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    Palm Targets Additional Developers with Cease & Desist LettersPosted By: Jason Robitaille on Monday, August 18, 2008 10:05:41 AM
Dmitry's PalmSDHC and PalmPowerups site appear to have been only the first in a series of new C&D letters from Palm Inc targeting software developers. In the past few weeks, two other well known Palm OS Garnet programmers have been sent letters from Palm Inc's legal arm ordering them to change the names of some of their products. 3GX Software, the developer behind of PalmRevolt was given a letter demanding that they rename their product. As such, PalmRevolt is now pRevolt.
ZZTechs, the company behind many popular Garnet OS applications, such as ZLauncher and ZLink, has also received a legal notice. As such, PalmInsiderPro is now known as ZInsider. And it doesn't stop there. An insider source of mine tells me that Palm is trying to reclaim their name and will apparently be sending out more legal notices to software containing their trademarked name brands of Palm, Treo, Centro, as they believe customers may confuse those applications for applications developed by Palm Inc. themselves.
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 RE: Given Palm's current market
>>iPhone = Owners with brains >>Centro = Owners are drooling imbeciles I love gross generalizations as much as the next guy... but I could go either way between these two phones, and not as harshly. IMO "Brainy" folk should have a phone that has a replaceable battery and a way to backup locally for data preservation, and probably a hardware keyboard for reliable data input. They would also probably prefer something designed for use beyond the early-teenager years. With heft and keys to match fingers of post-pubescence.
RE: Given Palm's current market
>>iPhone = Owners with brains >>Centro = Owners are drooling imbeciles This is really is stupid. I see the Iphone as a toy and a Centro as a productive tool. What my Centro does an iphone cant do. Yeah I cant watch movies too well and the net browsing is not so hot. But as a PDA I think its the best thing ever, you still cant beat Palm os if you have a busy schedule or you need to input/retrieve data fast.
RE: Given Palm's current market
iPhone users with brain??? LOL!!! Eight of them paid $1000 for a useless software. If Apple hadn't removed the software I am sure more of them will be throwing money down the drain. More money than sense is more like it... RE: Given Palm's current marketSeldomVisitor @ 8/18/2008 4:27:30 PM #
> ...Eight of them paid $1000 for a useless software... Though $1000 might seem like a lot to you and me (might!?) there are many many people in this world to whom $1000 is less than pocket change. [and it's appropriate at this time to note that it is not worth Bill Gates' time to bend down and pick up a $100 bill should he spy it on the ground...] 
 huh?
>>as they believe customers may confuse those applications for applications developed by Palm Inc. themselves. ...Of course we wouldn't, Palm - many of these third party applications were developed in the last few years, nearly all of yours were built prior to 1997, then speckled with color in about 1999. AND - they actually get maintained, improved and updated - certainly NOT your style! I can understand Palm wants to protect their trademark - after all it's probably the largest investment they've made in the past few years ($30 million dollars http://www.palminfocenter.com/news/7864/palmone-acquires-rights-to-palm-brand-name/)?!? Judging from what's actually been released, they certainly don't seem to have spent much on R&D. But WTF is with the lame excuse that their "customers may confuse those applications for applications developed by Palm Inc. themselves"? We may be stupid enough to keep buying your products despite the fact they are mainly bugfixes nowadays - but exactly what "applications" have you "developed" for us lately, "Palm, Incorporated"? RE: huh?
I agree. How many useful apps were actually developed by Palm themselves? Hmmm. Give me a year and maybe I can come up with one. Everyone who uses a Palm device knows that without third party applications (meaning Palm did not create themselves) that Palm the company and devices would have been NOTHING. Now, they are biting and killing off the very supportive community that made them what they WERE. They are really losing it big time in the PR department (but making their lawyers happy and rich) wasting their time and effort on battling the third party developers for having the name. Pretty soon, they'll start sending out C&D letters to all the blogs and websites with the Palm name. Oops, I guess I gave them an idea. Maybe I should start registering something else in preparation. This is unbelievably ridiculous. RE: huh?SeldomVisitor @ 8/18/2008 4:30:07 PM #
Though I may agree with some of what you say, the plain fact is that Palm MUST defend its trademarks or they LITERALLY lose them.
And it doesn't mean they lose them to Joe Blow Developer, they lose them to Nasty Trademark-and-Patent-ONLY company who wants to make a buck off them. Palm is doing the "right" thing, IMHO, and, also IMHO, should have done it a LOT earlier than now.
Tough to close the barn door after the cows have escaped
We're talking "PALM." I think they've got an uphill battle. What about the restaurants? As a comment in response to my piece here last week about the C&D letter to Dmitry Grinberg elaborated, there are a lot of uses for Palm which also imply 'handheld' which are well beyond Palm, Inc's grabable area. I believe they'll do more damage to their public image than they will enhance their 'goodwill,' but I have never been one to count on an IP lawyer to get that right. Harold RE: Tough to close the barn door after the cows have escapedSeldomVisitor @ 8/18/2008 11:07:51 AM #
I wonder if PalmInfoCenter had an article about Palm Beach and The Palm restuarant could they easily "show the courts" that they're about "Palm-the-generic" rather than "Palm-the-handheld"...hmmm? RE: Tough to close the barn door after the cows have escaped
Palm is probably going to do damage to its image among developers and webmasters. A segment that has significantly carried them in the past. This should help accelerate their demise. Ryan, have you got your papers yet?
