Apple Awarded U.S. Trademark for Mac Startup Chime

MacRumors · Dec 12, 2012, 02:49 PM

Patently Apple reports that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has officially granted Apple a registered trademark for the sound that its Mac computers make after booting up.

The original chiming sound was created by Apple programmer Jim Reekes, who designed many of the system sounds for the Mac OS, including that iconic startup chime roughly 20 years ago. Apple has used several different variations on the chime over the years, including a shift in pitch to the current tone Apple notes as having been in use since early 1999.

On the trademark application, which was filed in June of this year, Apple states that the chime is "a sound mark consisting of a slightly flat (by approximately 30 cents) G flat/F sharp major chord."

Apple uses the sound to signal that the diagnostic tests run at the startup of a Mac computer have found no hardware or software problems.

Other Apple trademarks include slogans like "There's an app for that" and "Think Different," and product labels like "Retina," "Time Capsule," and "Smart Cover."

Article Link: Apple Awarded U.S. Trademark for Mac Startup Chime

RoelJuun · Dec 12, 2012, 02:50 PM

And yet I'm still searching for a way to stop my Mac from making that annoying sound on start up.

jessica. · Dec 12, 2012, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoelJuun

And yet I'm still searching for a way to stop my Mac from making that annoying sound on start up.

I admit, it is still better than the windows startup sound.

pgiguere1 · Dec 12, 2012, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoelJuun

And yet I'm still searching for a way to stop my Mac from making that annoying sound on start up.

Mute it before shutting it down.

Peace · Dec 12, 2012, 02:53 PM

What took them so long ?

dreamyguy · Dec 12, 2012, 03:03 PM

The same sound was used in a Pixar movie, WALL-E, when he recharged to 100%.

KingofGotham1 · Dec 12, 2012, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jessica.

I admit, it is still better than the windows startup sound.

http://osxdaily.com/2012/11/04/disable-mac-boot-chime/

longofest · Dec 12, 2012, 03:18 PM

I actually liked the mac chime from my old PowerMac 6100 better than the current one. It was higher and brighter than the current one.

http://froods.ca/~dschaub/Files/Startup/spwr.aiff

notjustjay · Dec 12, 2012, 03:20 PM

Yeah, I kind of liked that sprightly "bing!" sound rather than the current "boooooong".

Onomatopoeia is sure odd when typed...

gpat · 03:36 PM

At least, one legitimate patent.
Edit: sorry about that

notjustjay · Dec 12, 2012, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gpat

At least, one legitimate patent.

Trademark, not patent.

iVoid · Dec 12, 2012, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notjustjay

Trademark, not patent.

I didn't even know you could trademark a sound. Seems more copyright territory to me.

I hope the Simpson's creators have trademarked 'Doh!'

thekev · Dec 12, 2012, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gpat

At least, one legitimate patent.

This isn't a patent. McDonalds has a trademark on those stupid golden arches. They are not patented. Even the laws surrounding infringement and enforcement differ between the two.

Quote:

Originally Posted by iVoid

I didn't even know you could trademark a sound. Seems more copyright territory to me.

I hope the Simpson's creators have trademarked 'Doh!'

I was thinking the same thing. Music/songs are typically covered by copyright. Perhaps the details preclude this kind of coverage. I don't know the laws around them well enough to know exactly what is covered. Perhaps someone who understands them will chime (hehe) in.

macnerd93 · Dec 12, 2012, 03:31 PM

I quite like the current chime, but some of my favourites have to be the ones from Macs during my early years.

1. Macintosh Performa 5200 (fav chime by far)
2. TAM
3. Macintosh LC550

ThE.MeSsEnGeR · Dec 12, 2012, 03:33 PM

oh, the precious chime... it has made so many people jump in the local library when I decide to use my MacBook to write my papers...

inkswamp · 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dreamyguy

The same sound was used in a Pixar movie, WALL-E, when he recharged to 100%.

I sense an Apple-Pixar lawsuit coming up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pgiguere1

Mute it before shutting it down.

There ought to be a setting in a control panel to mute the startup sound. Why that has never materialized is beyond me.

