Chinese Tablet Maker May Sue Apple Over iPad
Drama, drama, drama.
There's a lot of legal debates surround the name iPad and whether Apple should be allowed to use it at all. Given that Fujitsu applied for the trademark first and Mag-Tek actually owns it already, the fact that Apple has also applied for it makes the situation even messier.
However, Apple could have even bigger problems than a legal battle over a really lame and annoying name (remind me, why is everyone desperate to sell an 'iPad' anyway?); the company could soon come under fire for the design of the iPad tablet too.
PCWorld reports that Shenzhen Great Loong Brother Industrial started selling its P88 tablet last year and is not ruling out a lawsuit against Apple. A company representative named only as Wu said that despite the company being known for knock-off or 'shanzhai' phones, they were first with their tablet, which bears a striking resemblance to the iPad. "For this thing we are not shanzhai, because we were first," he said.
While the P88 and the iPad look alike, the former is a 10.2-inch Windows device and weighs considerably more than the iPad. It also has doesn't have the battery life that the iPad claims to have and is a lot thicker.
That said, the two devices both have screens with a large, black bezel and are touchscreen devices of a similar size.
Do you think Shenzhen Great Loong Brother Industrial has a case? Let us know in the comments below!
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As much as I don't think that the iPad is a revolutionary product, I don't think the Chinese company has much of a case.
This is total BS...so what the thing looks alike from the front but everything about them is pretty much different. Just another attempt from some random no name company to strike a settlement and get some $$
How else it it supposed to look? I bet 99% of people that ever envisioned a tablet PC all imagined this look. I know I did about 10 years ago.
Nope no case. Form factor does not give them a case in the slightest.
It's like GM suing Ford for making trucks.
..has doesn't have...?
No case. I can hardly tell a Dell from a Gateway from an HP laptop without the logo on the lid, but they don't sue eachother for stealing the idea of a portable computer that folds for easy carrying.
Um don't they both look like an oversized iPhone? It seems Apple could go after them for taking the look of their iPhone and making a tablet out of it. To flip tenor's analogy, it is not like you can make a Hotwheel that looks like a Ford F150 without getting the rights from Ford.
To top that off, many of the smart phones seem to have a black bezel and chrome edge. It would be nice if companies would all just make their stuff unique. That costs money though.
So.. "Mr. Wu" is it? Ever heard of karma?
Have to agree about form factor same = no case but it'll be interesting to see how they get around the name issue. Apple could always change it from ipad to idud couldn't they. I'm sure that name would be free.
a real OS seems to make it much more practical to me...
THEY LOOK ALIKE BECAUSE THEY ARE TABLETS THEY HAVE NO BUTTONS THEY ARE ALL JUST SCREEN pretty much lol ridiculous what next a monitor company is going to sue another one because they make monitors ~~~zuzuzu
I have to LOL at just about any Chinese company suing an American company for ripping off their product designs.
Pandora (maker of pads) has a better case than they do.
This has the makings of a killer soap opera.
this case might have merit, it the P88 has a strong following they can claim that the ipad may be confuse people into buying the wrong price, this is illegal (conning people to buy a device by making it look like an already existing brand)
Let me get this straight, a company known for ripping off other peoples' designs and producing "knock offs" is going to sue apple because it kinda looks like one of their products?
If we can't go after companies in China for copywrite infringement (such as with movies, software, and device knock offs), how can they sue someone here in the US?
As far as the patentablility, they would have to have a US patent on a tablet device of specific dimensions and weight, and functionality. All of which would be difficult to patent at this time because the description would be too generic and because of similarities to other devices.
"they were first with their tablet, which bears a striking resemblance to the iPad"
No, not really.
No CASE! Come on! who cares, no one is going to buy that thing anyway, neither of the ugly twins (jaja)
I rather go and get one of those new same-all netbook that are still coming out as "new" products.
This tablet thing... Visionary my |€@.
I love my MSI U100 ^^
I really don't think they have much of a case... I mean a company that has made a name for itself by ripping off other people's designs is suing Apple? Give me a break. What did you expect it to look like? It's just a big iphone.
As to why everyone wants to sell an iPad Jane, I honestly don't know. The name itself is pretty meh.. and it doesn't sit to well with many of my female friends either.
*too well. Silly typo. Carry on!
Breaking news--Goodyear sues Michelin for making tires that look like tires!!!
this case might have merit, it the P88 has a strong following they can claim that the ipad may be confuse people into buying the wrong price, this is illegal (conning people to buy a device by making it look like an already existing brand)
...except that this company is actively selling iPod (all versions) and iPhone rip-offs. Methinks they'll just let this slide.
How could they have a case? They just said they were known for "knock-off" products. So, Apple does it and now they are pissed? LOL
"Well, they're not THAT colorful anymore."
I hope there's some kind of gamma control. It's too dark right now
I think I'm going to sue my neighbor for stealing my hair cut! Why don't we all just cry about it, huh? A tablet is going to look like a tablet I'm afraid. If the iPad was pink and neon green would the Chinese co. have a case then?
"Well, they're not THAT colorful anymore."I hope there's some kind of gamma control. It's too dark right now
Nice, wrong article lol
but maybe one of the chinese knockoffs of ipod is called "ipad" This seems very likely. Doesn't anyone think so?
Come on Wu, people might mistake your product for an iPad and buy it. Apple is the one who should worry.
Maybe that look on Steve's Job's face was him realizing this
At least the Chinese tablet sports a widescreen display...
Jobs announced trying to get a leg up on some real tablet competition coming out this year, doing what the Softies are famous for doing, attempting to persuade customers to put off buying decisions until Apple can complete a tablet that customers will want. He may have chosen the name iPad just for the controversy since Apple must have known it was already trademarked. Apple will probably use a different name at actual product introduction.
However, the Softies were clever enough to promise vaporware that would actually defer customer purchases from the competition. Jobs failed here ... only Apple nuts would actually want the iPad as described over the competition that will soon be on sale ...