This absurd ridiculousness and rip-off is taking on increasingly grotesque proportions - as usual in the field of trademark law, it's enough to find a sufficiently strange judge and you can push through any nonsense. Of course, Google is a big company and the other one is a small outfit. But just take a look at the dates of the registration and the allegedly so endangered offer of the small outfit ...
Google is pretty indifferent to me - and they can probably afford the payment that will eventually be due - but this whole nonsense that arises from ridiculous trademark similarities and constructed trademark endangerments is just a form of occupational therapy and alimony for lawyers and nothing else.
But at least Google is now feeling the effects and not the - even in comparison to the small outfit still weaker - users of Google Mail. I still find it disgusting though.
Addendum: there is an interesting history of the development of word marks at Telepolis.
Another addendum: there is a more detailed report about it in the Netzzeitung. What I find particularly cute: the trademark owner claims that he only wants to be left alone. Of course, that's why he has warned a large number of users who have auctioned Google Mail invites on eBay. Typical action of someone who just wants their peace.