Apple and the word "Podcast"
Friday, December 01, 2006
A posting appeared the other day in Digg titled "Apple Does Not Licence the Term “Podcast”" in which the author claims that by receiving his $1 back from Apple, that proves that Apple has no interest in controlling the word "podcast". In his own words:
Podcasters relax, I now have it in writing from Apple that they do not licence the term "podcast". While I realize that this has been said before and that this is somewhat old news, I am not aware of it being put in writing by Apple before. It has also been signed in ink by human hand. No rubber stamps here! It is official.
This is true... sort of. Take it from someone who's company is in constant communication with Apple since receiving "the letter". Apple does have a problem with the use of the word "pod", and that's what it boils down to.
Generically, as a descriptive term, they don't. And the fact is, they can't - not as a descriptive generic term. But if you are a company who is trying to protect a brand or service that has the word "pod" in it, then they do object citing a common law right to all things pod.
So fun-loving hobbist podcasters: no need to worry. Just don't try to turn it into a business or protect anything that you create, and you'll be just fine.
Its about the "pod"...
Technorati tags: apple, pod, podcast, podcastready
posted by Russell @ 10:49 AM,
Subscribe
