Apple (Beatles) Loses Trademark Case Against Apple (Steve Jobs)

Apple Computer won a victory over the Beatles' company Apple Corp over the use of the Apple Computer logo on the iTunes store.  Apple Corp complained that this violated a 1991 agreement that arose from a similar dispute that they stay out of the business of the other.  High Court Judge Anthony Mann basically said the logo is used with the store and not with the music sold at the store.  Neil Aspinall, head of Apple Corp vowed an appeal to Britain's Court of Appeal.  This means plenty of harrumphing and powdered wigs to be available for the foreseeable future.

The most interesting bit of news to come out of this case is that Apple Corp is preparing new masters of old Beatle product to be released on the "dying" CD format and through online distribution.  Apple Computer would dearly love to get some distribution rights to these downloads, but that's a question that may have to wait until the final final ruling in this case.

We would have cued the song "I'm A Loser" here, but that would have gotten us sued.  You can do it mentally though without paying royalties, at least until the RIAA can figure out a way to make us pay for our thoughts.  See the Washington Post, BBC News, Billboard, and CNET for details on the judgment.