This shouldn’t come as too big a surprise – Toy company Hasbro is taking Asus to court over its decision to name its tablet the Transformer Prime. And it doesn’t even transform…
Full specs: Asus Transformer Prime Super Tablet Hits Australia In January
Hasbro has filed a lawsuit against Asus, seeking damages and an injunction against the tablet-laptop hybrid’s sales. In a statement to Paidcontent, Hasbro explained:
“Hasbro continues to aggressively protect its brands and products and the specific actions we are taking today against Asus underscores yet again Hasbro’s willingness to pursue companies who misappropriate our intellectual property for their own financial gain.”
I can’t imagine too many people confusing the Transformer Optimus Prime with the Asus Transformer Prime, but then again, there are some stupid people in the world. Let’s see how this whole thing pans out…
BenDTU
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 4:33 PMConsidering they put out a TV show called “Transformers: Prime” last year, this really isn’t surprising.
Ozoneocean
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 7:04 PMWell it IS when you consider that on is an entertainment series aimed at young children and the other is a computing device sold to adults… Things CAN have the same name and be completely different products sold in different markets, you know?
I mean, You don’t get many disappointed hitmen leaving corner delis with a magnum icecream melting all over their hands, do you?
Graham
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 4:33 PMI cant help but think this was done to create a media buzz, even if they do have to pay hasbro damages.
Wayne
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 4:52 PMThis is silly, the two things aren’t even remotely related to each other.
Erebus
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 5:02 PMI’m surprised this didn’t happen sooner tbh
DarthDVD
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 5:22 PMits not blue or red… whats the confusion??
Andrew
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 5:30 PMI was wondering why they hadn’t done this already.
Penmonicus
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 6:16 PMPeople spoke about it because of the name.
If I bought one and said its name had no effect on my wanting to purchase, I’d be lying.
I think it’s pretty amazing they got this far.
Peter
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 8:20 PMAs someone who has the original Transformer tablet, I didn’t even think of the Hasbro franchise until the Prime was announced. Different markets, but my HTC Desire is also known as the Bravo, so a rebranding should fix this sneakiness.
Ozoneocean
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 6:58 PMMy god! You mean stupid kids toys and cartoons made to sell them AREN’T the same thing as a tablet keyboard combo?
…mind blown.
BenDTU
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 11:39 PMComing soon: The Asus MICHAEL BUBLE.
Totally legit and not trying to cash in on someone else’s name because the other Michael Buble isn’t a tablet.
Dwei
Friday, December 23, 2011 at 11:04 AMiBenDTU anyone?
BenDTU
Friday, December 23, 2011 at 12:34 PMBecause everyone who ever says anything positive about Apple is a fanboy whose opinion is completely invalid, regardless of what they’re taking about.
Right?
TSH
Friday, December 23, 2011 at 12:13 PMA misappropriated celebrity endorsement is a bit different to using somebody else’s trade mark. The Hasbro toy is called “Trans-Formers”; the ASUS product is called “Transformer” and the actual, device called a “transformer” is completely different to both of these.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transformer
Ryxxi
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 8:17 PMUp next:
USA sues Australia for the currency being used is called
“DOLLAR”.
New Zeland sues Canada for the currency being used is called
“DOLLAR”.
USA sues Australia for the currency being used is called
“DOLLAR”.
Singapore sues Malaysia for the currency being used is called
“DOLLAR”.
and more
and more…
Mike
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 9:41 PMLooks like LG dodge a bullet with the Optimus.
SJ
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 8:41 PMDon’t forget the Primus, or the iPrimus, whatever it was, haha. Not sure if it was LG, but I know someone had it.
alphamone
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 10:16 PMthe main issue is the combination of the two words together. Also, remember that trademark law requires them to take action lest they lose the trademarks.
Cheshire Cat
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 11:04 PMExcept aren’t trademarks etc only legit for the same business field. Isn’t that why apple got nowhere with the woollies logo?
Gotta say I never once thought of the transformers toy/character Optimus prime and I’m a pretty decent transformers fan(plenty of toys, clothes, DVDs and comics etc) why would i? It’s a tablet pc and has no correlation whatsoever.
BenDTU
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 11:37 PMSome of the comments here are just wow.
Do you seriously think Asus DIDN’T name this with Optimus Prime in mind? Really?
Stew
Friday, December 23, 2011 at 11:46 AMI hate the rising, overly litigious nature of the industry where “Company X sues Company Y over Minor Quibble Z”
If it was over their original “Transformer” then I’d get shirty at Hasbro saying “it transforms from a tablet to a laptop so it’s allowed! Things transform! You don’t own that word! Quit stifling innovation!”.
But… Asus calling it a “Transformer Prime” was just asking to get sued.
TSH
Friday, December 23, 2011 at 12:06 PMThe ASUS product did remind me of the toy line, right from the announcement of the original Transformer. However, as has been said this is like walking through a greengrocer and being reminded of an iPhone: completely different markets, completely different products. The association is there, but where one is not competing against the other there is absolutely no case to be made.
Bryn
Sunday, December 25, 2011 at 8:33 AMI predict a short life for this product in Australia anyway. First they left it late to release with too long a leadup. Secondly they miscalculated on the price thinking they can get away with a premium over the iPad2 and a premium over the US price. Thirdly they neglected to transfer the 3G development they already made on the TF101 onto the TF201. Fourthly they are going to have to rebrand it. Whoa !
Caitlyn
Tuesday, December 27, 2011 at 9:30 PMThis is really just a little bit silly, litigation gone mad. I’d love a Hasbro spokesperson to explain just how the “ASUS eee pad Transformer Prime” (to give it it’s full name) could possibly be encroaching upon the “transformers prime” toy range. Apart from being only a partial name match, there is no way that anybody could possibly mix up these two entities.
They don’t occupy the same market space and as a result the ASUS cannot negatively impact Hasbro’s sales. So when they talk about compensation, compensation for what?
@Bryn, You’re being very melodramatic. so park the Apple fanboi bus back at home please. The Prime is next generation in comparison to iPad2 and clearly a better tablet from the hardware perspective. It is going to be an iPad 3 competitor product so the release date is not an issue anywhere in the world yet. Finally there is no way it would be re-branded, if push comes to shove a settlement amount would be reached.
Nate
Wednesday, January 4, 2012 at 12:58 PMPersonally I’d love to see Hasbro get on board for some cross-marketing, and have the tablet and dock come out in those cool red and blue tones….
Nate
Wednesday, January 4, 2012 at 1:00 PMActually, since I always intended to buy one of these anyway, and still will, I’m now going to find an Optimus decal to put on the back. For obvious reasons.
jo
Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 1:16 PMThis product totally caught my eye because of the name. It’s a cool name. But the plain and simple fact, it’s the product itself that made me want one so bad I’m about to pee my pants if it doesn’t get released soon. And just as Caitlyn said: it’s a partial name match and like TSH said the names don’t actually match anyway. And yes Bryn this transformer blows that stinkin IPAD 2 out of the water in everyway. That being said, I’m with Nate, I am so getting an Optimus Prime decal to put on mine when I get it.