Sony Sues Over PSP Imports

An anonymous reader writes "Although the official European launch isn't until September, Europeans have already been able to buy imported PSPs. Sony has sent out a batch of cease and desist letters, claiming that selling the PSP without permission violates their trademarks. The Register reports on the legal fight between Sony and online retailler ElectricBirdLand." From the article: "The Japanese manufacturer is claiming infringement of Trade Mark. But one reseller at the receiving end of the legal nastygrams, ElectricBirdLand, claims that key technologies, trademarks and software utilised in Sony's new portable gaming platform have not even been registered by Sony in the UK. For example, the PSP trademark has apparently been registered by a small Bristol-based IT and design firm, called Owtanet."

Comments

Why should Sony be able to dictate this?

[SamNmaX]

This is silly. Why should it be illegal to import legally purchased PSPs for resale in another country? When a distributor gets exclusive rights from Sony, that should be limited only to the PSPs received by them. That is, Sony won't sell to other distributers.

However, once they are out of Sony's hands, who are they to say who can buy and sell it? As well, how is it trademark infringement? Sony has already gotten their money. They should have no right to this kind of control.

Beyond stupid

[Jarlsberg]

Parallell importing/grey imports are strictly for the hard core gamers. There is no chance this will hurt Sonys sales target when the PSP is eventually released in Europe. Going after the importers is just stupid, because they are getting the units out to the innovators, and they can often make or break a product.

It's just daft of Sony to wait so long before they release it in Europe. As long as Sony is unable to satisfy the demand, someone else will supply the goods. Sony can cry foul all they want for all the good it will do them.

Re:Hmm...

[sesshomaru]

They aren't money grubbing scumbags, it's a different acronym, see their Website:

PSP® E-Commerce

In fact, this shouldn't affect Sony's trademark at all, since Sony is tradmarking a portable media player, and they have trademarked an ecommerce solution. The trademarks don't overlap.