Comments on: Psion’s netbook trademark defense- Psion responds

By: James Kendrick

James Kendrick — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 13:00:57 +0000

Intel and Psion settled, terms undisclosed.

By: Marc

Marc — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:36:36 +0000

But Psion eventually lost this case right?

By: Cherry Newcombe

Cherry Newcombe — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 08:36:46 +0000

Until Psion brings out a new netbook, the offerings from LG, Acer, Asus, HP, Lenovo, Dell, Samsung, etc. will be seen and termed by all buyers as netbooks. It’s too late to reverse this branding.

The only way of enstating their brand name again is to bring out one. Their old netbook is too far away in time to qualify – what does the Psion netbook really mean to buyers today anyway?
As a past user of the 5mx and Revo, I would very much welcome Psion’s entry.

By: Ryan Marshall

Ryan Marshall — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 09:43:37 +0000

Just a note to say last Saturday PC world (largest high street computer store chain), in the UK are still showing signs in store with netbook on, so psion obviously are not getting their way fast.

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 12:16:21 +0000

Is Net-book also trademarked? If not then several hundred sites can just add that little hyphen and FU Psion.

By: Peter McCafferty

Peter McCafferty — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 11:30:05 +0000

All,
As a long time Psion user, and still very active with my Netbook and 5mx, I see no reason whatsoever why Psion should not be pursuing an active defence against misuse of its ‘Netbook’ product and name.

If you had invested millions into a product, taken it to market, and continued to support it today (regardless of how small that market may be), then you too would be mightily miffed if the world-at-large had purloined your product name! It is theirs, and it belongs to them under all definitions of the law, regardless.

The Netbook community, as it still is, still waits for a potential re-entry into the EPOC PDA/sub-notebook market by Psion; who knows, maybe moments like this might convince the Psion Board to do so.

Psion are not a company who chase a fast buck, they are respected by their user group for bringing solid, well developed products to market. This is a fact. Similar to Acorn computers of the late 1990s, they had an OS that moved on past their manufacturing of hardware. Psion begat Symbian, an OS now powering millions of mobile phones; and Acorn begat Risc OS, still an active computing platform, albeit with a dwindling market share; but a going concern for many small retailers and software developers.

So, stop moaning, respect the market place, and allow companies who try to maintain viable alternatives to M$ Windows et al, to enjoy the fruits of what is rightfully theirs.

regards

Peter

By: Decade

Decade — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 02:18:34 +0000

I don’t really like the “netbook” name, so I’m not particularly sympathetic to those who promote its use, but…

Surely Psion could have chosen a better time to try to enforce their trademark. Like, BEFORE the winter holiday shopping season. Now the term is stuck in everybody’s heads, and Psion look like jerks when they try to enforce their trademark.

I also have to question the intentions of a company founded by someone so pathologically afraid of competition that he shuffled the Symbian OS into the cell phone niche, rather than develop the palmtop computer category.

By: Jez

Jez — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:36:09 +0000

Thanks very much for that clarification. Seems fair enough to me and I’ll ensure that any affiliate links on my site (within my control) lay off the “Netbook” term. It won’t make a lot of difference to me or SammyNetbook.com readers – I just didn’t want to have to move domain for a second time!

Cheers,
Jez.

By: Christoph Pulster

Christoph Pulster — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 10:02:02 +0000

I am ashamed to sell Psion units.

Chr.Pulster
Psion Shop

By: R

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 03:56:51 +0000

Psion is a poor excuse for a mobile computing company and a trademark defender. Not only did they squander their long head start in “palm tops” and the consumer space, companies such as Motorola/Symbol and Intermec completely dominate the warehouse space that they remained in. Looking at the industrial design of their mobile computers is (IMO) is kinda of like comparing a Korean car to a luxury Japanese or German Vehicle. Take a look at their computers built for forklifts/vehicles, they look like something circa 1995. My uncle Harry could have done better and he draws on napkins and drinks a lot.

Now nine years after they have a failed product, they decide to defend a trademark because it is getting some play out in the Tech world.

Good going guys

By: Miles

Miles — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 01:13:13 +0000

Psion went through the efforts and activities required to register their trademark. It was and is a trademark. They are still a viable company, still support their netbooks,and continue to provide accessories for the mobile market. It is their right and responsibility to protect their trademark. They should be sued by their shareholders of they DIDN’T protect their asset.

Come up with another name folks, several have been suggested here, and move on. If I was Intel, or one of the big players, I’d be negotiating with Psion to buy the trademark.

It sounds similar to the domain name battles for a great .com name. If someone thought of it before I did, good for them. If I want it, I will negotiate to attempt to gain the name.

Come on, let’s spend time on something that really needs our attention like hunger, healthcare and …

By: Faisal

Faisal — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 00:37:19 +0000

GoodThings2Life,

Common on fella, TM issues aside, PSION produced one of the first handhelds in the world, and yes it was the first PDA i bought!

Your characterisation of the company is just silly……

By: Chris R

Chris R — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 22:03:04 +0000

Alright I admit Kevin. If I owned this copyright I would have waited too. That’s cause I’m 25 years old, not the owner of a tech company and could always use more dinero .

You’re right. They might have waited for the water to get warm and then jump in. I thought about that but wrongfuly didn’t mention it.

By: GoodThings2Life

GoodThings2Life — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 20:07:48 +0000

I hate, hate, HATE copyright holders that make no effort to protect their copyrights until long after the fact, especially when they are some small potatoes entity that nobody has even heard of before or hasn’t done anything worthwhile to be worthy of recognition.

Psion falls into both categories. I’m all for protecting one’s interests, but sometimes you have to learn when to fight and when to let it go. This is time for the latter…

By: Ian Fogg

Ian Fogg — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 19:59:53 +0000

Psion Teklogix are still selling accessories for the ‘netbook pro’ from their website.

I had to create a support log-in to their “Teknet” (free), and then this link will work:
http://www.psionteklogix.com/ptxCMS/Teknet.aspx?s=uk&p=AccessoryCatalogue&aCat=all&page=1&pMod=48

By: Scott Smith

Scott Smith — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 19:22:45 +0000

Who still uses an actual notebook (the paper kind) anyway? Hasn’t the term “notebook computer” run its course anyway? They don’t open like a notebook.

So, if laptop is the most appropriate term to refer to the usage of the device (really it should be kitchenetabletop or airlineseatbacktraytabletop) then shouldn’t we be using”nettop”?