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Hasbro fails to win Asus Transformer Prime ban

Tablet vs toy robot... FIGHT

Asus' Eee Pad Transformer Prime tablet-cum-netbook has not ridden roughshod over toy giant Hasbro's intellectual property rights, a US court has suggested.

Hasbro, which flogs a series of plastic robots that can "transform" into cars, aircraft, lorries and such, sued the Taiwanese company in December 2011, claiming that its youthful customers would assume the tablet is associated with its Transformer brand.

However, a preliminary hearing to judge whether a pre-trial ban should be imposed on the Asus device did not go the toy firm's way, Paid Content reports.

Optimus Prime provokes Top Model stampede

Not a tablet that turns into a netbook

According to the court, Asus' use of the word Transformer is appropriate and descriptive: the gadget does indeed "‘transform’ into a laptop computer when attached to its accompanying Qwerty keyboard dock".

"There is nothing gimmicky about the Eee Pad Transformer or the Eee Pad Transformer Prime, nor can it be said that there is any similarity in the use or function between Hasbro and Asus’ products," the judge said.

All of which suggests the case may not go Hasbro's way if and when it comes to trial. For its part, Hasbro said it will pursue the case, so Asus isn't out of the woods yet. ®

Hasbro being a bit silly? Looks like it

I remember having a quick look when this news broke in December and not finding any indication that Hasbro had registered Transfomer/Transformers as a trademark in relation to electronics & computing stuff, which would be the issue at hand.

If they *did* have such a trademark, this court would presumably have found in their favour. Doesn't bode well for Hasbro, I suspect, but if they want to piss away money on lawyers that's up to them...

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Asus' next transformer tablet-top

will feature an expansion slot.

Called the 'Michael Bay'

...

But it will suck.

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> Asus are using "Transformer" and "Prime" in their brand names

I've been using transformers with primaries for decades. And I didn't invent them.

The trouble with using fairly generic words as brand names is that other people will also have legitimate use of them...

Vic.

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Well, they're only pissing away money that was pissed away by people who watched Michael Bay's shitty films.

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Yes ASUS is being cheeky,

but Hasbro is being stupid.

There is no confusion. There are a few fanbois (probably 21+ years old) who bought the notebook because they are being cheeky. But the smarter thing to do would have been an actual cross licensing agreement to release the "Optimus Prime(tm)" version of the ASUS transformer with full images on the case and maybe a customized desktop/sound theme thrown in.

My bottom line: Stop trying to steal my language with your trademarks.

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