Apple's standard for usability is whether the machine works the way you work or whether you have to work the way the computer requires you. I've long wanted a way to mute the startup sound. My iMac is in my bedroom and I often start it up at night when my wife is in there sleeping. If I forgot to mute it last time I shut down (i.e., the machine requiring me work its way), I accidentally wake her up.

Beyond that, I question the value of the startup sound beyond branding. I'm not sure what purpose it serves or why Apple has retained that one aspect of the Macs from the old days when they so readily jettisoned everything else.

John.B · Dec 12, 2012, 03:37 PM

Is it too late to trademark Middle C? A4 (aka A = 440 Hz)?

Ahheck01 · Dec 12, 2012, 03:38 PM

Huh, I just played it on the piano. Doesn't sound quite right.

Happy-Mac · Dec 12, 2012, 03:51 PM

Great timing for the announcement.

Reminds me of a quote from one of the versions of the holiday classic It's A Wonderful Mac...

"Every time a Mac makes it's startup sound, a Dogcow does a precision bit-map alignment."

Although, I might be the only one around here who remembers that video from MacAddict back in 1997 (since it is not available on the web).

SnowLeopard OSX · Dec 12, 2012, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dreamyguy

The same sound was used in a Pixar movie, WALL-E, when he recharged to 100%.

Pixar has very close ties with Apple since Steve Jobs was a majority stakeholder in Pixar prior to it being acquired by Disney. It's why you'll also notice the "Apple car" in the Pixar movie "Cars", as well

there's also lots of references to Apple, Inc. in a lot of Pixar's short films.

rossip · Dec 12, 2012, 03:57 PM

Download Mactracker to listen to them all.

840quadra · Dec 12, 2012, 04:00 PM

There is a great (but loooong) interview with Jim Reekes regarding his early time at apple, and the origins of the Startup chime. It is a long watch, but some good old Apple history Lore.

http://youtu.be/QkTwNerh1G8

Quote:

Originally Posted by longofest

I actually liked the mac chime from my old PowerMac 6100 better than the current one. It was higher and brighter than the current one.

http://froods.ca/~dschaub/Files/Startup/spwr.aiff

Clearly the current chime, in the octive used on the Quadra 840AV was the best

Blackforge · Dec 12, 2012, 04:03 PM

Thought for sure Spandau Ballet would own it..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbPt7Mou7fs

myrtlebee · Dec 12, 2012, 04:04 PM

Oh, the pain in my ass when I turn on my MBA first thing in the morning and it's so loud it disturbs my family because I forgot to lower the volume before shutting it down the previous night. One of the very few things I have to fault about my precious.

dBeats · Dec 12, 2012, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ahheck01

Huh, I just played it on the piano. Doesn't sound quite right.

Note that A is not 440 but 432.4. You'd have to detune your whole piano to make that sound.

Dec 12, 2012, 02:49 PM	#1
MacRumors macrumors bot Join Date: Apr 2001	Apple Awarded U.S. Trademark for Mac Startup Chime Patently Apple reports that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has officially granted Apple a registered trademark for the sound that its Mac computers make after booting up. The original chiming sound was created by Apple programmer Jim Reekes, who designed many of the system sounds for the Mac OS, including that iconic startup chime roughly 20 years ago. Apple has used several different variations on the chime over the years, including a shift in pitch to the current tone Apple notes as having been in use since early 1999. On the trademark application, which was filed in June of this year, Apple states that the chime is "a sound mark consisting of a slightly flat (by approximately 30 cents) G flat/F sharp major chord." Apple uses the sound to signal that the diagnostic tests run at the startup of a Mac computer have found no hardware or software problems. Other Apple trademarks include slogans like "There's an app for that" and "Think Different," and product labels like "Retina," "Time Capsule," and "Smart Cover." Article Link: Apple Awarded U.S. Trademark for Mac Startup Chime
	0

Dec 12, 2012, 03:03 PM	#6
dreamyguy macrumors newbie Join Date: Jun 2011	The same sound was used in a Pixar movie, WALL-E, when he recharged to 100%.
	13

