For most of us, the term ’smartbook’ (a device that’s somewhere in between a smartphone and a netbook) is nothing but the latest tech buzzword du jour. For German company Smartbook, however, it’s apparently a chance to score some free publicity by vigilantly defending a multinational trademark and threatening to sue everyone who dares use it in conversations.

Let me kick off by saying that Smartbook AG does indeed own a trademark on the word smartbook in most of Western Europe, Australia, Singapore, South Korea and a couple of other countries. The company sells laptops that are named Smartbook, so I guess the company is well within its rights to try and protect their trademark in any way it deems appropriate.

via Smartbook Says Bloggers Can’t Use The Word Smartbook Anymore. Smartbook..

OK, so here are a couple more use of the word… I will talk about smartbook by using the word smartbook and no other words but smartbook.  I hope this is not too mrch references to smartbook for you smartbook word pretender!  Smarten up will you!