But, as far as the general smartfone or PDA (remember those?) customer, this means nothing. Maybe in a slight way helps Palm "purify" their brand. But, more likely the fact that all those "PalmXXXXX" websites and app outlets are gone makes the name less recognizable. Bottom line, they are trying to save the brand from copyright squatters. Time will tell if it works.
PlmInfoCenter here we come!SeldomVisitor @ 8/18/2008 10:58:12 AM #
I liek PlamInfoCenter myslef... Giggle. RE: PlmInfoCenter here we come!
I believe we all should boycott the word P@lm from now on. Maybe even come up with something else to refer to them such as FUP@lm. The last known classic PDA user. I've recently upgraded from a Palm TX to a Newton MP2000! http://newtonpda.googlepages.com RE: PlmInfoCenter here we come!
Plam has a nice ring to it.... The Plam Pliot , Plam Pliot Porfessional, Plam Tero, Plam Floeo, Plam Cnetro. PlamIfnoCneter.com
They should be happy.Tuckermaclain @ 8/18/2008 11:00:16 AM #
Palm should feel proud to be mistaken for these developers. If they were, customers and stockholders may mistakenly believe Palm actually updates a prodect once in a while. On another level, this makes about as much sense as Apple sueing somebody over "Newton Revolt." One platform is dead and the other is dying. Seems like misspent resources, but Palm knows how to misspend resources better than anybody. Finally, if Palm legal wanted to put themselves to good use they would bring suit against Palm themselves and sue for a new Palm (OS) product in FY08. RE: They should be happy.
it's like the old saying, "don't bitch/worry that people are calling. start worrying when people STOP calling." RE: They should be happy.
When awesome third party applications become competition....
Competition for Windows Mobile that is. The end result is turning friends into enemies.
First they came
First they came for the Developers, and I did not speak out - because I was not a Developer. Then they came for the News Sites, and I did not speak out - because I was not a News Site. Then they came for the Bloggers, and I did not speak out - because I was not a Blogger. Then they came for Mike Cane - and I said, "please, take him." RE: First they came
Now don't you wish you used your real name? How can you convince a hot chick this is you? Quote: Gekko RE: First they came
>>>yeah, that'll be my next pickup line at the bar. "I was quoted by Mike Cane" - whisper that in a chick's ear and watch her melt. Better put some paper towels on the floor first. RE: First they came
Here. I've made it easier for you to score. I've included your picture in this one. The High Point Of His Life RE: First they came
ROTFLMAO!!!!! I don't carry ads. But I hear tell that WordPress inserts them for Google Juice (I never see no stinkin' ads). Email WordPress for your cut. You're now the #1 post on my blog! RE: First they came
Now you can start Gekko's Book Club. Book #1:
http://mikecane2008.wordpress.com/2008/08/20/max-barry-syrup/
So now we r h8turs
http://www.jeffkirvin.net/2008/08/16/palm-the-company-people-love-to-hate/ Yeah, except when we *loved* them. Which was when they were doing things *right*. And who the eff is using a *WinMob* device, anyway? Don't wave that pathetic Palm logo at me. RE: So now we r h8turs
Where do people get this mindset where Palm has been able to do nothing right, but the next Plam device will surely be perfection? The first part: We live in reality. Funny how people tired of putting up with Plam's crap are now considered the ones not sane. RE: So now we r h8turs
>>>Funny how people tired of putting up with Plam's crap are now considered the ones not sane. Especially by someone who isn't using THE PLAM OS! RE: So now we r h8turs
Well, that link was a relief! I was ascared of getting another frikkin YouTube rap crap song!
Thank you for sharing your personality with us, Gekko.
Palm threatens the few remaining developers?VampireLestat @ 8/18/2008 9:14:50 PM #
Palm's legal threats are despicable. After everything these bright developers did for this god forsaken fan base backstabbing company, Palm actually now has the face to threaten them with totally insignificant issues?! Once my Treo 680 dies that's it for me; no more Palm products. RE: Palm threatens the few remaining developers?
By that time you may not have a choice anyway. :- Pat Horne
Palm paving the way
I can't believe it's taken me this long to work it out. Palm is only S&D'ing sites that use it's name to sell their software. They are paving the way for their own iTunes style App store. This is why PIC and Palm Addicts have not been targeted and possibly why PalmGear merged with PocketGear. It all fits with Alan G's "mobile me 2" service. RE: Palm paving the way
Last I checked, PalmInfocenter does have software store to purchase apps: http://software.palminfocenter.com
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... given the market sucking on that Centro teat, yeah, this probably makes sense.
I mean, if these people were *smart* to begin with, they'd have iPhones.
Let's review.
iPhone = Owners with brains
Centro = Owners are drooling imbeciles