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Author Topic: Google trademarks targeted by kids\' site Googles  (Read 299 times)

savvy1

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Google trademarks targeted by kids\' site Googles
« on: January 01, 1970, 12:00:00 am »
I caught the very end of this story on CNN this evening, but apparently there\'s a children\'s site called Googles.com that owns the Trademark for the word Google  and there\'s a suit brewing over it.




SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Stelor Productions, the operator of a children\'s Web site called Googles.com, said on Wednesday it has launched trademark proceedings against Web search leader Google Inc., which is preparing a much-awaited initial public offering.

Stelor, based in Darnestown, Maryland, said it filed two separate actions against Google with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Stelor, which charges that Google\'s mark is confusingly similar to its own, is opposing Google\'s trademark application to cover a \"long list of \'Google\' goods and services, including children\'s books, stickers and children\'s clothing.\"




http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsChanne...pe=internetNews
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polarmate

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Google trademarks targeted by kids\' site Googles
« Reply #1 on: January 01, 1970, 12:00:00 am »
Did anyone click through to the web site of Stelor Productions?
quote:Management  
 
  Stelor Productions\' home office is based in Darnestown, Maryland. The Board is composed of seven investors who are active in setting a strategic direction for the Company. Stelor Productions currently employs three full-time and two part-time people while outsourcing other services.
I wonder if \'strategic direction\' includes identifying companies with overlapping/similar trademarks. Sorry but I am truly cynical.

When did Stelor buy Googles? Why did they really buy it? Why did they wait till Google announced their IPO to sue?

quote:Stelor acquired the intellectual property rights to The Googles from Goo, a compelling and attractive intellectual property designed to enlighten, entertain, educate, and develop children\'s skill levels by serving the children\'s/youth market with powerful and uplifting children\'s products.  
 
  Stelor Productions was formed to develop this outstanding but under-managed intellectual property created by Steven A. Silvers that had been assigned to the Florida-based, Aurora Collection, Inc. Stelor Productions purchased the license rights from Aurora and has renegotiated a revised, exclusive intellectual property license with its creator.  
 
  Given the special nature of the story and the aspects of its cause-driven themes, the Googles are packed with merchandising potential aimed at young audiences. Stelor Productions will present highly entertaining products to the market with important social and environmental messages having worldwide appeal, thus creating an enduring legacy. In so doing, Stelor Productions believes that the Googles characters and storyline can create significant licensing income.  
 
  Stelor Productions will later explore the formation of a wholly-owned subsidiary, which would act as a direct sales entity, to bring to market specified consumable items as well as high-end educational toys in a format designed to increase market awareness of the Googles characters.
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ihelpyou

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Google trademarks targeted by kids\' site Googles
« Reply #2 on: January 01, 1970, 12:00:00 am »
Yeah, funny they have waited to \"6 years\" to finally try and do something about it.

Check that www.googles.com site. Notice you cannot do \"anything\" at all in it unless/until you actually register on the website. My goodness, that\'s pretty darn bold and arrogant of them, isn\'t it? Making kids register first before they can click into the games and the site. I would think they would allow kids to try out and play a little bit first before having to register.
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polarmate

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Google trademarks targeted by kids\' site Googles
« Reply #3 on: January 01, 1970, 12:00:00 am »
It\'s 100% anti-kids to do that. Personally, I don\'t think kids should have to register on any web site. That is leading towards collecting data from kids which I think is very dangerous.
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savvy1

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Google trademarks targeted by kids\' site Googles
« Reply #4 on: January 01, 1970, 12:00:00 am »
According to whois, Googles.com was registered July 18, 1997.
According to whois, Google.com was registered Sept. 15, 1997.

So, Googles.com was the first one and were in existance a full 2 months before Google.com.

Their [googles.com] claim is, that they have tried to resolve this with Google for the past 6 years and cannot even get a dialog with them as apparently their requests to deal with this issue have fallen on deaf ears at Google.com.

