Intel Also Wants to Set "Netbook" Free

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It seems that Dell isn’t the only one looking to strip Psion of its “netbook” trademark. Now Intel’s part of the liberation party.

The Courthouse News hosts a copy of the legal filing from Intel (PDF) with a complaint against Psion for its apparent trademarked term of “netbook.” Intel states that the term “netbook” is now adopted by consumers to refer to notebook computers that are “small, inexpensive, and contain less processing power, making them optimal for connecting to the internet (or ‘net’).”

Intel believes that the term “netbook” is now generic and that the court should cancel Psion’s trademark.

With the likes of computer giants Intel and Dell so motivated free the term “netbook” from the grips of Psion, one has to figure that it’s only a matter of time.

Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam served as Tom's Hardware News Director during 2008-2014. He entered tech media in the late 90s and fondly remembers the days when an overclocked Celeron 300A and Voodoo2 SLI comprised a gaming rig with the ultimate street cred.
24 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Nice one intel, yes free the "NETBOOK" but only if it uses the atom on your ageing old chipset, LOL you make me laugh.
    Reply
  • FrustratedRhino
    I enjoy reading stories about rights being stripped from people/companies by bigger more lucrative companies... power to the... wait a minute that is exactly what I DON'T like...

    Intel and Dell need to come up with some new term and whine elsewhere...
    Reply
  • skine
    This time i actually agree with Dell and Intel.

    The question is whether the term "netbook" becomes a legally descriptive word, making is no longer the property of the creator. Examples of this are aspirin, brassiere, cola, corn flakes, granola, kerosene, tabloid, thermos, trampoline, yo-yo and zipper.

    There are companies which still hold their registered trademark, despite being commonly used to describe the product in general, such as Band-Aid, Breathalyzer, Coke, Dumpster, Frisbee, Hi-Liter, Kitty Litter, Laundromat, Ping-Pong, Popsicle, Post-it, Q-tip, Scotch Tape, Sheetrock, Styrofoam, Super glue, and Velcro.

    The problem is that the legal trademark holder, Psion, currently has no intentions of marketing or manufacturing a product with the name "netbook."
    Reply
  • Blessedman
    I would require compensation for a name I have trademarked. Psion has asked these companies to stop using their legally trademarked name. If these companies want to use said name, pay. Everyone else gets paid, why shouldn't they?
    Reply
  • techtre2003
    How does Dell/Intel or anyone else know for a fact that Psion has no intentions of marketing or manufacturing a product with the name netbook? Has the company actually stated this?
    Reply
  • skine
    According to this article,

    Dell argues that Psion is not, and has no plans of, making use of the trademark, thus abandoning the trademark.
    Reply
  • scarpa
    "Nice one intel, yes free the "NETBOOK" but only if it uses the atom on your ageing old chipset, LOL you make me laugh."

    Quoted for the truth.
    Reply
  • A Stoner
    Hmm, I am pretty sure in 1985 I used the term netbook in a paper written for typinc class. I am rpetty sure it was a typo, but I have documentation that can prove that I actually am the INVENTOR and thus own the rights to "netbook".
    Reply
  • A Stoner
    Please note, that I am now claiming to also have rights to the rpetty and typinc as trademarks of myself. Please remit all payments of large sums of money to me any time you accidently or purposfully use these words.
    Reply
  • mdillenbeck
    A Stoner - sorry, if you didn't register the trademark, your typinc it first means nothing.

    Skine - at first I disagreed with the removal of the trademark, but your simple and logical argument has convinced me otherwise. Unless Psion demonstrates it is going to manufacture a product or product line using the term netbook, they should be stripped of the trademark - in my opinion without compensation.

    Now, to file for the trademark typinc...
    Reply