Chinese cloner says it may sue Apple over iPad
updated 07:15 am EST, Mon February 1, 2010
Shenzhen Great Loong Brother claims first
China's Shenzhen Great Loong Brother today threatened that it might sue Apple for allegedly cloning one of its tablet PCs with the iPad. A company spokesman claims the Apple design resembles the black bezel, chrome trimmed P-P-P88 tablet it released in 2009. Since both have roughly 10-inch touchscreens and are technically sold in the US, SGLB could theoretically challenge Apple for cloning its design where the complainant itself has often produced clones of its own.
The P88 itself partly resembles an oversized iPhone but is essentially a touch-only Windows netbook that runs an Intel Atom chip, a conventional 250GB hard drive and an internal DVD drive. It weighs just under 2.3 pounds and has roughly one hour of battery life despite being noticeably thicker and having typical PC expansion ports.
Apple has declined to comment and normally remains silent on possible or ongoing lawsuits. The firm is often sued by patent houses for alleged infringement but is seldom accused of copying someone else's physical design. [via PCWorld]
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jan 2010
I'm going to sue too.
I'm going to sue Apple too because in all the iPad promotional videos, they use hands that look like mine. If I didn't know better, I would think that thumb actually belonged to me.