Apple, CBS Sued over Mighty Mouse Moniker

Speaking of Apple, this isn’t exactly mobile media related, but hey, it’s Friday, and we love frivolous lawsuits. According to Macworld, Man and Machine (M&M) has filed a lawsuit against Apple and CBS for their use of the term “Mighty Mouse”—Apple uses the name to describe its current Macintosh computer mouse, while CBS uses it for a cartoon character.

“Filed in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, Southern Division, M&M says both Apple and CBS are infringing on its Mighty Mouse trademark,” the article said. “CBS and M&M are currently battling over the trademark, but Apple was brought into the fight because it licensed use of the term from CBS.”

According to the report, M&M is a company that makes waterproof computer accessories for hospitals. Back in 2001, it created a waterproof mouse called the Mighty Mouse, which it began selling in 2004—one year before Apple released its own Mighty Mouse.

Meanwhile, CBS already has a legitimate trademark for the use of Mighty Mouse for its cartoon and clothing products, the article said. “However, CBS has applied for a trademark for the term as it relates to a computer mouse. The application date is later than its own application, according to M&M.”

(Image credit: Amazon.com)

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