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Apple Protects the iPod Name

Apple Computer has become recently very protective over the word "pod." At least two companies had included the word "pod" in their product titles, which can be brought in connection with its iPod digital-music players. Mach5products.com, which sells a device for collecting data from vending machines called Profit Pod, received a letter from Apple Computer, asking to rename the product, arguing that the company infringe on its iPod trademark.

TightPod, which manufactures laptop-protecting covers, got this kind of letter as well. Sarah Wright, intellectual-property solicitor at law firm Olswang, said Apple`s letters are not unusual and that Mac maker may not expect or intend to take the matter all the way to court.

She said: "It`s common practice for big-brand owners to send letters like this...If they don`t police their brand properly and ensure that trademarks that are too similar to their brands don`t get on the register, it makes it more difficult to enforce their rights against third parties". This is not the first time the company has used legal means to protect its iPod trademark. It sued a German company over its Spodradio product earlier this year.