That was easy: Apple buys iPad trademark from Fujitsu

There's no indication as to what sort of wildness went on behind closed doors, but Apple is now the proud new owner of a slightly used "iPad" trademark. Fujitsu, who filed for ownership in March of 2003 to cover a Windows CE device for point-of-sale, doesn't seem to have put up much of a fight, and after a mere seven years of ownership (with a bit of a hazy period in 2009) has assigned the name to Apple. We don't know why, but we assume a nice pile of cash, or maybe some somehow legitimate legal threats as well, had something to do with it. This is all well and good, particularly for any iPad pre-orderers afraid they'd have to scratch off the iPad branding if Apple failed to score the name, but like we said in January when Fujitsu was still asserting its ownership of the mark: why can't Apple ever learn to have these conversations ahead of time?

[1q2w3e4r Posted Mar 26th 2010 4:50PM]

ok and ....

[sonola777 Posted Mar 26th 2010 5:36PM]

@1q2w3e4r ...why comment.

[seanGadget Posted Mar 26th 2010 5:40PM]

@sonola777
oh the irony..

[BrianH Posted Mar 26th 2010 5:48PM]

@1q2w3e4r

well, honestly, the post is boring without a $$ figure.

[d889 Posted Mar 26th 2010 4:51PM]

yawn

[Frankenstein Black Posted Mar 26th 2010 5:05PM]

@d889 - Exactly!

First Cisco now Fujitsu. Apple should just trademark i.* and be done with it. Sayin...

[FORDY Posted Mar 26th 2010 5:15PM]

@Frankenstein Black
Doesn't work like that, they can't. @Nilay Patel will tell you ;)

On a side note, they didn't already have it?! o_O

[horchata Posted Mar 26th 2010 5:37PM]

@Frankenstein Black

Yes, I believe Steve will come to own the "i(Suffix)" patent if he already doesn't.

[Edobe Posted Mar 26th 2010 4:51PM]

So they Fujitsu a heap of cash to use that stupid a** name.

[tonyunreal Posted Mar 26th 2010 5:02PM]

@Edobe
I think Fujitsu accidentally the whole name to Apple.

[Edobe Posted Mar 26th 2010 5:17PM]

@tonyunreal XD
I meant to say : they *gave fujitsu

[pukerocket Posted Mar 26th 2010 5:22PM]

@Lord Vader

I find your incorrect use of the apostrophe disturbing

[d0mth0ma5 Posted Mar 26th 2010 5:31PM]

@pukerocket Not as disturbing as your understanding of singulars and plurals.

[pukerocket Posted Mar 26th 2010 5:39PM]

@d0mth0ma5

Can I recommend you look up the dictionary then come back and apologise for being stupid?

See you soon, kid

[MikeP Posted Mar 26th 2010 5:51PM]

@pukerocket You are wrong; he is right.

[d0mth0ma5 Posted Mar 26th 2010 5:59PM]

@pukerocket @Lord Vader said that he found @tonyunreal's sentence to be lacking in sense and thought this was disturbing. Singular sentence therefore the apostrophe goes after the e and before the s.

[pukerocket Posted Mar 26th 2010 7:28PM]

@MikeP

Wow. Such stupidity. Did you even bother to check a dictionary?

[pukerocket Posted Mar 26th 2010 7:29PM]

@d0mth0ma5

Only problem there is sentences does not have an apostrophe

[d0mth0ma5 Posted Mar 26th 2010 7:42PM]

@pukerocket Anyone want to provide some corroboration on this issue either way. If i'm wrong i'll happily admit to it and learn from it. I think it is the gracious way that you present your comments which is endearing you to those who reply.

[MikeP Posted Mar 26th 2010 10:50PM]

@pukerocket So gracious. Really. It's a pleasure to deal with someone who is so considerate of others

First, I don't think you know the definition of dictionary. Ironic, but let's move on. Second, in Lord Vader's comment, the word sentence is what one would call a possessive noun, and the apostrophe is appropriate. Given the size of this comment box, I'll have to leave the rest as an exercise to the reader, and just say that you should set down the dictionary, pick up a good grammar reference and work it out.

[wrathkind Posted Mar 26th 2010 10:58PM]

@pukerocket

re: "Only problem there is sentences does not have an apostrophe"

Lord Vader used the word "sentence" in a possessive way, which does require an apostrophe. He did not used the plural "sentences" at all. His statement is constructed in the same manner as "I find PukeRocket's lack of sense disturbing."

[onlymyrailgun Posted Mar 27th 2010 1:41AM]

@Lord Vader
I find your failure to use a sentencing-ending period disturbing.

@wrathkind
You used the past simple/past participle form of "use" in place of the non-finite form of the verb in your comment. You have failed me for the last time, [senator].

Don't we all just love grammar (Nazi/) Empire scums?

