Apple Inc (AAPL)

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Apple Computer loses bid to hear Beatles case in US
Tuesday April 6, 12:04 pm ET

http://biz.yahoo.com/rc/040406/media_music_apple_1.html

LONDON, April 6 (Reuters) - Apple Computer Inc. (NasdaqNM:AAPL - News) on Tuesday lost a High Court bid to have its legal case brought by the management company for legendary Fab Four rockers, the Beatles, moved from Britain to the United States.

The California computer maker has been embroiled in a trademark dispute since September with the similarly named London-based Apple Corps., the company formed in 1968 to manage the band's business interests and act as its music label.

Apple Corps. took the computer maker to court, accusing Apple Computer of violating a 1991 agreement specifying that it could use the Apple trademark for computer products only.

The Beatles management said Apple Computer broke the agreement when it used the fruity logo and trademark to promote its iTunes online music store, the most popular Internet download service in the world.

A London High Court judge on Tuesday struck down Apple's request to have the case heard by California courts. The computer maker argued the U.S. was the proper place for the hearing as this was where the original agreement between the two companies was struck.

Launched a year ago, iTunes has given hope to weary music executives looking for an industry-backed online music store capable of derailing free file-sharing networks such as WinMX and Kazaa.