Dear blogging friends ... could all of you please start using your brains and do a little bit of checking before you start bitching.
Apple is NOT claiming rights to the word "Podcasting", and they are NOT trying to stop anyone from using it. Read the F* letter!
What they are doing, is trying to avoid their brand "iPod" becomes a generic name for an MP3 player. And rightfully so. All famous brands do this, 'bic' does not want pens to be called 'a bic', Kodac has (had) the same issue with camera's and even my ex-employer Samsonite had to take action in order not to lose their right to their brand because people started talking about 'my Samsonite' meaning 'my suitcase'.
And it's logical that companies protect the brands they invested millions of Euro's in!
The only 'suspicious' thing in Apple's letter is that they are also claiming the word "pod" for MP3 players, but my guess is they are just throwing this in to make their (justified) "iPod" claim stronger.
