Yahoo! announced another new product today, called Search Pad.

Unfortunately in true Yahoo style,  it did not secure the domain searchpad.com which is currently parked, before announcing release of the product.

It certainly couldn’t be the price of the domain that scared them off as of today the domain could be purchased for as little as the whopping sum of $750 (owner is taking offers starting at that amount at Sedo.

A couple of weeks ago, we wrote about Yahoo most popular service Flickr.com and the fact that they failed to secure the correct spelling of the service, Flicker.com.

In this case, Yahoo didn’t just fail to secure the domain prior to release; it maybe in violation of a Trademark by naming its product “Search Pad”.

According to the US trademark database, the term “Search Pad”, has been trademarked since 1997, for the exact purpose that Yahoo Search Pad operates:

The trademark states:

Typed Drawing

---

Word Mark	SEARCHPAD
Goods and Services	IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: computer software for searching and classifying information on global computer networks. FIRST USE: 19970900. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19971116
Mark Drawing Code	(1) TYPED DRAWING
Serial Number	75378351
Filing Date	October 23, 1997
Current Filing Basis	1A
Original Filing Basis	1B
Published for Opposition	December 29, 1998
Change In Registration	CHANGE IN REGISTRATION HAS OCCURRED
Registration Number	2686837
Registration Date	February 11, 2003
Owner	(REGISTRANT) SATYAM COMPUTER SERVICES LTD. CORPORATION INDIA 3-7-218 HARSHA TOWERS, TRIMULGHERRY POST SECUNDERABAD 500 015 INDIA
Assignment Recorded	ASSIGNMENT RECORDED
Attorney of Record	Joanne Ludovici-Lint
Type of Mark	TRADEMARK
Register	PRINCIPAL
Live/Dead Indicator	LIVE

In its press release Yahoo does not mention that is has license the software from a third party and actually calls the product,  “Yahoo Search Pad”

Typically if a company rolls out a product, including another companies involvement, it would mention the other company it in the official press release, which Yahoo did not do, certainly giving me the impression that they maybe in violation of this long established trademark.

That would especially interesting in light of Yahoo comments yesterday to ICANN strongly supporting the URS to proect trademark holders right.

If your interested here is how Yahoo describes, Yahoo Search Pad here you go:

“””Yahoo! announced today Search Pad beta, a Yahoo! Search feature that lets people capture, organize, save and share information they find while researching online. Search Pad provides a new search experience that is especially valuable for people conducting extensive research in categories such as academic, health, jobs, travel, or shopping.

“””Today, people conducting online research often use cumbersome methods for capturing the information they find in search results, pasting snippets into separate documents, taking handwritten paper notes, bookmarks, and/or sending themselves emails with links. Search Pad simplifies this task by automatically recognizing when people are conducting research, and allowing them to easily capture information and websites found in their search results. Once activated, Search Pad automatically saves recent items, including links in one integrated notepad that stays with them as they search. People can edit their notes and then print, save, email, or share their Search Pad documents with family, friends, colleagues or anyone else, eliminating the need for others to do the same research.

“””At Yahoo! Search we are committed to understanding people’s intent and building the right tools to help them complete their most important tasks online,” said Larry Cornett, vice president of consumer products, Yahoo! Search. “With Search Pad, Yahoo! is providing an elegant solution that understands when valuable research is being conducted and offers a way to effortlessly gather information in one place. Yahoo! Search Pad helps people make decisions, save their work, and share the best with friends and colleagues.”””

You can also watch a screencast of the product by clicking here.

You can read a Tech Crunch article on the product here.

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