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UK Firm Telling Companies to Stop Using the Term 'Netbook'

Posted 12/26/08 at 10:42:49 AM  by Paul Lilly

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According to jkOnTheRun, a UK law firm representing Psion Teklogix has begun sending out cease & desist letters to various websites demanding that the sites stop using the term 'netbook.' The trademark attorney whose John Hancock appears on the letters claims that Psion retains full rights to the term based on a pair of laptops the company used to sell called the netBook and netBook Pro. In the letter, Langley says companies "inadvertently mis-using" the term have until the end of March 2009 to comply.

"Psion places significant value on its trademark registrations and your use of the term 'netbook' could damage those registrations," Peter Langley, a trademark attorney writes. "We are therefore asking you to cease use of the term 'netbook.'"

Psion may have a tough time enforcing its cease & desist order, as the company no longer sells either the netBook or netBook Pro, and the term 'netbook' has been widely adopted all across the web to describe a low power sub-notebook. Moreover, it was Intel, and not enthusiast sites, who reintroduced the term. Intel's Atom platform dominates the netbook landscape, and the chip maker even purchased the netbook.com domain, which currently redirects to Intel.com.

Do you think Psion will prevail in protecting the term netbook? Hit the jump and post your thoughts.

 

COMMENTS:7
TAGS: mobile, legal, netbook, uk, psion
COMMENTS
avatarWell Psion does not have a

Submitted by Keith E. Whisman on Mon, 12/29/2008 - 1:40am

Well Psion does not have a case. They have no products that have that name and the use of this name cannot negatively affect Psion financially. Since this is a trademark for a product that no longers exsists then I see no reason why the name can't enter the public domain and used as a description of a product standard. In fact Psion is just trying to make money off this like anyone else would but that doesn't mean they are right.

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avatarStupid

Submitted by Spider-Mom on Sun, 12/28/2008 - 2:16am

These idiot UK law firms shoot out fake law suits like spam mail.  There should be laws against this as well. Its no different than the emoticon debacle. Even if these stupid things did go thru a court good luck enforcing it! No one is going to fall for that crap even if these so called CRs were upheald in some UK court. 

 

 

 

Its a spamsuit and should be looked upon with no more regard than the digital waste in your junk folder.

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avatardamn

Submitted by Phated1 on Sat, 12/27/2008 - 6:53am

it seems like lawyers are just facerolling nowadays in hopes of getting a decent lawsuit going.  guess they cant sue mcdonalds anymore since all the cups say "caution:hot" on them now.

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avatarShut the hell up Psion

Submitted by yugiah on Fri, 12/26/2008 - 4:37pm

Wow, now all of a sudden they perk up when it becomes widely used by various companies. Why not say something BEFORE the word goes mainstream? Oh wait, that would mean less chances for lawsuits... and we can't have that now can we?

Utter bullshit. 

 

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avatarCan you say "dictionary troll"?

Submitted by bcweir on Fri, 12/26/2008 - 11:09am

Get in line behind Rambus, Monster Cable, and Xerox (remember when they tried to trademark the word xerox when used to describe the act of photocopying).  Can you say "snowballs chance in hell?"

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avatarLike the Ditto machine back

Submitted by Keith E. Whisman on Mon, 12/29/2008 - 1:54am

Like the Ditto machine back in the 70's brought about the term Ditto as in I agree fully with you. Ditto machine was an old copy machine from back when I was a kid. 

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avatarprobably not  Public jargon

Submitted by nekollx on Fri, 12/26/2008 - 9:56am

probably not

 Public jargon is a powerful force to resist but legaly they have to try

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