Dec 12, 2012, 03:18 PM	#8
longofest Demi-God (Editor) Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Falls Church, VA	I actually liked the mac chime from my old PowerMac 6100 better than the current one. It was higher and brighter than the current one. http://froods.ca/~dschaub/Files/Startup/spwr.aiff __________________ Never falling under anyone's Reality Distortion Field: Tech Perfect
	3

Dec 12, 2012, 03:20 PM	#9
notjustjay macrumors 603 Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Canada, eh?	Yeah, I kind of liked that sprightly "bing!" sound rather than the current "boooooong". Onomatopoeia is sure odd when typed... __________________ .
	0

Dec 12, 2012, 03:20 PM	#10
gpat macrumors 6502a Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Italy	At least, one legitimate patent. Edit: sorry about that __________________ 13" MBP 2011, Galaxy Note 2 (oh noes i automatically become an apple hater) (Sorry for bad english, not my mother tongue!) Last edited by gpat; Dec 12, 2012 at 03:36 PM.
	1

Dec 12, 2012, 02:50 PM	#2
RoelJuun macrumors 6502 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Netherlands	And yet I'm still searching for a way to stop my Mac from making that annoying sound on start up.
	6

Dec 12, 2012, 02:53 PM	#5
Peace macrumors P6 Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Space--The ONLY Frontier	What took them so long ?
	1

Dec 12, 2012, 03:31 PM	#14
macnerd93 macrumors 6502 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: United kingdom	I quite like the current chime, but some of my favourites have to be the ones from Macs during my early years. 1. Macintosh Performa 5200 (fav chime by far) 2. TAM 3. Macintosh LC550 __________________ 21.5'' iMac, Power Mac G5 Dual, Apple Studio Display, MacBook Pro, MacBook, Mac minis x2, eMac, Power Mac G4 Graphite, Power Mac G4 QS, iPod 4th Gen Click Wheel, iPad 2, iPhone 4S,
	0

Dec 12, 2012, 03:33 PM	#15
ThE.MeSsEnGeR macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Zgharta, Lebanon	oh, the precious chime... it has made so many people jump in the local library when I decide to use my MacBook to write my papers... __________________ 13" MacBook Air. iPad 3. iPhone 4.
	2

Dec 12, 2012, 03:37 PM	#17
John.B macrumors 68030 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Flyover Country	Is it too late to trademark Middle C? A4 (aka A = 440 Hz)? __________________ Google Maps for iOS: "Directions may be inaccurate, incomplete, dangerous, or prohibited."
	2

Dec 12, 2012, 03:38 PM	#18
Ahheck01 macrumors 6502 Join Date: Aug 2006	Huh, I just played it on the piano. Doesn't sound quite right. __________________ Soon: 2012 27" iMac ; 3.4Ghz i7 ; 32GB ; 1TB Fusion ; 2GB 680mx 2012 rMBP ; 2.3Ghz i7 ; 16GB, 256GB SSD ; iPad 3 16GB Black with Verizon LTE iPhone 5 ; 16GB ; White
	0

Dec 12, 2012, 03:51 PM	#19
Happy-Mac macrumors newbie Join Date: Dec 2012	It's A Wonderful Mac Quote Great timing for the announcement. Reminds me of a quote from one of the versions of the holiday classic It's A Wonderful Mac... "Every time a Mac makes it's startup sound, a Dogcow does a precision bit-map alignment." Although, I might be the only one around here who remembers that video from MacAddict back in 1997 (since it is not available on the web).
	4

Dec 12, 2012, 03:57 PM	#21
rossip macrumors regular Join Date: Feb 2011	Download Mactracker to listen to them all.
	0

Dec 12, 2012, 04:03 PM	#23
Blackforge macrumors regular Join Date: Mar 2008	Thought for sure Spandau Ballet would own it.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbPt7Mou7fs __________________ 2011 MacBook Pro 15" HR-AG 2.2 8GB 750GB 7200 Momentus XT
	1

Dec 12, 2012, 04:04 PM	#24
myrtlebee macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jul 2011	Oh, the pain in my ass when I turn on my MBA first thing in the morning and it's so loud it disturbs my family because I forgot to lower the volume before shutting it down the previous night. One of the very few things I have to fault about my precious.
	0

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