Adventure is worthwhile - Aesop

Monday, May 02, 2005

Online retailer TigerDirect is suing Apple over its use of the name “Tiger” for its new OS.  Why?  Because TigerDirect claims that Google searches for “tiger” are returning Apple links and not TigerDirect.  However…

“Apple Computer announced that on April 29, 2005, it will begin selling a new operating system, software for Apple Computer’s Macintosh computers names ‘OS X v10.4 Tiger’. Apple Computer has not limited its infringing use of the Tiger mark in this form. Rather, Apple Computer has created and launched a nationwide media blitz led by Steven Jobs, overwhelming the computer world with a sea of Tiger references.”

That media blitz, according to Tiger Direct, has resulted in the term “Tiger” shifting from referencing Tiger Direct to representing Apple. To illustrate this point, the company’s court filings offer Internet search results as an example.

“Before Apple Computer’s use of Tiger, an Internet search for the term “tiger” would result in Tiger Direct being the sole provider of computers, computer software, and computer related products. “

Now, however, the company said that searches for “tiger” return results for Apple through Google, and it has become the #1 result at both MSN Search and Yahoo.

As of this writing, TMO’s check of Google found TigerDirect.com is the #2 Google search result, and the first computer-oriented result, while Mac OS X is the #4 total result.

Tiger Direct’s points illustrate a shift in awareness concerning the word “tiger,” but the filings do not explain why users might have performed a search for tiger when looking for PC computers in the first place.

Steve Jobs held a press conference earlier today in which he announced that the next version of OS X would be named “Teen Lolitas.”