I don't know how they can because it's a way to describe a game, and there are literally thousands of 'Doodle' apps.
You mean they're trying to TRADEMARK Doodle I assume. They're free to try, but I don't see that working out. See Tim Langdell's "Edge" case.
well, "Tower Defense" was successfully trademarked, so I'd say anything is possible. You never know, especially when a company is in good with Apple in this case.. __________________ twitter - HeadcaseGames.com Puzzling has Evolved - Get 180! FreeAppTracker.com Win ANY app you want, daily!
Having spoken to the Lima Sky folks at GDC last year, there not trademark trolls... They wont be trying to copyrighting the word "doodle" as a whole. It'll be "doodle jump" and in relation to iPhone games + their similar branding... Which is fair enough as the amount of clones and duplicates with similar sounding names and very closely resembling icons is arguably damaging their brand, so I think it's fair enough them trying to prevent that...
"Tower Defense" is waaaaaay more specific though. But go ahead and try to trademark "Tower" for use in games, or "Defense". It's not gonna go all that smoothly I guarantee it.
Well even trademarking TD is wonky. The erm has been used for eternity and you've had a good chance against it in court. Fact is the hand out trademarks like cherry pops, and if you are a trademark holder you have to enforce it else you might loose it. As for lima sky going after everything doodle. Thats just stupid and you can see what happens if you listen to the wrong people. He should have picked his targets more carefully, but at the end what do you expect, not everyone becomes nice when they become rich, they just get stupidly greedy.
>>>As for lima sky going after everything doodle well it's deffo happening. we just had an email from them via Apple.
Good for Lima Sky, This free for all attitude of copying every concept that is doing well on iTunes needs to be looked at closer. Calling something doodle this or doodle that is one thing, but copying the style, execution and concept really is something entirely different. It also clogs up the store and originality doesn't get rewarded. It is time originality is rewarded not harvested.
papi what? (kidding, but it is the sad reality, the irony is lost on most people who'll read this) __________________ twitter - HeadcaseGames.com Puzzling has Evolved - Get 180! FreeAppTracker.com Win ANY app you want, daily!
Nobody is talking about copying the style, execution, and concept of Doodle Jump. This is about the word "doodle" as a trademark. They do not own the trademark, thus they have zero right to force anyone to change the name of their apps. And, as someone else said already, Doodle Jump is a clone of PapiJump.
Good to know that Papijump was first. Ouch, that puts a new spin on this discussion. i didn't know. The only chance Lima Sky has to defend this if they grabbed the word " doodle " on its own.
So it is the word Doodle they trademarked. Here is the mark filed by Lima Sky. The first in use date is January 15 2009. Probably the first app they sold on iTunes. The application has probably moved along in the process giving Lima Sky enough energy to ask Apple to remove all apps with the name Doodle in them. There you go. Wrong or right remains to see. I think all apps with the name doodle in them will have to be removed in the mean time until this gets settled. Word Mark DOODLE Goods and Services IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: Computer game programs. FIRST USE: 20090115. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20100402 Standard Characters Claimed Mark Drawing Code (4) STANDARD CHARACTER MARK Serial Number 85079944 Filing Date July 8, 2010 Current Filing Basis 1A Original Filing Basis 1A Owner (APPLICANT) Lima Sky, LLC LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY NEW YORK 447 W. 22nd St. #3 New York City NEW YORK 10011 Attorney of Record Gary A. Laurie, Esq. Type of Mark TRADEMARK Register PRINCIPAL Live/Dead Indicator LIVE
You're mistaken. They only have Doodle Jump. They were denied Doodle. Your reference is their initial attempt to get the word. They failed. Go read this thread, especially Acceleroto's account of it, as they are personally involved with the issue: http://forums.toucharcade.com/showthread.php?t=80441
Yes. Their previous attempt to trademark the word Doodle failed. They DO have "Doodle Jump". Just not Doodle on it's own at the moment. I have heard that they are going to try again, with a different tactic, as the character in the game is now called "Doodle" apparently. This might give them more leverage to get the trademark, but it feels like a long shot. Apple legitamised the term "Doodle" to mean a graphical style for a game, when they had a section on the App store called "Best Doodle Games" a while ago. I 100% see Lima's side, but they are sending out requests for name changes without anything real to back it up. A certain %age of devs will be worried enough to change their app's name(s) regardless. As for there being a lot of apps called Doodle this or that.... How many do you really remember other than Doodle Jump? I'd bet pretty much none of them
http://www.pocketgamer.biz/r/PG.Biz/Lima+Sky+news/news.asp?c=26621 They said they are not claiming the word "Doodle"
