Google loses appeal for Gmail trademark in Europe
As a result, Gmail is now known as Google Mail in Europe. Google's email service is also known as Google Mail in the UK, where another company trademarked "Gmail" shortly after Google launched the service.
And the moral of the story is: The next time you launch any product or service, make sure to trademark the name before. As for Google, the company "got caught slippin" -- as we say in the hip hop world -- so too bad, so sad.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-20-2008 @ 12:22PM
Maxsquared said...
Why why why.... can't they change their name? I much prefer gmail too googlemail, it's just too long.
I know there is work arounds, but it's just why do we have to do that?
Reply
3-20-2008 @ 12:23PM
john said...
While reading this article, and I was struck that it probably was relevant to a social networking site, HumanBook, which has over 250 million profiles of people, including you, your friends, classmates and relatives.
The HumanBook is a mutually managed people directory. People list their own real-life connections, and other connections they have awareness of, to create a lifelong network. The network houses the connections, and then the collaboratively updated address book nurtures them, assuring that they need never be lost. HumanBook is the tool that will allow you to cherish and sustain all of the connections of your whole life. So if you're interested, go to http://www.HumanBook.com and find your profile today!
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3-20-2008 @ 2:42PM
John said...
I am confused. What prevents someone in Europe from signing up with Gmail in the US?
Reply
3-20-2008 @ 5:34PM
keeves said...
Nothing, if you go on a holiday to US, and want a @gmail instead of @googlemail account then sign up then. (also, anyone who signed up prior to the change to @googlemail kept their @gmail address)
3-20-2008 @ 10:57PM
whiskey said...
Try to write to yourself @googlemail.com
In order to make it easier for you... you've got both addresses working...
3-20-2008 @ 7:08PM
x20mar said...
You know, despite the legal name change, everyone will still call it gmail
Reply
3-20-2008 @ 9:16PM
Nicki Brøchner said...
allow me to correct an error in this post. Because this ruling only effecting the German markedet. Since it is only in Germany that Daniel Giersch has the G-Mail trademark.
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5-02-2008 @ 5:49PM
andrea said...
A friend in Germany set up a new "gmail" acct and they got one with googlemail.de, not googlemail.com. Anyone know if they dropped .com for the country domain? He really wanted dot com
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