Wee bit of trouble: Nintendo can't trademark 'Wii Remote'
Oh, woe is Wii. Sure, Nintendo's latest console is printing money, but it has a little problem on – or, rather, in – its hands: the US Patent Office has suspended a request by the company to issue a trademark for the "Wii Remote."
GamePolitics reports the application was put on hold due to the fact that "remote" is such a widely-used term, but the USPTO is willing to compromise. As long as the word "remote" is always preceeded by the word "Wii" (in all marketing, manuals, etc.) and Nintendo admits it holds no trademark on the word "remote," the government will reconsider.
Why not just go with "Wiimote," something that we (not Wii) and, well, everyone else have been calling it from day one? GamePolitics points out that Nintendo did, in fact, try for that one – only to learn that a Florida company markets a TV remote for children under the name "Weemote." D'oh. Perhaps Nintendo could take this opportunity to re-brand the controller? Think of the possibilities: the "WaggleWand," the "GameBaton," the ... "Einhänder!" Oh, wait. Why don't you give it a shot? (And, as the Superintendent says, "Keep it clean!")
