Apple, Startup Go to Trial Over ‘Pod’ Trademark
“Open the pod bay doors, Hal.”
“I’m sorry Dave… I’ll have to ask Steve.”
Apple is scheduled to go to trial with a startup to fight over a three-letter word: Pod.
The trademark battle centers on independent entrepreneur Daniel Kokin (right), founder of startup Sector Labs, and his in-development video projector called Video Pod. Apple had previously filed oppositions against Kokin’s usage of “Pod,” alleging that it would cause customers to confuse it with Apple’s iPod products.
wired.com first reported on Kokin’s trademark battle with Apple in early 2009, and now the two parties are finally set to go to trial over the next month.