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Below is an entire email I received regarding the Nintendo Wii, and why MagicX (the reader in question) believes Nintendo is pulling our leg.
Nintendo said that they had spent over a year deciding on the final name for their next-gen console. They said earlier today that trademarks would be available shortly and are being filed. The problem is, their statement is bogus. I investigated a bit at the US Patent & Trademarks Office's website, and on their FAQ, they give a very different answer:
http://www.uspto.gov/main/faq/t250067.htm
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How long does it take to register a trademark?
It is difficult to predict exactly how long it will take an application to mature into a registration, because there are so many factors that can affect the process. Generally, an applicant will receive a filing receipt approximately three weeks after filing, which will include the serial number of the application. All future correspondence with the USPTO must include this serial number. You should receive a response from the Office within six to seven months from filing the application. However, the total time for an application to be processed may be anywhere from almost a year to several years, depending on the basis for filing, and the legal issues which may arise in the examination of the application.
Current status information may be obtained through the Trademark Applications and Registrations Retrieval (TARR) database at http://tarr.uspto.gov/ or by calling the Trademark Assistance Center at (571) 272-9250 or (800) 786-9199. Applicants should check on the status of their pending applications every six months.
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At this rate, Nintendo would have had to have applied for the trademark months ahead in advance before coming up with the final name decision....something isn't adding up here. On top of that, another issue arises in how long it takes for patents to be registered:
http://www.uspto.gov/main/faq/p220026.htm
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How long does it take for a patent application to be processed?
Currently, the average patent application pendency is 24.6 months. Applications received in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office are numbered in sequential order and the applicant will be informed within eight weeks of the application number and official filing date if filed in paper. If filed electronically, the application number is available within minutes.
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Nintendo is withholding the true name of its next-gen console. The Wii is not the real name, and if this doesn't disprove their statements earlier today, I don't know what will.
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