Asus Can Keep Selling Tablets Using "Transformer" Label

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atmos929

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"and causes consumer confusion even though the tablet doesn't convert into a truck or a bright yellow Mustang."
You made me spill my coffee through my nose xD
 

andruszko

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how do you confuse a mustang and a camaro, one of the longest standing Ford-Chevy fanboy feuds in history?

reporter must be foreign...even tom's is outsourcing. (and he probably drives a prius)
 

f-14

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By Kevin Parrish - Source : PaidContent

Another problem Hasbro pointed out was that the Transformers toy decal has been used on products like USB storage drives, desktop optical mice, skins for laptops, speaker heads and iPod docks. That said, the branding doesn't strictly reside with consumer toys, but electronic products as well.
i see autobot and decepticon decals or hand painted marks on all sorts of things like drilling rigs, bulldozers, tractor trailers, race cars, fighter jets and bombs/missles and my truck, tattoos and pc case (my other case has the imperial insignia from star wars on the side panel window 'cuz it's my lan gamer)
 

DaddyW123

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I actually agree with a couple of you here. Transformer by itself was coming close to the line of infringement, but IMO clearly not "sueable" because that's what the device does... it transforms from a tablet to a laptop, and "Transformer" is a common word.

Now the addition of "Prime", a less common word, to the second generation is IMO a violation. You are obviously trying to capitalize on the already existing name recognition that's already out there.
Sure you might want to go with a word other than just saying "Transformer 2". There is no style to that. So say you went with something like "Transformer Rebound" or "Transformer Platinum". Customers could easily be like "what was that new Transformer tablet called again? I don't know, Re-something..." But everyone knows of the connection between Transformers and Optimus Prime. There is no way your customers are going to forget that name, and when the name is unforgettable, there is a better likely hood that customers will try and find THAT product first when they start their buying process.

Sure, the Hasbro product of robots, and the Asus Tablet's really have nothing to do with each other and there is no "confusion" over "hey I thought I was buying a robot when I bought this tablet"... but there is a direct connection of the improved possibility of success of the tablet, because of the perceived LINK to the very successful Transformer product line by Hasbro.

And for that, Hasbro should get paid.
 

epdm2be

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[citation][nom]beayn[/nom]Err... so Asus can keep selling these laptops that clearly cash in on the Transformers idea (Transformer Prime, Optimus Prime etc), but Samsung has to stop selling tablets and phones for having icons with curved corners because that's too similar.[/citation]
Funny story that. What about the LG Optimus? Anybody knows when the LG Optimus Prime will be released?
 

epdm2be

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[citation][nom]ericburnby[/nom]ASUS can keep selling the Prime, but nobody's buying.They didn't mention it here, but it came out that ASUS has only sold around 80,000 Primes. Quite pathetic for the best Android tablet to date.[/citation]
The best tablet? Sure, if Asus hadn't fucked up with it's internal Wifi and GPS antenna's. And as responce Asus simply removed GPS from its specs instead of really fixing it. As it is , it's a beautifull piece of kit with serious flaws which got abandoned by it's maker. But aparantly they ALL do that includung Apple.
 
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