Apple Believes It Has Trademarked "Pad"

Apple has reportedly begun enforcing a new rule: apps with the word "Pad" in them are being rejected. The reason, Apple said in an email to a developer, is that his ContactPad app "inappropriately uses Pad in the application name." Eh?

They pointed the developer to the "Guidelines for Using Apple Trademarks and Copyrights." At this point we have to wonder what part of that is trademarked. Is it ContactPad? No. Is it Contact? No? Oh, it's pad!

Pompous much?

It is obviously impossible for Apple to have trademarked the word Pad. Thus the employee who rejected the ContactPad is obviously wrong (though he was likely told to do so by UM = Steve Jobs and the lawyers).

What is true, however, that Apple, being the one-million-pound gorilla it is, can do what it wants, and developers will fold so as to stay in the App Store. The saying is, "iPhone developers need to be flexible, as they have to bend over backwards for the App Store."

Realistically, the first use of the term iPad with regards to an Apple product was from MadTV (see below). They should have trademarked it when they had a chance: