When Google [GOOG] launched GMail in the UK a trademark was infringed forcing Google to call the service Google Mail. For those who adopted the service early in the UK, they managed to get an @gmail.com account, but since about 2005 all UK GMail addresses actually end in @googlemail.com.
After a 5 year dispute the tradmark issues are now resolved (someway or another in an undisclosed financial agreement) and users in the UK can now use @gmail.com for their email address.
The company who owned the trademark originally asked for £50 million, but it isn’t clear if they got that or anywhere near it. Either way, the matter is now closed and the company are happy with the outcome.
Google had something a little more exciting to say on the subject which includes a statement on how much energy is saved per day by users entering 50% less characters to type gmail rather than Googlemail each time…
‘Since ˜gmail’ is 50% fewer characters than ˜googlemail,’ we estimate this name change will save approximately 60 million keystrokes a day. At about 217 microjoules per keystroke, that’s about the energy of 20 bonbons saved every day!
Via: Geeky Gadgets
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