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

http://blog.hipchat.com/2012/02/17/they-may-just-be-chat-bubbles-but-theyre-our-chat-bubbles/

by kacy • 14 years ago

149 41 14 years ago

blog.hipchat.com

It's a pretty generic logo, so I highly doubt Apple copied this design.

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?"

Alternatively, they could go for something more radically different. This actually seems like a nice opportunity.

ekanes• 14 years ago

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

myoder• 14 years ago

Yeah, huffing and puffing about this would get them some short-term buzz. This move, in my mind, earns them long-term respect.

Move on, and focus on the product—not the logo.

Love it.

nstott• 14 years ago

Agreed, classy response here. I enjoy it more when people that avoid the drama

kmfrk2• 14 years ago

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

djbender• 14 years ago

Where was the part where they created controversy? They stated that several of their users noticed the similarity. Article just states that it could create confusion for users, nothing more.

Do I think they copied us? Probably not (but as a designer, I’ll take the compliment).

ThomPete• 14 years ago

That's the controversy. I can just see how lesser knowledgeable journalist will get this wrong.

kmfrk2• 14 years ago

"I am not saying the man is beating his wife, but (...)" is to perpetuate the idea instead of just plainly saying "I don't think they copied us". It reads like something out of an antagonistic lawyer from a procedural TV show. We need a Spock take on this.

My comment was a response to the original title of the submission, which read something along the lines of "HipChat comment on Apple logo plagiarism rumours" or something to that effect more so than the post itself.

sukuriant• 14 years ago

In another post in HN comments, he stated that their users were confused about the two different icons. That seems to be more the reason that they are changing their icons.

mdonahoe• 14 years ago

Who are these users? HipChat users who consciously downloaded the Messages beta?

AznHisoka• 14 years ago

or "HiipChat points out controversial move that noone knows but now that I found out about HipChat and this move I won't use it now"

tuhin• 14 years ago

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.

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.

iChat icon: http://ituh.in/dW6U Android Messages (ICS) http://ituh.in/vBy8

alanfalcon• 14 years ago

That's the problem with the Hipchat logo to begin with, it's rather generic. No big deal, the world keeps turning.

Anechoic2• 14 years ago

OTOH, the HipChap loco is awfully close to Apple's original iChat icon: http://www.google.com/search?q=ichat+icon&num=20&hl=...

In fact, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of diversity when it comes to chat icons in general: http://www.google.com/search?q=chat%20icon&oe=UTF-8&...

I really don't think there's a controversy here.

kisielk• 14 years ago

In fact to me it looks like the new Messages logo is derived from the old iChat logo with some of the skew removed and another bubble added. Nothing to see here...

byproxy2• 14 years ago

Both are very close to webOS' "Messaging" application, which I think precede them. As you say, though, it is a generic idea.

Anechoic2• 14 years ago

which I think precede them

iChat came out in 2002.

xdissent• 14 years ago

It's even more similar to the Apple Developer Forum logo: https://developer.apple.com/devforums/

powdahound• 14 years ago

Garret from HipChat here - We obviously agree that lots of apps have used chat bubbles in logos over the years. In fact, probably way too many. The only reason its an issue this time around is that our users are genuinely confused when they try to use both apps. This didn't happen when they used iChat, Echofon, or any other bubble-logoed apps alongside HipChat. The new Messages icon is similar enough that it's a problem, and we don't want our users to be confused.

sigzero• 14 years ago

I agree. Although I do think Apple blatantly copied here.

alexhaefner• 14 years ago

Agree on the no controversy. I went looking to make a chat icon for a project about a week ago, and looked on dribbble to see some ideas before I started. Chat icons all looked the same. I found examples that looked nearly identical to the hipChat icon and did something similar in my own icon. Never heard of hipChat but the logo is not original or unthought of. I can't see a problem here.

fennecfoxen2• 14 years ago

Never heard of HipChat? That ugly billboard on US-101 North by Redwood City was clearly wasted. https://www.google.com/search?ix=seb&q=hipchat+billboard...

(p.s. Y i no use hipchat? b/c ur face!!1)

bostonvaulter2• 14 years ago

Both chat icons really remind me of the golden ratio iCloud icon. Story is here:

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3117017

ken• 14 years ago

#2 is kind of depressing: it doesn't even matter if we are in the right, because they have more money.

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 aren't saying anything like "we didn't register the trademark so it was fair game, oops". They're saying it doesn't matter.

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?

anigbrowl• 14 years ago

No. If they had registered it and it was sufficiently distinctive/original (questionable here, but that's beside the point), then they would have a relatively straightforward case. Big firms settle cases like this all the time.

mikeklaas• 14 years ago

Unrelatedly, here at Zite we use HipChat and it's pretty awesome, especially since we have offices in two countries.

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&paste images from your clipboard directly into chat.

mark_l_watson• 14 years ago

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.

xbryanx• 14 years ago

And they're all riffing off a pretty old generalized concept. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speech_balloon#History

Reminds me of the silly 'cloud' uniqueness debates: http://www.hanselman.com/blog/ThereIsOnlyOneCloudIconInTheEn...

Void_• 14 years ago

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

dreamdu5t• 14 years ago

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.

phillryu• 14 years ago

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.

joejohnson• 14 years ago

From the comments:

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.

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.

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.

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

Related Stories