Google Sued Over Android Brand

Google is being sued for its Android brand. Apparently the Mountain View company overlooked the minor detail that it was never actually awarded the trademark for Android. Maybe because some other dude trademarked "Android" years before Google even tried.

Erich Specht was awarded the trademark in October 2002 for his company Android Data Corporation. Now the software developer says Google and 46 other companies involved in the Open Handset Alliance are liable for trademark infringement and is suing them for $94 million.

"Basically, it's a stolen name," said his lawyer, Martin Murphy told Forbes. "It's our trademark, and Google is using it as if it's theirs,” he added. "[Specht] put a lot of thought into that name, Android. He felt, 'Google is taking this away from me,'” finished Murphy. Alright, so that last part makes us want to sucker punch his lawyer for making him sound like a whiny crybaby, but it really does look like Specht has a fighting chance.

Google applied for the trademark in 2007 and was denied because Specht had gotten there first. Forbes reports that Google’s application was rejected in early 2008. Google appealed the rejection, saying Specht’s firm had lost its claim to the Android brand due to inactivity and pointed out that Android Data had been dissolved in 2004. Despite all of Google’s ifs, buts and maybes, the PTO rejected Google’s appeal and suspended the the search giant’s trademark application.

Apparently Specht only recently realized that Android was a mobile OS and not a cell phone, which is why he’s suddenly making such a fuss and demanding close to $100 million from Google and all of its friends. Forbes cites a Google spokesman by the name of Andrew Pederson as saying the company believes the claims are without merit and "will defend vigorously against them." We’re sure you will, Google. Can’t imagine a name change would go over so smoothly at this stage in the game.