We don’t lightly hand out an accolade like “Best. Lawsuit. Ever.” It’s not something we do at the whim of a hat. But we’re feeling pretty confident about our choice of this lawsuit, launched by Maryland-based Man & Machine, purveyor of fine waterproof, hygienic keyboards for use in hospitals and the like.
The company claims that they’d been making and selling mice using the “Mighty Mouse” name a year before Apple’s own pointing device came to market. And, just for kicks, they’re also suing CBS (owners of the original Mighty Mouse cartoon), saying that they had no right to license the “Mighty Mouse” name for computer products.
“Because of Apple’s size, fame and large advertising budget, Apple’s use of the Mighty Mouse trademark has and will continue to overwhelm M&M’s use,” Man & Machine, based in Landover, Maryland, said in the complaint.
Wait, you don’t actually refer to yourselves as “M&M” do you? Seriously? Because that would just be funny.
Meanwhile, Man & Machine and CBS are fighting over rival trademark applications at USTPO, where Man & Machine somehow claims that their filing pre-dates CBS’s (I assume in the computer-specific realm, as Mighty Mouse has been around since the ’40s—yeah, he looks good for a 66 year old mouse, right?).
We think there is only one entity capable of solving this dispute in the fair and just manner which embodies the American way, and that is none other than Mighty Mouse himself.
The best way to sort this issue out is for Apple to make a new mouse, with a different name, that actually works. I like the Mighty Mouse for its shape, feel in the hand and when clicking, and the ball, but the damned thing just won't reliably right-click and I don't understand what the thinking was for the squeeze button. Certainly the Apple mouse can't claim to be "mighty", although I don't know the merits of the M&M mouse, aside that I can probably use it in the bath...
I don't understand: the Apple Mighty Mouse has been introduced in August 2005 (Wired) July 2006 (Wireless). How come this company waited about 3 years to wake up?
Nice Bushism.
Isn't there something about actively defending trademarks? The Apple Mighty Mouse is 2.5 years old now.
If CBS licensed "Might Mouse" to Apple, and not to M&M, then shouldn't CBS being suing M&M for infringing their trademark and not the other way around?