Chinese court rules shops should pull iPads

SHANGHAI – Apple’s dispute over the iPad trademark deepened Monday after the Chinese company that claims ownership of the name said it won a court ruling against sales of the popular tablet computer in China.

Xie Xianghui, a lawyer for Shenzhen Proview Technology, said the Intermediate People’s Court in Huizhou, a city in southern China’s Guangdong province, had ruled on Friday that distributors should stop selling iPads in China.

The ruling, which was also reported widely in China’s state media, may not have a far-reaching effect. In its battle with Apple, Proview is utilizing lawsuits in several places and also requesting commercial authorities in 40 cities to block iPad sales.

Apple Inc. said in a statement Monday that its case is still pending in mainland China. The company has appealed to Guangdong’s High Court against an earlier ruling in Proview’s favor. Apple insists it holds the trademark rights to the iPad in China.

Proview, a maker of LCD screens which is based in Guangdong, has asked regulators to seize iPads in China in a possible prelude to demanding a payout from Apple. A Shanghai court is due to hear a similar case on Wednesday.

So far, iPads have been pulled from shelves in some Chinese cities, but there has been no sign of action at the national level.

FDA to investigate inhalable caffeine

BOSTON – U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials plan to investigate whether inhalable caffeine sold in small canisters is safe for consumers.

AeroShot went on the market last month in Massachusetts and New York, and it’s also available in France. Each canister contains the caffeine equivalent of a large cup of coffee.

AeroShot didn’t require FDA review because it’s sold as a dietary supplement. But U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said he met with FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg and she agreed to review the safety and legality of AeroShot.

An FDA official confirmed to the Associated Press that the agency would review AeroShot. The official wasn’t authorized to discuss the matter and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Tom Hadfield, chief executive of Breathable Foods, which makes AeroShot in France, said in a statement the company will cooperate fully with the FDA’s review to address the issues raised by Schumer. He is confident the review will conclude that AeroShot is a safe, effective product that complies with FDA regulations.