Roughly two months ago, Google Inc. filed an application for a U.S. trademark, "Speedbook," to be used with an unidentified piece of computer hardware. Speculation soon began that the company might unveil a branded tablet device bearing the name.
A lawsuit filed by a Portland, Ore.-based firm alleging infringement and unfair competition has pressed Google to divulge at least some of its intentions for the "Speedbook" trademark, in a challenge to the technology industry's traditionally tight-lipped culture.
CollegeNet Inc. alleged in a complaint file d in federal court earlier this month that Google's use of "Speedbook" would cause confusion with its own scheduling software of the same name. CollegeNet said it was convinced Google would release a Speedbook device in November, and demanded to learn more.
In a sense, Google complied -- by stating in court documents last week that it won't actually be releasing a device called "Speedbook." Not this year, anyway.
In a declaration filed last week, Andy Rubin, Google's vice president of engineering, states that the "Speedbook" trademark application was his idea.
Rubin, who oversees the company's Android operating-system software, says that "Google is not releasing any product on Nov. 26, 2010, bearing the Speedbook mark and will not release any product with the Speedbook mark this year."
He adds that Google also has not entered into any manufacturing agreements in connection with "Speedbook," and has no intention to market a related product, again limiting the time frame to "at any time this year."
CollegeNet has acknowledged it had no specific information about Google's plans for "Speedbook," and instead pointed to media reports about a possible forthcoming Google tablet under the same name.
A Google spokesman declined to comment. An attorney representing CollegeNet also wouldn't comment.
Speculation about Google's tablet plans is natural, given the company's ambitions in the mobile market, as well as the success of rival App le Inc.'s iPad device.
Boom time for tablets
A growing crop of similar devices primed for watching video, reading e-books and browsing the Internet -- including those based on Google's Android software -- is flowering.
According to a study recently published by Gartner Inc., global sales of lightweight tablets such as those running on software from Apple and Google will jump 181% next year, to 54.8 million units.
Some media reports have seized upon the idea that the "Speedbook" could be part of a Google effort to seed the market with tablets running on its forthcoming "Chrome" operating-system software, designed for fast access to the Internet.
Google has posted images of a Chrome-based tablet online, though the company stresses that they are purely conceptual. A posting on a company site by Google managers in November 2009 suggested that Chrome, initially targeted at lightweight netbook computers, would be "ready for consumers" around November of this year.
Google's track record with branded devices is limited. The company unveiled a branded mobile phone, the Nexus One, to much fanfare in January -- only to announce it was discontinuing sales in July.
Reports have suggested that a Google-branded tablet would be built by HTC Corp., the device maker that has built mobile phones based on Android, including the Nexus One.
"We have made no announcements regarding a tablet device," said HTC spokesman Keith Nowak.
Colin Gillis, an analyst who covers Google for BGC Partners, says a branded tablet may make sense for the company. That's because it could serve as a sort of reference model for others building devices around Google's software.
The Nexus One "failed as a product, but it did work as a standard for what an Android phone should be, from a hardware angle," Gillis said. In the same way, he suggested, Google could use a branded tablet t o "showcase" Chrome, even if it has few branded-hardware ambitions beyond that.
Android has proliferated, despite the demise of the Nexus One. Its share of U.S. smart-phone subscribers jumped to 17% in July, from 12% the prior April, according to data published by comScore Inc.
Android is also appearing a on a growing number of tablets. Samsung unveiled its Galaxy Tab, which runs on Android, last month. Dell Inc. also has unveiled a tablet running on Android, and has indicated that it may use Chrome as well.
But what about calling a branded Google tablet meant to show off Chrome the "Speedbook?"
"It's better than the PlayBook," Gillis quipped, in reference to the tablet rolled out by Research In Motion Ltd. last month.
Quiet period
Gleaning details about Google's product plans is difficult, given the secrecy that the company and its peers employ.
Sarah Rotman Epps, a Forrester Research analyst, likened the opacity of Google's potential tablet plans to that of Apple, renowned for its wall of silence prior to a product unveiling.
For the record, Rotman Epps said she would be "surprised" if Google sought to release a branded tablet, given the company's success so far in relying on partners to promote its technology in tandem with hardware.
CollegeNet implied in court filings that Google sought to launch a sort of sneak attack, by first applying for the "Speedbook" trademark in the Kingdom of Tonga, and using that a basis for its application in the United States.
Google's use of the trademark in the United States. "will continue to cause irreparable damage, loss and injury," CollegeNet claimed.
Following Google's disclosures about its plans for the trademark, or lack of plans, a proposed order was filed with the court last week, whereby Google would be restricted from using "Speedbook" in 2010.
