An Apple A Day Doesn’t Keep The Lawyers Away
There is a machine that has been turning out millions of Apple Core devices for about seven years.
[pullquote style=”right” quote=”dark”]“We are being bullied by one of the largest corporations in the world, for inventing a little simple cable organizer.[/pullquote]
The Apple Core is a kind of cable organizer that was invented by Utahn Robin Peng.
All you have to do is snap one end of your cord into one of the two slots available and then you wrap the cord around the middle of the Apple Core then snap the other end in the other open slot.
Selling his Apple Core cord organizer is how he makes a living.
In addition to inventing the Apple Core, he has created a snow ski for older people as well as a touch free toggle switch.
Peng spend lots of time with outsiders to help them perfect his various inventions.
But the Apple Corporation is ordering Peng to cease using the name Apple Core. This is the name he had copyrighted seven years ago.
Apple Corp. says Peng’s Apple Core name confuses Apple customers. They said it can sound too much like AppleCare and Apple Store.
Apple, which earned an all-time record corporation profit of $18 billion, is aggressively prosecuting this case.
Apple flew its New York super lawyer, Robert Potter and a team, to dispose Peng for a day at the Federal Courthouse in Salt Lake City.
How much is it costing Apple? They wouldn’t say.
Peng has spent around $100,000 defending himself.
Bill contacted Apple Corporations so called “super lawyer”, Potter, in their office in New York and he asked about this case.
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[/one_fourth][three_fourth_last]Bill asked if Potter thought this was corporate bullying, and also asked how much Apple Corp. has spent on this case so far.
No comment was ever given for either question.
Potter said he would put Apple’s public relations people in touch with Bill to answer all of his questions. Well guess what, they never called him.
The next day, Peng was informed by the Apple Corporation Lawyers that they were ordering him yet another disposition.
“It doesn’t feel very good and what they are doing is not right,” said Peng.
Peng contacted patent lawyer Geoffrey Dobbin to help him and because of Apple’s size and regardless of who is right Dobbin is not sure Peng will prevail.
“Robin and I both have limited resources and in this case I’m afraid resources will win,” said Dobbin.
This means that Peng will have to find a new name for what he has called his Apple Core invention since 2007.
Gephardt Daily will of course continue to follow this case and report back to you.
In the meantime, do you want to contact Apple or Peng, so that your opinion can be heard?
Leave a comment below and we promise to pass them along to both the Apple Corporation and Peng so you can be.
I don’t own or use any apple product or the apple core. I’m more of an android person myself. So last time i checked did a fruit called an apple have to be patented? Hmmm… Do i have to pay some sort of royalty everytime i ask for an apple so people don’t get confused that i want to chomp down on someone’s ipod? If my memory is correct didn’t Adam (you know Adam and eve) give everything their names? So wouldn’t the apple company need to pay royalties to all of Adams decendants because of a simple “Grandfather clause”? I don’t know cuz i’m a simple person that thinks all of this is silly. Why would a company as big as apple be worried by a nice company. Bullies do have issues with self esteem i guess.
This is ridiculous. Apple, one of the most successful companies in the world, trying to squeeze a little guy – who has a patented name already!!! Why don’t they spend some of their profits helping people?
Shame on you BULLY APPLE!
I think this IS corporate bullying. Can you really have a corner on the name Apple Core when people have referred to the middle of the apple as a core for eons? That is what it looks like…..an apple core. Come on Apple, let it be.
Dear Apple, Please reconsider this lawsuit. As an exclusive Apple product user I am embarrassed that you would do this to a man who is just trying to make a living! I have had Apple Cores for several years and they work very nicely, but I have never confused them with your Apple Care or any other Apple product. Please reimburse Mr. Peng for his legal expenses, leave him alone, and come out looking like a good guy!
This is a classic example of corporate bullying. What comes around goes around. I have never supported Apple anyways, but now this gives me more fuel for the fire to tell all my friends not to buy their products. Android > Apple.
Stupid and a huge waste of money. Apple, You do not get to control everything that has to do with an apple or its core!
Definitely a case of corporate bullying & another reason I don’t buy apple products.
First off this is NOT a case about copyright, it is a case about trademarks. The two are very different things. Secondly if a trademark isn’t defended against direct violations and violations that might cause confusion in the marketplace, then the company who owns the trademark can lose it.
I am not saying I condone Apple’s actions, I don’t know enough details, and a lot has been glazed over. For example I know apple does start with a lawsuit and depositions. They start with a cease and desist letter and work their way up through the process.
So maybe we should insist on more facts before we start snapping to conclusions… oh wait, this is the internet…
I have iPhones as well as the Apple Core headphone organizer. I love them both and I’m ashamed at Apple CORP. for their behavior. They are a multi Million-Billion dollar company that shouldn’t even be worried about what “little” profit “Apple Core” is brining in. The people obviously aren’t finding the right Apple products they are looking for on that website. So they can keep looking. That what Google is for.
Shame on Apple Corp for bullying and not supporting smaller businesses to succeed.