Interesting story in TIME recently. Seems the accidental prevalence of the term "Wiimote," used to describe what is officially called the Wii Remote Controller for Nintendo Wii game system, has categorically thumped an actual device officially called the Weemote.

Way back in 2000, long before the Wii was even a twinkle in Nintendo's eye, Miami-based Fobis Technologies released the Weemote (reviewed here back in 2002), a handy, kid-friendly universal TV remote for tots, complete with parental programmability.

Though the term "Wiimote" is just jargon, the pervasiveness of the nickname has blasted the Weemote into obscurity -- and it wasn't particularly prominent in the first place, niche product and all that.

The Time article describes Fobis' attempts to resolve the trademark infringement by asking Nintendo for help with perhaps rebranding the trademarked Weemote. Nintendo has balked.

Not such a big happy family friendly company after all...