Google loses German Gmail

GOOGLE HAS BEEN BANNED from using the name "Gmail" in Germany following a trademark case filed by the founder of G-Mail.

A German court heard how Daniel Giersch started using the name G-Mail in 2000, four years before Google.

The Hanseatic Higher Regional Court ruled that Giersch had properly registered the name and Google just took it without asking.

The court said that the the legal situation was so unambiguous, Google would not be allowed to appeal.

The trademark battle has dragged on for three years and has been fought in a number of jurisdictions.

Google, remember "Do no evil"?, is suing Giersch in Spain, Portugal and Switzerland, until he he drops the legal claims lodged in Germany.

So far a court in Switzerland threw out Google's case and now Giersch will file a suit to prohibit Google from using the name in that country.

Giersch said that he has no intention of selling the name which he wants for his hybrid mail system.

More here. µ