Beatles Demand Settlement From Apple Computers Over Name

[GhostShip]

Seems like you can keep getting a bite from the same cherry or rather apple in this case.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2105800,00.html

This week the Apple Corps goes to the High Court seeking multimillion-pound damages against Apple Computer, the creators of the iPod, over their hugely successful iTunes Music Store.

Apple Corps, owned by the former Beatles and their heirs, still owns the licensing rights to Beatles’ products. It is claiming that the introduction of iTunes broke a $26 million settlement under which Apple Computer agreed to steer clear of the music business, for which the Beatles’ company retains the famous trademark. It is the latest clash in one of Britain’s longest-running corporate legal battles.

Steve Jobs, chief executive of Apple Computer, founded his company in 1976 with a logo of a rainbow-coloured apple with a bite taken out of it. Apple Corps sued him five years later, accepting an $80,000 settlement and a promise that the computer company would stay out of the music business.

I feel sorry for Steve a little bit he seems to have worked hard and this is a lot of money to pay for the use of a single word, still greed begets greed.

[Lysander]

On one hand, this is a perfectly legitimate reason to sue Apple; they settled, and now Apple broke the settlement.

On the other, how  freaking anal do you have to be? This is something that no one cares about. I find it extremely difficult to believe that anyone went ot iTunes and thought "Oh, that's such an obvious slam on the Beatles!" And if it was such a big deal, why did they wait until 2006? iTunes was started in what, 2001? The only reason is simple greed, and that's quite plain; I defy anyone to disagree. 26 million dollars? Where did they get that number from?

[GhostShip]

Welll,well the Beatles have lucked out 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4983796.stm

The Beatles have lost their court challenge against Apple Computer over its iPod and iTunes download service.
Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and the families of George Harrison and John Lennon control the Apple Corps label.
They claimed the US firm broke a deal aimed at ensuring there would not be two Apples in the music industry.

But Mr Justice Anthony Mann ruled that the computer company used the Apple logo in association with its store, not the music, and so was not in breach.
The ruling means iPods and iTunes will still be able to carry the Apple name and logo.

Hmm I think thi is fair to be honest I would not have paid up in the first place, its quite clear to most people that the beatles never sold computers 

[..Ñøßߥ..]

Good news me thinks, it was a dumb claim in the first place IMHO