Why Is This Handheld Named Pandora?

[Chip]

Speaking of word "pandora" isn't whis word already registred in all countries as treademark?

It is not registered for a handheld gaming computer. Trademarks only apply to general field for which they are registered. Their intended purpose is to prevent confusion (intentional or accidental) between competing products.

For instance, if I started a car company and tried to sell a car called the "Malaboo", General Motors would come down on me like a ton of bricks. The name is obviously a take on the Chevrolet Malibu and GM needs to protect their trademark. However, the trademark only applies to cars. Malibu Rum, Mattel's Malibu Barbie, and the town of Malibu, CA do not have anything to worry about.


Yeah, but in certain cases don't I need to seek a license to use a brand name like if GM wanted to offer a bubble-gum pink version of the Malibu and call it Malibu Barbie's Malibu? ;-)


That's branding, and it's a special case. For example, if we called Pandora "The Pandora Radio Music Genome Project Player", then there might be an issue. We would need to get branding rights. Proper names, invented words and unique phrases are also treated differently. McDonalds owns the trademarked phrase "I'm lovin' it" as it relates to fast food, but since the phrase is fairly unique, they could probably defend it against use in any field. It all depends on who the other guy had for lawyers and how much he wanted to pay them.

When you take a pre-existing common use word and apply it to your product, you can only trademark it against similar products. The name "Pandora" comes from greek mythology and pre-dates all US trademarks by a couple thousand years. You can't claim it as your own for all possible uses. Perhaps a more relevant analogy: When GM trademarked the name "Saturn" in the mid 80s, it was a pre-existing word. It referred to the Roman god of farming, not to mention the 2nd largest planet in the solar system. GM's trademark only covered uses of the name Saturn as it applied to automobiles. That's why when Sega came along 10 years later with a video game console called Saturn, they didn't need GM's permission.

 

[chad78]

We didn't want a series of letters or numbers (gp2x, psp etc.) and Pandora is one of the few words which works well and is known in almost all languages.

We also like the myth and it goes well with the fact the Pandora opens etc. loads of reasons really that the named worked well, also almost everyone seemed to like it.

I personally like the sound of the Kids' 2P3GX Mini... just rolls off the tongue.

 

[ashadocat]

It's called the pandora because, like pandora's box, it kills things. particularly kittens. every time you close the lid.

 

[JakeK]

You're quite an intelligent guy Chip .