James Delahunty
3 Jun 2005 19:34
The Sony Playstation Portable (PSP) console is already selling like wild fire in the United States and in Japan but the European launch of the console was delayed by shortages until 1st September. However, in the UK some retailers are already selling the PSP that they have imported from Japan and the United States. This has been going on since the start of the year and now it is time for a legal crackdown by Sony.
They have sent a cease and desist letter to ElectricBirdLand claiming that the site is infringing Sony's trademark. "The law is clear, and the activity of parallel importing of PSP products from the U.S./Japan is unlawful. It should be clearly understood that under no circumstances does Sony Computer Entertainment consent to such activities," A spokesman said in a statement.
However, ElectricBirdLand is not backing down as Sony does not own the PSP trademark in Britain, where it has been registered by a small Bristol-based IT and design firm, Owtanet Ltd. "We are not trying to belittle the Sony brand or damage any future sales as demand for the product is so great," said Dan Morelle, managing director of ElectricBirdLand. "All we offer is the one thing Sony has failed to do, and that is to give the customer exactly what they want, when they want it."
Source:
Reuters