2010 11:07PM]

@Blackwheel
Yeah, that angled "e" would totally cause this case to get thrown out of any court.

[Chazdorf Posted Jan 2nd 2010 11:37PM]

@daytripper

Or that it's plural. O.o

[N900 Posted Jan 2nd 2010 9:37PM]

You sure you're not being paranoid?

[achievegreen Posted Jan 2nd 2010 10:20PM]

Def @N900. I think they are laying claim to signal bars and a font. Both of which aren't exclusive to Engadget.

[Marcham89 Posted Jan 2nd 2010 9:37PM]

Silly Canadians...

[ZacharyTG Posted Jan 2nd 2010 10:19PM]

@Marcham89 As a Canadian, I can say that we are not silly.

[FallenArms3 Posted Jan 2nd 2010 10:51PM]

@ZacharyTG Hehe, silly Canadian.

[jon Posted Jan 2nd 2010 11:11PM]

@ZacharyTG

Certainly not Scott, he's a dick.

[rivengle Posted Jan 2nd 2010 11:39PM]

@ZacharyTG Um, actually I think thats a WiFi symbol that's just been turned a bit. WOOT FELLOW CANADIAN! istillhatewalmart.

[Slurms MacKenzie Posted Jan 2nd 2010 11:57PM]

@Marcham89

Ehh... Gadget store in Toronto? I don't think you can pin this on a Canadian citizen... No offence, but odds are...

[Brent2475 Posted Jan 2nd 2010 9:37PM]

Those Bastards...

[Eduardo Posted Jan 2nd 2010 11:18PM]

@Brent2475 They killed Kenny?

[sweet greggo Posted Jan 2nd 2010 9:38PM]

I don't get it.

[jrocka Posted Jan 2nd 2010 9:38PM]

SUUEE!

[Mr Oos Posted Jan 2nd 2010 9:38PM]

You guys are starting to sound like Apple...

[HighestRanked Posted Jan 2nd 2010 10:00PM]

@Mr Oos hmm I don't understand, should company logos be public domain, free for use by any one and everyone? Should companies have no legal right to retain and own the symbol that represents their company?

[Mr Oos Posted Jan 2nd 2010 10:18PM]

@HighestRanked

Well clearly that's what trademarks are for. But sometimes certain companies can go a little overboard in protecting what they claim is their name, likeness, logo, etc. For the record, I don't actually think Engadget is really that bad, and from what I recall from similar posts in the past, Engadget handles these matters in an equitable way, and surely recognizes that imitation is quite possibly the sincerest form of flattery (or ignorance).