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Apple to Call USB 3.0 Port Rival Thunderbolt

I smell desperation....


Actually, it's more like arse-holishness. Apple seems to be the least humble corporate entity since 1960's General Motors.
 
Verizon applied for a U.S. trademark for THUNDERBOLT on December 2, 2010 for a wireless communication device in international class 009. This is a 1B application, aka an intent-to-use application. Although wireless devices and I/O ports are not identical, there could certainly be an argument for consumer confusion. I was unable to locate any applications by Apple for THUNDERBOLT, so it will be interesting to see if a trademark tussle ensues.
 
youngdoc said:
Verizon applied for a U.S. trademark for THUNDERBOLT on December 2, 2010 for a wireless communication device in international class 009. This is a 1B application, aka an intent-to-use application. Although wireless devices and I/O ports are not identical, there could certainly be an argument for consumer confusion. I was unable to locate any applications by Apple for THUNDERBOLT, so it will be interesting to see if a trademark tussle ensues.
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This brings up an interesting question. Who is it thtat really gives these devices "names". I have never really thought about it. You hear the name Thunderbolt and ofcourse its Verizon and in your head you associate it with how Verizon markets their 4G LTE being "lightening fast". But is HTC the one who actually named it or could it have been a partnership type agreement? I would think it would be the partnership and they both had a hand in it.
 
Even if Verizon has a strong copyright on the Thunderbolt name, I can't see Verizon suing Apple... Verizon is not going to bite the hand that feeds. iPhone 5 comes out in a few months and a boatload of AT&T users are gearing up to defect to Verizon's iPhone 5... especially if it's surfing on LTE.
 
Traditionally, product manufacturers devise branding strategies through their marketing departments in cooperation with their in-house counsel. Sometimes they also utilize third party branding consultants. Eventually a trademark is chosen and applied for. The manufacturers (e.g. HTC) then grant licenses to their partners (e.g. Verizon) to use the mark in association with the sale and promotion of goods bearing the mark.

There is one interesting quirk here in the case of the TBolt: in the past, HTC has, as far as I can tell, always filed the U.S. trademark applications for its phones (Incredible, EVO, Incredible S, etc.). But in this case, Verizon was the party which filed the application for THUNDERBOLT. This may simply be the result of an agreement between Verizon and HTC whereby Verizon will be the only carrier to sell a phone bearing the THUNDERBOLT mark and consequently the trademark registration responsibilities were handed off to them. Ultimately, whomever owns the mark (presumably Verizon) will grant a license to the other to use it as well.
 
Left Coast DJ said:
Even if Verizon has a strong copyright on the Thunderbolt name, I can't see Verizon suing Apple... Verizon is not going to bite the hand that feeds. iPhone 5 comes out in a few months and a boatload of AT&T users are gearing up to defect to Verizon's iPhone 5... especially if it's surfing on LTE.
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You meant to say "a strong trademark" on the Thunderbolt name.

- IP lawyer
 
1. Light Peak isn't a USB 3.0 rival, it's actually being developed by Intel as a USB/Firewire/SATA replacement. It's one step above USB3.0.

2. Does anyone else find it "wee todd did" they named an OPTICAL port after an ACOUSTIC occurrence?
 
same difference, Light Peak is basically replacing USB 3.0 which came out this year, when all the external hard drives out right now are 3.0, lol
 
YoungDoc - Sorry, not a lawyer. I'm just a layman of limited intelligence. :)

Light Peak vs. USB 3.0 is just like Apple's FireWire vs. USB 1.0/2.0 all over again. Apple sometimes hits game-changing homeruns with their awesome products (Mac, iPod, iPhone)... but I really wish they would also play with others. For example, I wish they'd just use microUSB for their iPod/iPhone chargers like almost every other phone manufacturer.
 
Left Coast DJ said:
YoungDoc - Sorry, not a lawyer. I'm just a layman of limited intelligence. :)

Light Peak vs. USB 3.0 is just like Apple's FireWire vs. USB 1.0/2.0 all over again. Apple sometimes hits game-changing homeruns with their awesome products (Mac, iPod, iPhone)... but I really wish they would also play with others. For example, I wish they'd just use microUSB for their iPod/iPhone chargers like almost every other phone manufacturer.
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Then they couldn't license the speakers and docks and other stupid widgets people buy.
It's all about padding their income, not making things better or easier for their customers.
 
LoyalServant said:
Then they couldn't license the speakers and docks and other stupid widgets people buy.
It's all about padding their income, not making things better or easier for their customers.
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I disagree. When it comes to apple, you get what you pay for. I am an apple customer and they do make things better and easier. All their devices iphone/ipad/ipod/atv/macbook/etc work great together. The reason they make people license accessories for their products is to make sure that companies dont put out shit accessories like a charger that will damage your device. Yes, apple can be a bastard about keeping their products locked down - however doing that helps keep everything stable and working properly. Of course with an ios device you can jailbreak it if you dont want to have the restrictions apple puts on them - however your tradeoff is compromising the security and stability of the device. I think its good that android devices are out there so there is a choice for a great smartphone/tablet other than just apples devices. To each their own - some like windows - some like mac. It could be like comparing a regular car to a luxury car - one would say - I can get to the same place and not spend as much money, where someone else would rather pay more for something that looks nicer and holds a higher resale value. Either way - im happy with my apple products, I got tired of dealing with companies like dell with their shitty tech support and having hp and compaq computers crap out on me.
 
Apple trumps HTC any day of the week business-wise. Even though I found it odd that Apple named their port the Thunderbolt, I highly doubt there will be anything said about it. Apple pretty much has power over anybody. They own the world, basically. Case closed.
 
I mean it's obvious why they did it, they are very afraid of the actual Thunderbolt taking customers away from the i*hone, but more importantly, exposing new customers to a vastly superior operating system, Android.
 
Even IF they got sued, the amount would be considered pocket change to Apple. They'd probably throw in a few iPods and iPads along with the amount to HTC just because they feel sorry for 'em. I think it's a safe bet to say Apple doesn't care; at all.

As far as saying Apple is doing this to get customers not to buy the Thunderbolt? C'mon guys, they have an iPhone 5 and an iPad 2 coming out. Do they care about a HTC Thunderbolt? No.
 
iPhone 5, whoopdie effin do on that front, the Thunderbolt, Bionic, and a bunch of other phones will be much better. And as far as the iPad2, they're playing catch up with that craptastic device.
 
Alright, well forget the second part of my post, read the first part. That alone says enough. Why do you care so much about what Macintosh names a port on their Macbook anyway? lol. It has the same name as the HTC Thunderbolt smartphone. So what? Who cares unless you are affiliated with HTC or Apple.
 
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