BMW on Tuesday said it was looking into whether Google infringed any trademark rights after the Silicon Valley-based group set up a new company called Alphabet, which is also the name of a BMW subsidiary.
“We are examining whether there are any implications over trademarks,” a BMW spokeswoman said on Tuesday. The spokeswoman said there were currently no plans to take legal steps against Google.
BMW looks at whether Google’s Alphabet infringes trademark rights
Hmm, too bad if Google has to switch to another name… like “Skynet” for example, 😉
You know, there’s this cool online tool you can use to search for things like this before you spend money changing your company’s name…I think it’s called Oodle, or Poogle or Bing or something 😛
Nah they’ll get a trademark infringement complaint from our local NBC affiliate. https://www.facebook.com/kvoa4/posts/286152414803750
Seriously. They called it Skynet, so far without the slightest hint of awareness.
The spirit if not the letter of the laws needs to be examined here.
This is just a case of laws/regulations making lawyers rich. BMW has to defend its trademark, if it does not it could allow others to use it, even if the case is completely pointless. For all we know Google’s Alphabet is not a brand or consumer-facing business or product; it is merely a holding/umbrella company for other businesses not named Alphabet. As nobody outside Alphabet does business with Alphabet (but with Google, Nest, Google X, whatever), there is no risk of confusing anybody. The word “alphabet” itself certainly can’t be protected.
BMW will agree to stay out of the computer business, and Google stays out of… um. oh.