On February 24, 2011, The European Trademarks and Designs Office published Apple's latest trademark application for the word "Places" under application 009760141. Apple has filed their trademark under four distinct International Classes covering all manner of computer hardware, education and entertainment services and more. Yet at the heart of this application, Places is primarily about online social networking services related to a social networking site and will assist in locating people using GPS on Apple's mobile devices. Whether this will be coordinated with Apple's iTunes social networking music service called Ping is unknown at this time.
Apple's Trademark Application In-Part
Apple Trademark: International Class Details
International Class 009: Computers, computer peripheral devices, computer terminals; computer hardware; computer gaming machines, microprocessors, memory boards, monitors, displays, keyboards, cables, modems, printers, disk drives, adapters, adapter cards, connectors and drivers; blank computer storage media; magnetic data carriers; computer software; computer software for authoring, downloading, transmitting, receiving, editing, extracting, encoding, decoding, displaying, storing and organizing text, graphics, images, and electronic publications; computer software and firmware, namely, operating system programs, data synchronization programs, and application development tool programs for personal and handheld computers; computer hardware and software for providing integrated telephone communication with computerized global information networks; pre-recorded computer programs for personal information management, database management software, character recognition software, telephony management software, electronic mail and messaging software, paging software, mobile telephone software; database synchronization software, computer programs for accessing, browsing and searching online databases, computer software for the redirection of messages, Internet e-mail, and/or other data to one or more electronic handheld devices from a data store on or associated with a personal computer or a server; computer software for the synchronization of data between a remote station or device and a fixed or remote station or device; downloadable electronic publications in the nature of books, plays, pamphlets, brochures, newsletters, journals, magazines, and periodicals on a wide range of topics of general interest; handheld digital electronic devices and software related thereto; MP3 and other digital format audio players; hand held computers, tablet computers, personal digital assistants, electronic organizers, electronic notepads; mobile digital electronic devices, global positioning system (GPS) devices, telephones; handheld and mobile digital electronic devices for the sending and receiving of telephone calls, faxes, electronic mail, and other digital data; cordless telephones; mobile telephones; parts and accessories for mobile telephones; facsimile machines, answering machines, cameras, videophones, telephone-based information retrieval software and hardware; electronic handheld units for the wireless receipt, storage and/or transmission of data and messages, and electronic devices that enable the user to keep track of or manage personal information; electronic communication equipment and instruments; telecommunications apparatus and instruments; fonts, typefaces, type designs and symbols in the form of recorded data; chips, discs and tapes bearing or for recording computer programs and software; random access memory, read only memory; solid state memory apparatus; computer and electronic games; user manuals in electronically readable, machine readable or computer readable form for use with, and sold as a unit with, all the aforementioned goods; apparatus for data storage; hard drives; miniature hard disk drive storage units; audio video discs, CD-ROMs, and digital versatile discs; mouse pads; batteries; rechargeable batteries; chargers; chargers for electric batteries; headphones; stereo headphones; in-ear headphones; stereo speakers; audio speakers; audio speakers for home; monitor speakers; speakers for computers; personal stereo speaker apparatus; radio receivers, amplifiers, sound recording and reproducing apparatus, electric phonographs, record players, high fidelity stereo apparatus, tape recorders and reproducing apparatus, loudspeakers, multiple speaker units, microphones; digital audio and video devices; audio cassette recorders and players, video cassette recorders and players, compact disc players, digital versatile disc recorders and players, digital audio tape recorders and players; digital music and/or video players; radios; video cameras; audio, video, and digital mixers; radio transmitters; car audio apparatus; computer equipment for use with all of the aforesaid goods; electronic apparatus with multimedia functions for use with all of the aforesaid goods; electronic apparatus with interactive functions for use with all of the aforesaid goods; accessories, parts, fittings, and testing apparatus for all of the aforesaid goods; parts and fittings for all the aforesaid goods; covers, bags and cases adapted or shaped to contain all of the aforesaid goods, made of leather, imitations of leather, cloth, or textile materials.
International Class 041: Educational and entertainment services; sporting and cultural activities; computer-based and computer-assisted educational, teaching, and training services; digital imaging services; entertainment and educational services, namely, providing text, video, audio, and multimedia materials; entertainment services, namely, providing computer games; entertainment and educational services, namely, providing electronic books, magazines, newspapers, journals, periodicals, and other publications; entertainment and educational services, namely, providing information, databases, directories, and podcasts in the fields of entertainment, advertising, news, current events, history, sports, games, the media, cultural events and activities, hobbies, publications, technology, and other topics; entertainment and educational services, namely, live performances, sporting events, cultural events, and lectures; entertainment and education services, namely, organizing and conducting exhibitions, displays, exhibits, workshops, seminars, training, and conferences; information, advisory and consultancy services relating to all the aforesaid.
