Sony Sues Over PSP Imports 45
An anonymous reader writes "Although the official European launch isn't until September, Europeans have already been able to buy imported PSPs. Sony has sent out a batch of cease and desist letters, claiming that selling the PSP without permission violates their trademarks. The Register reports on the legal fight between Sony and online retailler ElectricBirdLand." From the article: "The Japanese manufacturer is claiming infringement of Trade Mark. But one reseller at the receiving end of the legal nastygrams, ElectricBirdLand, claims that key technologies, trademarks and software utilised in Sony's new portable gaming platform have not even been registered by Sony in the UK. For example, the PSP trademark has apparently been registered by a small Bristol-based IT and design firm, called Owtanet."
Uh-Oh (Score:1)
Isn't it illegal to do that kind of thing?
Re:Uh-Oh (Score:3, Insightful)
Portable Shooting Practice?
Precision Shot Projectile?
Its not hard to come up with something with the initials PSP.
Hmm... (Score:2)
I'm sorry, but that just sounds sloppy to me. I'm a wee bit on the unfamiliar side of UK business laws, but shouldn't Sony have filed for trademark rights the moment they even considered selling the system in Europe? I honestly think the guys that registered it before them are just money-grubbing scumbags, but it seems to me Sony should've taken action long ago.
Re:Hmm... (Score:4, Informative)
PSP® E-Commerce [owta.net]
In fact, this shouldn't affect Sony's trademark at all, since Sony is tradmarking a portable media player, and they have trademarked an ecommerce solution. The trademarks don't overlap.
Re:Hmm... (Score:2)
Scumbag statement retracted, though.
What are you on about? (Score:2)
Why should Sony be able to dictate this? (Score:5, Insightful)
However, once they are out of Sony's hands, who are they to say who can buy and sell it? As well, how is it trademark infringement? Sony has already gotten their money. They should have no right to this kind of control.
Re:Why should Sony be able to dictate this? (Score:2)
but seriously though, how do they infringe on any copyright or trademark?? the devices must have been bought from sony in the first place and so any copyrights and trademarks are rightfully in use.
Re:Why should Sony be able to dictate this? (Score:2)
Re:Why should Sony be able to dictate this? (Score:3, Insightful)
Sony should chill out (Score:2, Insightful)
Except for the fact that Sony LOSES money... (Score:3, Insightful)
Hacks, homebrewed games and utilities make NO profit for any company unless the system is sold at a profit. There is no 'well its a victory in marketing' because Sega tried th
Beyond stupid (Score:5, Insightful)
It's just daft of Sony to wait so long before they release it in Europe. As long as Sony is unable to satisfy the demand, someone else will supply the goods. Sony can cry foul all they want for all the good it will do them.
What's trademark got to do with it anyway (Score:1)
Even if he did not buy them but stole them or something I still do not see any connection to trademark laws
Makes no sense at all to me
Re:What's trademark got to do with it anyway (Score:1)
Re:What's trademark got to do with it anyway (Score:2)
Egads! I just used "Sony!"
Crap! I did it again!
Re:What's trademark got to do with it anyway (Score:1)
Of course, with European/International IP law, I know nothing, so I might be (probably am) wrong.
What's mine is your? (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:What's mine is your? (Score:4, Informative)
Depends. Retailers don't just go onto a webpage and order x-thousand PSP's so they can sell them at various outlets. They usually contact a distributor (perhaps Sony itself) and hash out an agreement to sell PSP's. These agreements are in the form of contracts with stipulations that must be followed.
For example:
I'm not saying this is the case here. But retailers have to jump through hoops where-as consumers just have to shell out the cash.
Re:What's mine is your? (Score:1)
Re:What's mine is your? (Score:2)
Retailer Alice wants to sell PSPs, contacts sony, signs contract, yada yada yada.
Consumer Bob buys 100 PSPs from Alice, puts them on ebay.uk, starting at full retail price, buyer pays shipping.
Consumer Carol (and 99 of her closest friends) buy said PSPs, at various prices from full retail to retail x2.
Bob makes out. Later, Bob begins email courtship with Carol, travels to Europe on the profits of several such ebay ventures, and he and Carol make out.
Re:What's mine is your? (Score:1)
In this lawsuit, it is obvious that Sony has no other legal feet to stand on. I'm afraid that this will happen more often as more ridiculous intellectual "property" laws come into play.
Sony: "You're doing something we don't like with our product. You're not really breaking the law, either, but since we own the patent, trademark, and copyright to the PSP we'll use that instead."
This only goe
Re:What's mine is your? (Score:1)
Re:What's mine is your? (Score:1)
I know UK copyright law fairly well... (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:I know UK copyright law fairly well... (Score:3, Informative)
Here's the BBC's write up on the case [bbc.co.uk]
Re:I know UK copyright law fairly well... (Score:2)
Actually, it was only a partial victory, as the court ruled that Tesco can continue importing from other EU countries without Levi's permission. Levi was able to stop imports from the US, something Tesco had stopped doing in 1998 anyway. However, I do agree that it appears this could be used to stop large-quantity PSP imports from non-EU countr
PSP Japan sales lower than previously thought? (Score:1)
Re:PSP Japan sales lower than previously thought? (Score:1)
Ok. Exactly how well is the PSP going? (Score:1, Flamebait)
Im begining to notice less developers commiting to developing for it. Ive noticed that they are not getting bought in stores. This is all adds up to one thing.. How many psps have been sold? there are like I dont know 15 games in the works for it. and the best of them are dated for next year (not xmas) and knowing E3 I think only
This is just stupid... (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:This is just stupid... (Score:1)
And add a hard drive to it too! I don't want to buy those stupid memory sticks you keep pushing!
I don't get it... (Score:2)
Re:I don't get it... (Score:2)
That is the only thing I can think of.
Damned corporate Communists. They only preach the free market when it benefits them.
Re:I don't get it... (Score:2)
What's the big deal? (Score:1)
Sending a few over there would probably work in Sony's favor.
Kid 1: "Wow! Is that a PSP?"
Kid 2: "Sure is."
Kid 1: "When can I get one? They look so awesome."
Kid 2: "I imported mine, but the
Re:What's the big deal? (Score:2)
it means you could skip the third step and go straight to profit.
Re:What's the big deal? (Score:2)
Certainly I imagine that a good proportion of early adoption types will have bought a PSP before it has been officially released - it'll be 179