Digital Home Thoughts: Psion Tries to Own the Word Netbook

"This is very preliminary but we are hearing that some netbook enthusiast sites are getting “cease & desist” letters from a firm in the UK ordering the sites to stop using the term “netbook”. The letters claim that the term netbook is trademarked by the firm that produced the Psion netBook in the early 2000’s."

Image Courtesy of MaximumPC

This definitely qualifies as stupid. I could ALMOST understand suing netbook makers for using the term if it is trademarked, but going after enthusiast sites for using the term is just completely stupid. I just did a quick look at the official sites for Dell and Asus and was easily able to find the term netbook being used. I did not find it on HP or Acer's site, but I didn't look very hard. Also, Amazon.com and Best Buy both use the term netbook as well. The fact that they are going after the little guys and not the deep pockets (who are better able to defend themselves) makes me think they know they have no case but are going for some early victories to help bolster a case against the big guys. I've got only one thing to say to that: netbook, netbook, netbook, netbook, netbook........