Gmail Trademark In Dispute
While news of the beta launch of Gmail, Google's free Webmail service, thrilled the public, it sent a few companies running to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office to stake their claims.
Source: InternetNewsAccording to USPTO records, Google's March 31 news inspired a bit of a land rush, with four other companies filing applications to set their claims in stone. The news is the latest in a series of missteps that have come to light as Google's IPO approaches. The Mountain View, Calif. search provider expects to raise as much as $3.3 billion in its initial public offering, with trading expected to start the week of August 16. Google has made multiple revisions to its prospectus, but still has not disclosed that it may not be able to continue using Gmail. The IPO prospectus clearly states, "Our unregistered trademarks include ... Gmail ...."
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