International Class 042: Application service provider (ASP) services featuring computer software; application service provider (ASP) services featuring software for authoring, downloading, transmitting, receiving, editing, extracting, encoding, decoding, displaying, storing and organizing text, graphics, images, and electronic publications; scientific and technological services and research and design relating thereto; industrial analysis and research services; design and development of computer hardware and software; computer hardware and software consulting services; rental of computer hardware and software apparatus and equipment; multimedia and audio-visual software consulting services; computer programming; support and consultation services for developing computer systems, databases and applications; graphic design for the compilation of web pages on the Internet; information relating to computer hardware or software provided on-line from a global computer network or the Internet; creating and maintaining web-sites; hosting the web-sites of others; providing search engines for obtaining data via communications networks; application service provider (ASP) services featuring software for use in connection with online music subscription service, software that enables users to play and program music and entertainment-related audio, video, text and multimedia content, and software featuring musical sound recordings, entertainment-related audio, video, text and multimedia content; providing temporary internet access to use on-line non-downloadable software to enable users to program audio, video, text and other multimedia content, including music, concerts, videos, radio, television, news, sports, games, cultural events, and entertainment-related programs; providing search engines for obtaining data on a global computer network; information, advisory and consultancy services relating to all the aforesaid; operating search engines; computer consulting and support services for scanning information into computer discs; creating indexes of online information, sites and other resources available on global computer networks for others; providing user access to the Internet (service providers); cartography and mapping.
International Class 045: Online social networking services; providing a social networking website; assisting in the locating of people using a global positioning system (GPS).
Apple asserts a claim of priority based on Jamaican application number 56357, filed on August 23, 2010. Today's European filing was made in London England by Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge UK LLP.
Update February 25, 2011: Apple has filed for the "Places" trademark in China this morning under the same International Classes as noted above under application 301840743.
This marks Apple's second trademark filing related to social networking this quarter: See Apple. By reviewing our "Tech:Social" Archives, you'll be able to see the extensive work that Apple has already amassed on this all-important trend and lifestyle science. It's interesting to note that while Apple introduced "places" with iPhoto '09 in relation to geotagging, there's not one single mention of geotagging or even "photo" in the classes set to protect Apple's new trademark. With the specific inclusion of "online social networking website" under protection of Class 045, I'd say that this version of "Places" may be another type of future service. Time will tell.
Note: Our cover graphic illustrating people in circle is a design used by Patently Apple and is not in any way associated with Apple's latest rademark filing.
Notice: Patently Apple presents only a brief summary of new trademarks with associated graphic(s) for journalistic news purposes as each such trademark is revealed by the U.S. and/or other foreign Patent & Trademark Offices. Readers are cautioned that the full text of any patent and/or trademark applications and/or grants should be read in its entirety for further details. About Comments: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit comments.
ThunderBolt Brings Lightning I/O Speeds to the MacBook Pro
In other news, Apple introduced "Thunderbolt," formerly known as Light Peak into their entire MacBook Pro line-up this morning. Intel was equally quick to clarify that they had developed the technology and was brought to market with technical collaboration from Apple. So the myth that Light Peak was originally developed by Apple was quickly put to rest. Patently Apple first shed light on this technology in a special 2009 report.
Community Sites Covering our Original Report
MacSurfer, Apple Investor News, Google Reader, Mactech, Techmeme, iPhone World Canada, MacPlus France, iPhoneItalia Italy, iPadevice Italy, Zaone Romania, Business Insider, iSpazio Italy, Buzz Gadgets, MacRumors, Upgrade OS X, Greek iPhone, Macgeneration France, MacKozer Poland, Biz Blog Romania, Macmagazine Brazil, Buzzbox, Notebooks.com, KnowYourMobile, SAI, TiPb, BGR, MacNN, mocoNews, intomobile, Signal News, ZOMGitscj Delhi India, MacDailyNews, Pulse 2, Smartphone Top 10, RazorianFly, Yahoo! Finance, The Readers Eye, Mashable, iMaiCafe Thailand,Phone2Go Russia, Phonedog, Mobile Bulgaria, Dock of the Bay, 9 to 5 Mac, Directions Magazine, Apple Life Russia, Webcrunch Russia, Appleismo Spanish, UkrainianiPhone, iXBT Russia, Signal News, Mobile choices UK, MondifyMac Thailand and more.
