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Apple gets lawyers in over podcast furore
Pod off

By Jo Best

Published: Tuesday 26 September 2006

Apple has launched another legal crusade against those who are using the word 'pod' without its permission - this time it's the podcasters who are getting the lawyers' letters.

According to one podcast management company, Podcast Ready, Apple has been claiming the use of the term infringes its trademarks.

Podcast Ready received the letter when it tried to trademark its own name and its 'myPodder' service, which says Apple believes some users may be confused into thinking their may be some association between Podcast Ready's products and the Cupertino company.

In a posting on the company's website, Podcast Ready said the company's legal team is investigating Apple's claims.

While the term podcast may be linked indelibly with the Apple music player from which it derived its name, the Cupertino company didn't actually come up with the term, which a Guardian journalist is credited with creating.

Apple does, however, own the rights to 'iPod' and has an application pending for 'pod' in some territories - and its lawyers have recently been acting to safeguard them by tackling companies that use the word 'pod' in their product names.

It's not the first time Apple has sent such letters. In August, Jobs and co's lawyers sent 'cease and desist' letters to two companies asking them to drop their use of the term pod in the names of their products.

Apple did not respond to a request for comment.