[wrathkind Posted Mar 27th 2010 2:55AM]

@onlymyrailgun

Yes I saw my grammatical error only after I submitted the comment. It's clearly a typographical mistake. It doesn't change what I was explaining. I was sincerely trying to clarify to pukerocket what was happening, without snarkiness; but thanks for your unhelpful retort.

[wrathkind Posted Mar 27th 2010 3:11AM]

@onlymyrailgun

Oh lol! I just realized that I used PukeRocket instead of Edobe as the example for reconstructing Lord Vader's sentence. I guess that might come off as snarky, but that was unintentional. Sorry.

Nonetheless, me using "used" by mistake is no worse than you using "sentencing-ending"! Clearly a typo. Thanks!

[onlymyrailgun Posted Mar 27th 2010 3:13AM]

@wrathkind
Haha, good catch.

[MrPointedHelix Posted Mar 27th 2010 8:19AM]

@Lord Vader bomb for us set up someone?

[SuperMuna Posted Mar 26th 2010 4:52PM]

iPad is a stupid name.

Also, Fujitsu should not have sold it to them.

[southern78 Posted Mar 26th 2010 4:52PM]

Magical purchase

[who said what Posted Mar 26th 2010 4:52PM]

Fujitsu never would have wanted that name anyway! :)
It's just glad that it had it in it's possession to sell!

[commenter7 Posted Mar 26th 2010 4:53PM]

@reader1

Hardly

[Son Goku Posted Mar 26th 2010 4:53PM]

Triumph: For me to POOP ON!!!!!!!!

[who said what Posted Mar 26th 2010 4:53PM]

@reader1 Till this date I used to read your comments and ignore. But today I can't help but ask... are you Ive?

[glamajamma Posted Mar 26th 2010 4:54PM]

If everyone gets an eyepad we will all be running around like pirates!

ARRRGGGHHH! ITS DRIVIN' ME NUTS!

[Son Goku Posted Mar 26th 2010 4:54PM]

Steve Jobs took Luca Brasi to negotiate with Fujitsu.

[Darkseider Posted Mar 26th 2010 4:56PM]

"iPaid"

[Dr Blight Posted Mar 26th 2010 5:21PM]

@Darkseider

...too much money for this iPad.

[KAL326 Posted Mar 26th 2010 5:29PM]

@Darkseider Trademark infringement issues? There's some cash for that, yep there's cash for just about...anything....

[iPad2010 Posted Mar 26th 2010 4:57PM]

Yay!! I did two flips

[happycamperjack Posted Mar 26th 2010 4:57PM]

One word: camera. Apple worked with fujitsu before to create a apple digital cam If anyone remember. it's a perfect time for apple to come in with a digital cam that can be synced with ipad acting as it's cam or iPhone.

[godsAngryTesticles Posted Mar 26th 2010 4:57PM]

I should trademark "iSue"


then try to sue everyone that's suing everyone else.

[d0mth0ma5 Posted Mar 26th 2010 5:08PM]

@godsAngryTesticles Prepare for a counter-suit by 3.6 million women (and one boy) named Sue.

[mrjaggs Posted Mar 26th 2010 4:59PM]

@reader1

How'd an apple fanboi get first post??! Shame...

[acegilbert Posted Mar 26th 2010 5:03PM]

Toshiba gave them the trademark. In return, Steve Jobs, agreed to continue NOT offering Blu-ray drives.

[d0mth0ma5 Posted Mar 26th 2010 5:05PM]

@mrjaggs http://www.engadget.com/search/?q=apple&sort=date and both "cmd" and "r" worn to the base of the keyboard.

[Lord Vader Posted Mar 26th 2010 5:07PM]

It was too easy....

[Broderbund Posted Mar 26th 2010 5:07PM]

So they announce products with whatever names they want and then go for the trademark?

[d0mth0ma5 Posted Mar 26th 2010 5:10PM]

@Broderbund everyone wins, they get their name and even more column inches whilst the original owner get a big pile of iMoney (which Apple doesn't own, yet)

[pukerocket Posted Mar 26th 2010 5:13PM]

@Broderbund

Yeah, they had no idea that name was trademarked, executives of competing companies don't ever speak to each other, and no-one has lawyers!

They just picked the name out of a hat and hoped for the best.

All the above is a lie

[UnixSystemsEngineer Posted Mar 26th 2010 5:17PM]

@Broderbund
I've always wondered this too. It's possible that Apple likes the extra PR on these things, but I'm not sure it gets enough media coverage to be worth the fact that the owner of the trademark has Apple over a barrel as far as terms. They can extract a much bigger payout once Apple's already committed to using the name.

It's also possible Steve Jobs just ignores everyone in the room and says "this is what we're calling it, I don't care what your objections are, just MAKE IT HAPPEN" and they pay whatever necessary.

[pukerocket Posted Mar 26th 2010 5:21PM]

@UnixSystemsEngineer

I'm pretty sure the latter is 100% accurate ;)