[X4U] Tiger fight

[Peter Saint James]

	I ran across the following item that indicates that someone is trying 
to keep Apple from using the word Tiger.  I doubt they will prevail.  
It's too generic a word.  The point about search engines is 
interesting.  I wonder if this will become a concept of law.

									Peter



Apple sued over use of 'Tiger', injunction sought
Thursday, April 28, 2005 @ 4:05pm
	
Apple has been sued by Tiger Direct, Inc. for allegedly infringing its 
trademark with the Mac OS X 'Tiger', according to Bloomberg. Tiger 
Direct sells computers and related products on the Internet; it says 
the Apple's software package, marketing, and use of Tiger in the 
company's forthcoming operating system, threatens to dilute its 
trademarked 'Tiger' name. It also accused Apple of deceptive and unfair 
trade practices in the federal lawsuit filed in a Miami court. "Apple 
Computer has created and launched a nationwide media blitz led by 
Steven Jobs, overwhelming the computer world with a sea of Tiger 
references," according to the lawsuit. Bloomberg says that court 
injunction, if granted, could halt the rollout of new Mac OS X Tiger 
operating system, which will be officially released tomorrow.

According to the lawsuit, Tiger Direct has used its family of 'Tiger' 
trademarks to sell computers (and computer-related products) since 1987 
and the company has trademarked the names Tiger, TigerDirect and 
TigerSoftware--which it uses in about 25 million catalogs it sends out 
each year. The direct retailer said Apple's use of 'Tiger' is "causing 
confusion, mistake and deception among the general purchasing public."

The company says that Apple's use of Tiger has changed internet search 
results, directly impacting its ability to market product to its 
customers. The company alleges that Apple's use of the name has 
adversely affected its ranking among the internet's largest search 
engines, Google and Yahoo, bumping the company from its usual spot in 
the first three results.

Tiger Direct has asked the federal court to block Apple from using the 
name and is also seeking damages and legal fees, according to the 
report.