For the past two years a Des Moines bar has run iPod Monday, a gathering where patrons bring in their iPods and share playlists others in attendance. For two years, Clint Curtis, the event coordinator, has sent weekly updates to Apple and prior to the event he asked for permission. For two years, Apple remained silent.
Then one day Curtis quietly received an email from Apple ordering him to cease and desist iPod Monday. The letter read,
“Please choose a name for your product that is consistent with Apple’s guidelines (that does not include iPod or any other Apple trademark or variation thereon).”
I dunno about you guys, but I think this is pretty lame. The bar clearly wasn’t using an Apple trademark in any diabolical scheme for profit. It was a gimmick that ultimately advertised for Apple. Pretty stupid.