A year after being sued by Apple for using its logo on its Web site, Pretoria online retailer The Notebook Company is again in a legal wrangle with the IT giant over the use of various domain names.
The company complied with Apple’s logo demand last year and replaced the logo with the word “Apple”, but now it has received correspondence from Apple’s attorneys to transfer a number of Web sites including iPad.co.za, AppleLaptop.co.za and MacLaptop.co.za.
“We use AppleLaptop.co.za for commercial gain and we will be asking Apple if it is acceptable to them that we re-market AppleLaptop.co.za under Apple.Laptop.co.za and Laptop.co.za/Apple,” says Christopher Riley, MD of The Notebook Company.
“We also use MacLaptop.co.za for commercial gain and, again, we will also be asking Apple if it is acceptable to them that we re-market MacLaptop.co.za under Mac.Laptop.co.za and Laptop.co.za/Mac.
“Additionally, with regards to iPad.co.za – iPad.co.za and iPad (values).co.za, these have been created as a blog for iPad.co.za users – and updates them with the latest news in relation to iPads.
“I understand that the iPad name is a trademark, which I have no rights over,” Riley says. “But a site like www.iPad.co.za also lends value to Apple itself, and to the iPad community. We even offer free Yourname@iPad.co.za email addresses from it.
“Most clients, get confused with all the different models of iPads – and in the blogs it gets explained quite well. This is an open, public blog.”
Riley says it is ironic that the domain name www.iPad.com has been standing “vacant for years”.
“It seems odd that Apple has done nothing to secure it – and to add value to its clients, via it,” says Riley.
“What is also amazing to me is that I am being taken on for iPad usage and using trademarks in domain registrations, but iPadPorn.com has been happily ‘humping’ along for quite some time – even though Apple has voiced publically that it is very much against porn on their products.”
