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February 19, 2009

Dell takes on Psion to save the netbook

Psion claims ownership of 'netbook' trademark

Carrie-Ann Skinner

Dell has enlisted the help of the US courts in a bid to remove Psion's trademark of the term 'netbook'.

Netbook is the term laptop manufacturers are using to describe low cost and low spec systems that are ideal for surfing the web on-the-go. Psion registered the term towards the end of the 1990s and even issued warning letters to PC manufacturers last year in a bid to stop them using it.

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However, Dell claims the brand is not offering any products in the 'netbook' market and has no plans to do so in the future. According to Savethenetbooks.com, Dell has filed a Petition for Trademark Cancellation with a US court.

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"Upon information and belief, Psion intends not to resume bona fide use of the 'netbook' name in the ordinary course of trade," Dell said in the petition.

Dell also claims Psion falsified the terms of use of the phrase. The company claims Psion's senior product manager, Herb Turzer, lied about selling products under the netbook brand in November 2006.

"Upon information and belief, such statements were false at the time they were made," said Dell.

Psion was unavailable for comment.

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