Apple Reportedly Offers Proview $16 Million for iPad Trademark

[And1ss]

If it is true, Proview should just take it.

But, I dont think Proview should get anything. Freaking freeloaders.

 

[theelysium]

Such BS! Apple needs to counter sue for extortion.

 

[Wondercow]

While I think Proview is 100% wrong and owed nothing, I can't help feeling this is what Apple gets for using such a crappy name like "iPad". It sounded like a feminine hygiene product 2 yrs ago and it still sounds lame today.

And what of the mouse pad? Is it a product for female mice? Cooling pads for laptops--are they really for women going through menopause? An art pad--only for men who menstruate? Legal pad? Game pad? Let's not forget that hygiene product designed exclusively for Asian women: pad thai

 

[svenn]

That marks a substantial increase over the $55,000 purchase price

I think "substantial" might be an understatement

 

[alphaod]

Do many of you not realize this trademark is suppose to affect all the iPads made in China and therefore to be used around the world; if it was simple as the iPads sold in China, then it would be a much less convenient decision.

 

[MacinDoc]

I
If that is truly the case then yes, I will agree with you. Under those circumstances I have to wonder how proview has even managed to get thus far.

It may have something to do with the fact that the Bank of China is Proview's largest creditor...

So the Chinese government has to decide whether to screw over a company that brings billions of dollars of business to the economy, or to eat Proview's losses via the country's national bank (after all, the Chinese courts will decide what the Chinese government decides is in its best interest).

 

[ristlin]

I usually don't like to see others suffer. But in this case I relish it. I genuinely feel happy that this company that is in debt is losing this case. Why? Because instead of taking the high road to finding a way out of their mess, they instead chose to extort money from Apple.

I do feel a little bad for them for getting the losing end of the deal during the trademark sale, but even if they sold it for a premium price, they wouldn't have gotten more than several millions from it anyway. Therefore, they would still be in debt and still be in this mess.

 

[ouimetnick]

So if I understand it correctly, Apple setup a dummy corp to purchase the name iPad from Proview. This is done to maintain confidentiality, and to get a fair price. If Proview knew it was Apple, it would have been obvious that the tablet would be called iPad, and because its a big company, we can extort an obscene amount of money from Apple.

Apple legally acquired the name. Proview is just upset that they didn't know it was really Apple, because if they did, they would have demanded MORE money.

Ohh Proview.

 

[thewitt]

Do many of you not realize this trademark is suppose to affect all the iPads made in China and therefore to be used around the world; if it was simple as the iPads sold in China, then it would be a much less convenient decision.

Not true

 

[prvt.donut]

The rich stay rich by being tight asses!

I think it is a play by Apple, they know it is way more than Proview should get, Proview sold their trademark for all other territories for $55,000. Proview rejects the offer, which is way more than is reasonable, then Apple has a case to say Proview is just trying to bleed them for all they can get, getting the case thrown out of court!

 

[ersatzplanet]

The real problem is that if for some reason they win the case - they can stop iPads from being allowed in China - That includes being manufactured there.

 

[G4DP]

It’s China, whole different ball game and not willing to play by the rules unless they’re the ones being ripped off.

If Apple are so confident about this, release the paper work - that shows they have the right in China - into the public domain. They do not have to reveal anything commercial. Just something that could be verified by an external source.

Then everyone can stop acting like children and just get on with things.

Something people seem to forget is China's system will always back it's own companies. Ignoring the facts. Something the US Government has a good habit of doing.

 

[gnasher729]

So if I understand it correctly, Apple setup a dummy corp to purchase the name iPad from Proview. This is done to maintain confidentiality, and to get a fair price. If Proview knew it was Apple, it would have been obvious that the tablet would be called iPad, and because its a big company, we can extort an obscene amount of money from Apple.:

There would of course be a limit to that: At some point, Apple would just change the name. In which case the trademark would have no value anymore.

I think it is a play by Apple, they know it is way more than Proview should get, Proview sold their trademark for all other territories for $55,000. Proview rejects the offer, which is way more than is reasonable, then Apple has a case to say Proview is just trying to bleed them for all they can get, getting the case thrown out of court!

I think you don't understand the situation correctly. Apple and Proview signed a contract with a company named Proview which sold _all_ the trademark rights they had (in ten countries including China). But Proview now claims that the Proview owning all the trademarks, and the Proview selling all the trademarks, are not the same.

If Proview, who absolutely legally owned the trademark in 10 countries, had sold the rights for 9 countries, but not for China, then Apple would have legally no leg to stand on; their only choice would be to pay up or change the name in China.