I agree Manisha, they shouldn\'t make kids register. You\'d think that requiring this would be in violation of the COPPA laws.
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loki

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Google trademarks targeted by kids\' site Googles
« Reply #5 on: January 01, 1970, 12:00:00 am »
notwithstanding a website with questionable usability and kids\' ethics, googles.com would seem to have a fair claim.

that they\'ve been ignored for 6 years makes it *more* valid, not less, IMO.
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savvy1

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Google trademarks targeted by kids\' site Googles
« Reply #6 on: January 01, 1970, 12:00:00 am »
No, being Incorporated does not give rights to Trademark.

According to different material I\'ve read, and researched, you can establish legal \"rights to\" Trademark, by first usage.

This would mean, hence googles.com had first usage, they therefore have met the burden of \"rights to\" trademark.

I agree with the comments made by Loki.
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polarmate

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Google trademarks targeted by kids\' site Googles
« Reply #7 on: January 01, 1970, 12:00:00 am »
quote:This would mean, hence googles.com had first usage, they therefore have met the burden of \"rights to\" trademark.
Because of the date on which the domain googles.com was registered?
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savvy1

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Google trademarks targeted by kids\' site Googles
« Reply #8 on: January 01, 1970, 12:00:00 am »
I just read the article saying Googles was Trademarked by the Goo guy in 1997 (the Goo guy is the creator of the Googles characters which were copyright sold in 2000 to googles.com which had already been established in 1997)

Every place is covering this now: MSNBC story, ZDNet News, Miami Herald, Modbee (BBC News), Washington Post
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savvy1

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Google trademarks targeted by kids\' site Googles
« Reply #9 on: January 01, 1970, 12:00:00 am »
Sorry, the links for the Miami Herald & Washington Post are showing the \"register now\" pages ... to read them, click the link to the articles from inside the Google SERPs here:


http://news.google.com/news?q=googl...F-8&sa=N&tab=nn
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polarmate

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Google trademarks targeted by kids\' site Googles
« Reply #10 on: January 01, 1970, 12:00:00 am »
quote:Stelor Chief Executive Steven Esrig maintains that there is room for both companies to continue to operate successfully online, but he said that consumers will become increasingly confused if Google continues to build its business in the children\'s toy, clothing and book sector. Google does not market children\'s goods directly, but the search company\'s Froogle comparison shopping site offers links to sites selling many of the same kinds of products as those offered by Googles.com.
It\'s a publicity stunt. Goes back to \'strategic direction\'...
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savvy1

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Google trademarks targeted by kids\' site Googles
« Reply #11 on: January 01, 1970, 12:00:00 am »
Ah. Good catch Manisha.
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polarmate

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Google trademarks targeted by kids\' site Googles
« Reply #12 on: January 01, 1970, 12:00:00 am »
Any clue what the date of the check was?
http://www.google.com/corporate/history.html
quote:Andy Bechtolsheim, one of the founders of Sun Microsystems, was used to taking the long view. One look at their demo and he knew Google had potential � a lot of potential. But though his interest had been piqued, he was pressed for time. As Sergey tells it, \"We met him very early one morning on the porch of a Stanford faculty member\'s home in Palo Alto. We gave him a quick demo. He had to run off somewhere, so he said, \'Instead of us discussing all the details, why don\'t I just write you a check?\' It was made out to Google Inc. and was for $100,000.\"
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savvy1

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Google trademarks targeted by kids\' site Googles
« Reply #13 on: January 01, 1970, 12:00:00 am »
Read the next paragraph:
quote:
The investment created a small dilemma. Since there was no legal entity known as \"Google Inc.,\" there was no way to deposit the check. It sat in Larry\'s desk drawer for a couple of weeks while he and Sergey scrambled to set up a corporation and locate other funders among family, friends, and acquaintances. Ultimately they brought in a total initial investment of almost $1 million.
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savvy1

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Google trademarks targeted by kids\' site Googles
« Reply #14 on: January 01, 1970, 12:00:00 am »
Getting Incorporated takes 6 weeks. That\'s also how long it took for WebSavvy\'s Incorporation to go through also. We are the only WebSavvy that is Incorporated, anywhere in the US.
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