Google’s social media service Google+, launched this week, may have some small legal issues to iron out with social media player Huddle.
Google+ is a set of social media tools designed to compete with Facebook, and includes Huddle text chat. However, there is already a social media product called Huddle – which handles content sharing amongst users and competes with Microsoft’s Sharepoint.
The Google+ project includes Circles, which shares material with groups, countering objections to Google’s ill-fated Buzz social media effort of 2010, and potentially delivering more privacy than Facebook.
It also includes Google +1, the company’s answer to Facebook’s Like button, allowing users to click a button to recommend content to friends and contacts.
Huddle is a comparatively small part of the Google+ project designed to allow groups to chat easily, while London-based Huddle.com makes a product for content management and collaboration, which has made some inroads into business and government as an alternative to Microsoft Sharepoint.
Huddle has signed a deal as a cloud provider for the UK government, and already works with around 60 government departments. Cloud computing is a major IT strategy for the government, though doubts have been raised about a formal “G-Cloud”.
The overlap in function between the two Huddles is slight or non-existent, but both are in the social media space. Huddle told eWEEK Europe that it is currently consulting with its lawyers, and cannot provide any comment at this stage.
German foreign minister warns Russia will face consequences for “absolutely intolerable” cyberattack on ruling party,…
Google is reportedly laying off at least 200 staff from its “Core” organisation, including key…
Investor appeasement? Apple unveils huge $110 billion share buyback program, as sales of iPhone decline…
Tesla retreats from pioneering gigacasting manufacturing process, amid cost cutting and challenges at EV giant
No skynet please. After the US, UK and France pledge human only control of nuclear…
Microsoft's AI investments continue in south east Asia, after investments in Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, as…
View Comments
There was an IOS before Apple started using it, one that is possibly far more widely known than Huddle (which, I admit, I'd not heard of).
Ever heard of a networking company called Cisco?
Yes indeed GJM.
In fact, as well as owning the name iOS, Cisco also actually had a product called the iPhone, and settled with Apple about it.
Similarly, Fujitsu and others had prior claims to the iPad name when Apple brought that out...
http://www.eweekeurope.co.uk/news/news-mobile-wireless/fujitsus-ipad-name-claim-unlikely-to-hurt-apple-3206
Peter Judge
Editor
Huddle has broken silence on this, over on its blog
http://blog.huddle.net/google-setting-the-record-straight
The company assures readers there is no collaboration or acquisition deal with Google. But will there be legal sport in this?
After giving a long and interesting history of itself, Huddle refuses to be drawn, saying simply:
"Given that there is no business relationship between Google and Huddle, there have been articles published on both eWeek and TechCrunch discussing the possibility of legal action against Google. The Huddle team has worked hard to build its brand visibility worldwide and maintaining this is extremely important. We have contacted Google about this matter, and our hope and preference, of course, is that this issue reaches a timely and amicable resolution."
We'll keep our eyes on this one...
Peter Judge
Editor