They may just be chat bubbles, but they’re our chat bubbles

OTOH, the HipChap loco is awfully close to Apple's original iChat icon: <a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=ichat+icon&#38;num=20&#38;hl=en&#38;&#38;rls=en&#38;prmd=imvns&#38;tbm=isch&#38;tbo=u&#38;source=univ&#38;sa=X&#38;ei=xZI-T4rKEeXl0QGm_-XvBw&#38;ved=0CDAQsAQ&#38;biw=1156&#38;bih=932" rel="nofollow">http://www.google.com/search?q=ichat+icon&#38;num=20&#38;hl=...</a><p>In fact, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of diversity when it comes to chat icons in general: <a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=chat%20icon&#38;oe=UTF-8&#38;um=1&#38;ie=UTF-8&#38;hl=en&#38;tbm=isch&#38;source=og&#38;sa=N&#38;tab=wi&#38;ei=z5I-T8H5NufV0QHokrXsBw&#38;biw=1156&#38;bih=932&#38;sei=05I-T_OuFcbs0gHAv6jgBw" rel="nofollow">http://www.google.com/search?q=chat%20icon&#38;oe=UTF-8&#38;...</a><p>I really don't think there's a controversy here.

It's a pretty generic logo, so I highly doubt Apple copied this design.<p>I'll cross post what I wrote on their blog: "Perhaps you can take this opportunity to make the icon more refined. Apple's icon is how good the HipChat icon could have looked (and don't get me wrong, I love HipChat). Maybe that same amount of polish could go in to the new icon?"<p>Alternatively, they could go for something more radically different. This actually seems like a nice opportunity.

I think the right title is "HipChat comments on non-existent controversy in clever move to get attention".

Given all the scenarios, HipChat chose the right option and will hopefully capitalize on some buzz. Very classy response guys.

To be honest, when you start designing generic icons like Messages/chat, things start to get pretty hazy. But I like how Hipchat is taking this as a chance to create a better icon.<p>Also to play devil's advocate, the blue is the an evolution of the Hipchat blue, and the stripes an addition from the Messages/iMessages icons on iOS.<p>iChat icon: <a href="http://ituh.in/dW6U" rel="nofollow">http://ituh.in/dW6U</a> Android Messages (ICS) <a href="http://ituh.in/vBy8" rel="nofollow">http://ituh.in/vBy8</a>

#2 is kind of depressing: it doesn't even matter if we are in the right, because they have more money.<p>Now, I don't know if trademarks need to be registered, and I'm not taking a position on whether this is valid or not -- but note that they specifically <i>aren't</i> saying anything like "we didn't register the trademark so it was fair game, oops". They're saying it doesn't matter.<p>Is this actually how it would have played out? What's the point of having legal protections if the big guy can always squash the little guy anyway?

Unrelatedly, here at Zite we use HipChat and it's pretty awesome, especially since we have offices in two countries.<p>Obviously, any kind of IM will "work" as a collaboration tool, but having a polished experience really matters. The persistence is key (start up hipchat and it'll show the conversation before you joined). Also, tons of little touches like being able to copy&#38;paste images from your clipboard directly into chat.

And they're all riffing off a pretty old generalized concept. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speech_balloon#History" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speech_balloon#History</a><p>Reminds me of the silly 'cloud' uniqueness debates: <a href="http://www.hanselman.com/blog/ThereIsOnlyOneCloudIconInTheEntireUniverse.aspx" rel="nofollow">http://www.hanselman.com/blog/ThereIsOnlyOneCloudIconInTheEn...</a>

From the comments:<p>Perhaps you should also show Apple's original iChat logo, which you simply reused as your own (with the same shape and color) after changing the direction of the "gloss" sheen and shadowing it with a flipped, black and white version. You ripped off iChat's logo. Apple did not sue you. You did not create something original and protected.<p>Apple's "new" Messages icon has less similarity with yours than yours had with iChat. Apple's refreshed iChat logo also conveys some functional meaning, with its ellipsis.<p>Insinuating that Apple owes you something for your slightly derivative version of its iChat logo is ridiculous. You would have sounded far more legitimate (and would probably have gotten more attention for your product) if you'd instead thanked Apple for inspiration for the icon of your next Mtn Lion release (a flatter, glowing but less glossy icon), and then talked about what your product does that is novel or interesting.

I noticed that also. A customer asked me to install HipChat yesterday morning and later in the day I installed Mountain Lion. The icons ended up close together on my dock, and I did a double take this morning.

I find this blog post ridiculous, considering HipChat includes emoticons ripped straight from iChat. Pot meet Kettle. Surprised nobody's noticed or mentioned this yet.

It actually looks like HipChat's logo is a ripoff of Apple's iChat icon, with many Apple icons looking like a ripoff of Henry Dreyfus' icons.

Hey Apple used similar icon, let's write a blog post about it and enjoy the 5 minutes of glory!