Journal: News & Comment

What is Apple's legal department thinking on podcasting's third birthday?

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I heard this story earlier today, and didn't quite believe it, but it looks like it may be true: is Apple trying to dissuade other companies and websites from using the world podcast? Really? Talk about counterproductive in the extreme.

UPDATE: Now that everyone has had a chance to see the cease and desist letter itself, interpretations are getting more nuanced. Still, it's not the best PR move on Apple's part.

As Dave Winer put it: "I think podcasting may create some confusion for the podcasters but not for Apple. No one confuses a podcast with an iPod, any more than car wax is confused with a car."

Here's hoping some Apple PR and legal people get hard to work on Monday morning to backtrack out of this move. When Apple lovers and haters alike, from Wired and Calacanis and Scoble and Winer to Cochrane and Gruber and Rubel, and a good chunk of the rest of the blogosphere (me included), are all ragging on the company, something has gone awry.

Not the best way to wish podcasting a happy third birthday today, is it?

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