Ask HN: Patent infringement re "Pomodoro" aka Tomato
I received an email from Apple regarding an old app I have on iTunes (https:&#x2F;&#x2F;itunes.apple.com&#x2F;us&#x2F;app&#x2F;id488633128?mt=8) which infringes intellectual property rights for the word &quot;Pomodoro&quot;. The claimant (http:&#x2F;&#x2F;pomodorotechnique.com) is referring to trade marks in various classes in the European Union they have for the word Pomodoro and related terms.<p>Funnily enough the word Pomodoro means Tomato in Italian and there are hundreds of apps on iTunes with that word. I guess my app must of caught their eye.. maybe. I looked at their website trademark guidelines (http:&#x2F;&#x2F;pomodorotechnique.com&#x2F;the-pomodoro-technique-trademark-guidelines&#x2F;) and yes I see the rules around using those words.<p>Yet when I search online there are literally hundreds and hundreds of sites &amp; apps using that word. The claimant supposedly can give explicit and formal permission to use the word but they do not seem to respond to my emails :(<p>I have removed the app from European store where the supposed trade mark violations are and have not heard since from the claimant or apple.<p>Any advise on what I should do next? Cheers.<p>I hope no other fruit or vegetable words get trademarked :O