iPhone App Makers Get Edgy Over Bogus Edge Trademark

from the edge-edge-edge-edge dept

Mon, Nov 16th 2009 3:12pm — Mike Masnick

In the past, we've discussed how some guy named Tim Langdell seems to think that because he once had a game that had the word "edge" in the title and got a trademark for it (even though he hasn't released a game in about fifteen years) that he can go after anyone who uses the word edge in a video game title. EA is even working on getting Langdell's trademark dumped. In the meantime, he just keeps going with it, threatening plenty of folks. It appears that some game developers are getting sick of this and have decided to fight back. William Jackson alerts us to the news that game developers are now purposely adding the word "edge" to their game titles in solidarity with those threatened by Langdell. I wonder if that will get the message across?

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Filed Under: edge, iphone games, tim langdell, trademark

17 Comments

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BearGriz72 (profile), 16 Nov 2009 @ 3:22pm

Mandatory Silly Comment
I'm on the Edge of my seat.
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- :Lobo Santo (profile), 16 Nov 2009 @ 3:25pm
  
  Re: Mandatory Silly Comment
  Nothing like being on the Bleeding Edge of game development.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 16 Nov 2009 @ 3:40pm
    
    Re: Re: Mandatory Silly Comment
    Whatever it takes to Edge out the competition.
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    - :Lobo Santo (profile), 16 Nov 2009 @ 3:57pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: Mandatory Silly Comment
      Now that I think about it... what about other edges?
      
      If this guy was REALLY creative, he could be suing the makers of windshield wipers, or the makers of ice-scrapers. He's really going small-potatoes here.
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      - Lemo, 16 Nov 2009 @ 4:47pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Mandatory Silly Comment
        Not to mention aircraft manufacturers who's planes have leading edges & trailing edges, tables, books infact anything with an edge, even when you get an edge in cricket. Geez talk about pointless trademarks and stupid litigation.
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        kryptonianjorel (profile), 16 Nov 2009 @ 6:02pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Mandatory Silly Comment
        Knowing AT&Ts network, the iPhone is sure to drop back to EDGE while playing a lot of these cutting edge games
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Richard (profile), 16 Nov 2009 @ 3:34pm

How about the Edge magazine
which is about games ....
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Anonymous Poster, 16 Nov 2009 @ 3:36pm

We need Adam "Edge" Copeland to weigh in on this matter.
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Anonymous Coward, 16 Nov 2009 @ 3:45pm

You mean that guy from U2? He's a trademark?

I always thought there was something up with that guy. This is what happens when you know Bono.
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wnyght, 16 Nov 2009 @ 4:54pm

This is stupid, i think i'll just go crab a cold beer to take the Edge off.
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Loki (profile), 16 Nov 2009 @ 4:55pm

Networks?
What about the EDGE network?
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wnyght (profile), 16 Nov 2009 @ 4:56pm

LOL, crab, should be grab. typo!
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PopeRatzo (profile), 16 Nov 2009 @ 5:15pm

upside-down
There seems to be a lot of scorn for this little guy trying to assert some bogus trademark.

How quickly we forget that those free credit report dot com stools with ears just locked up over a thousand domains that contained every possible permutation of those words, and all possible misspellings of those words, and just to be save the words "google", "windows" and "smart phone".

And the courts? Well, the courts just bowed deeply to the freek redit rapport dot com bums and said "Table for two thousand, monseiur?"
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- PopeRatzo (profile), 16 Nov 2009 @ 5:17pm
  
  Re: upside-down
  Sorry, "to be save" should read "to be sure,".
  
  And I've just started a band called "Free Credit Report Dot Com Is A Ripoff".
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Donkey, 17 Nov 2009 @ 6:25am

I'm a Donkey on the Edge!
I'm a Donkey on the Edge!
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Anonymous Coward, 2 Dec 2009 @ 10:38am

For Those not in the know. Trademarks cannot apply to everything. Just because I have the word EDGE, say...in a panty line, or maybe in a windshield wiper, does not mean that it violates trademark. There has to be a likelihood of confusion. His problem is he just threatens to sue everyone, so everyone does a cost/benefit analysis of "Is it really worth it to spend potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars to get this guy off our back?" For awhile it wasn't worth it. But now people are pissed. So it may be worth it for them to kick this guy out of his trademark so that people who do actually do things can use the word Edge.
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jeff binder, 4 Oct 2010 @ 11:55am

Good for them.
This reminds me of the no-name guy who tried to claim that facebook was his because he had hired baby zuckerburg to do some coding for him. It's like domain name squatting only less reliable and more obtrusive. I'm glad the industry is pushing back. Hopefully we'll see lots of iphone app reviews of games with EDGE in the title to bring publicity to them.
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