Google aims to trademark the word 'Glass'

by Mark Tyson on 5 April 2014, 21:50

Tags: Google (NASDAQ:GOOG)

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Google successfully submitted an application for a trademark on the term 'Google Glass' last year. Now it is seeking to go one step further - to trademark the word 'Glass'. However the U.S. trademark office has a couple of reasonable objections to this application, reports the Wall Street Journal Digits Blog.

The WSJ has a copy of a letter written to Google's management from the USTO, concerning the trademarking of 'Glass', which raises objections based upon:

  • There are other computer orientated trademarks which contain the word glass,
  • It's a descriptive word which, if judged to be a generic/commodity term, can't get trademark protection under federal law.

Apparently Google has already appealed to the U.S. trademark office objections with a 1,928 page letter to try and push the trademark through. Google's main arguments for its case are that people won't get confused about 'Glass' belonging to Google due to the huge amount of media coverage (1,900 pages of that letter mentioned previously are said to be press clippings about Google Glass). Also it says that 'Glass' isn't descriptive in this case, as Google Glass is also made out of titanium and plastic.

Do HEXUS readers think the U.S. trademark office should stick to its guns?

Cambodia's Angkor Wat added to Street View

Here's a story to remind people of some of the great achievements of Google, as an antidote to the depressing legal pushing and posturing above. The Google Maps Blog recently detailed the adding of Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia, to Google's extensive Street View imagery.

Google has added over 100 of the historic temple sights that make up Angkor Wat to its Street View resource. The blog says that Google used a crafty combination of cars, trekkers and tripods to photograph the temples inside and out, as they stand today. This has provided virtual tourists and sight seers with 90,000 new panoramic views to enjoy. Why not go and have a wander this Friday afternoon?



HEXUS Forums :: 22 Comments

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Seems rather ridiculous to me.
For a min I thought that it was Apple we were talking about Ha-Ha
I'm getting quite concerned at the number of trademark claims on common place words, especially as businesses seem to be able to pass these rhediculus trademarks that would have been impossible to claim 2-5 years ago
Furthermore it seems that this strange trademark claiming that it is making the market more uneven as only the big companies can pull it off.
To conclude, as much as I hope companies would stop this strange trademark culture, I feel without a shadow of a doubt Google will obtain this trademark…
Google should be told to foxtrot oscar by the US Trademarks Office, glass is so generic and applies to items and objects from time immemorial, will Pyrex be required to pay royalties for thgeir heat rewsistant glass cookware, or Pilkington pay for using glass to describe their products?