IIR Ind.Intl.Inv.

RNS Number:6716Q
Independent Intl Inv Research PLC
05 February 2007

Press release

07h00, 5 February 2007



Independent International Investment Research Plc ("the Group")

Gmail trade mark dispute with Google - update


Press reports on 1 February 2007 have accurately reported that the Office for
Harmonisation of Internal Markets (OHIM) has upheld the opposition by Daniel
Giersch to Google's European Community Trade Mark (CTM) application for the
Gmail trade mark.



The Group wholly supports this decision and on 25 January 2007 wrote to Google:-



1)        to point out that the Group considers that Google's decision to change
the name of its service in the UK in 2005, from "GMAIL" to "GoogleMail", is an
acknowledgement that it had been using a trade mark over which the Group has
prior rights;

2)       to emphasise that the 2006 decision of the German courts to enjoin
Google from using the trade mark cast further doubt on Google's entitlement to
use the trade mark in Europe.



The Group is pleased to report that it was also able to notify Google that
Daniel Giersch has formally suspended his opposition to the Group's own CTM
application for the Gmail trade mark, which substantially improves the prospects
of the Group's pending application, which has priority over that of Google,
proceeding to grant.   If and when granted it is the intention of the Group to
use its trade mark registration in order to protect its intellectual property in
Europe by seeking (a) compensation for prior infringements and (b) (if
necessary) court orders against present and future infringements.



In addition, the Group is pleased to report that it was able to notify Google
that it intended to petition at the US Patents and Trade marks Office (USPTO),
for the cancellation of Google's  trade mark registration for GMAIL in the US.
This Cancellation Petition was subsequently filed on 26 January.  The Group has
been promoting its products in the US since 2002 and its trade mark application
preceded that of Google.



Finally, the Group is aware that Google is attempting to secure rights to the
GMAIL mark in China.  The Group has been promoting its products including Gmail
in China since before the launch of Google's product in 2004, and is exploring
its options to prevent Google from undermining its intellectual property rights
in that country.



Shane Smith, Group Chairman and CEO commented:



"The Company is pleased with the verdicts at first instance and appeal in the
German Courts, and now at the European level.  We will continue in our efforts
to protect the Group's intellectual property.





-ENDS



For further information please contact:

Shane Smith, Chairman and CEO,       Shane.smith@iirgroup.com   +44 7785 276 703
Independent International 
Investment Research PLC




Notes to editors:

Independent International Investment Research PLC ("Indpependent II Research")
(LSE:IIR) is the UK's leading source for impartial research and strategy for
global equities and foreign exchange.



The company was admitted to the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the
London Stock Exchange in 2000, and operates through three subsidiaries: Pronet
Analytics.com Limited (Regulated and Authorised by the Financial Services
Authority in the UK, and registered as an Investment Advisor with the Securities
Exchange Commission in the USA) has been ranked consistently in the global
top-five independent currency research firms, whilst its Independent Financial
Markets Research Limited subsidiary has become the leading specialist  in the
United States for the provision of research on non-US companies (primarily those
with American Depositary Receipt programs).  The group's key production facility
is its Indian subsidiary, Independent Research Pvt Limited.



The company is headquartered in London, with research and development facilities
operating in China and India.  Key distribution partners are BNY Jaywalk, Inc.,
Reuters PLC, Institutional Research Services, Inc., and Bloomberg LP (PRON)
as well as a number of specialist distribution partners in China who are focused
specifically on introducing FX research services to the rapidly developing
currency markets in that country.








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