Google’s Nexus One has been interpreted by some press as a title inspired by the Nexus series of androids in the Blade Runner movie. Creator Philip K. Dick’s daughter, Isa, says, “We were never consulted, no requests were made, and we didn’t grant any sort of permissions.” She is consulting her legal counsel over the matter. [NYT]
Martin
December 17, 2009 at 8:37 AM
hmmm….when will they hit the “star trek generations” movie writer for using the term nexus in the movie? this is pretty pathetic really.
okay say I released a product into the world without actually seeing the movie blade runner (which I havent) then getting sued about it over something I had no prior knowledge about!! its a bloody word that is in the dictionary for god sake!!!
Report PermalinkDONAR
December 17, 2009 at 9:14 AM
It’s not surprising. “Nexus” isn’t what they’re pissed about, but the “Nexus One” tag is their own creative IP.
If Metallica can file a lawsuit against Victoria’s Secret for using their band name on lipstick shade, it was a pretty safe bet that the estate of Philip Dick would want to protect “their” property.
Report Permalinksimulacrum
December 17, 2009 at 11:09 AM
What a joke.. surely you can’t have copyright over the use of a common English word followed by a digit. That’s insane. Also it seems the rationale behind the name of the device is in the common meaning of the word nexus (highly appropriate for a communication device) and the fact that it is the first one. It’s a name you could easily come up with without having ever heard of Philip K Dick. And I bet to most people the name won’t even evoke Blade Runner or the novel.
Report PermalinkRhys Kingston
December 17, 2009 at 1:41 PM
Isa Dick? Seriously? Nominative determinism at it’s best!
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