Apple Forces eBay to Pull Steve Jobs Figurine
After the manufacturer was served a cease and desist order, Apple forced eBay to pull auctions for the Steve Jobs action figure.
Last month we reported that China-based manufacturer M.I.C. Gadget was selling an incredibly-detailed Steve Jobs action figure for $79.90. The desktop-sized Apple CEO featured an oversized head, his trademark black shirt/blue jeans outfit, and held up the new iPhone 4 like a magical world-saving talisman in his left hand. It came with an Apple logo stand and cartoon balloons for writing custom messages.
After our report, lawyers representing Apple contacted M.I.C. Gadget and ordered the company to cease the manufacturing and sale of the Steve Jobs action figure. A warning letter from Apple stated that the figurine violated a California statute prohibiting the use of a person's likeness in a product without prior authorization.
Shortly after production stopped, the figurines began to gather on eBay.
According to a report by iPhone Savior, sellers began listing the rare Steve Jobs figurine earlier this month, jacking up the original $79.90 price to nearly $2,500 apiece. Apple's lawyers eventually raided the online marketplace, zeroing in on one Canadian eBay seller who had already sold the figurine for $1,125. eBay then began to remove other listings, telling sellers that the object for sale "violates a celebrity's right of publicity."
"Your item was removed because of a request we received from Apple, Inc., a member of our Verified Rights Owner Program (VeRO), asking us to remove the item," the eBay letter stated.
Of course, that hasn't stopped eBay sellers from trying to make a quick grand or two before eBay's quick sweep of the Ban-hammer. One listing that popped up on the site two days ago (which has since been removed) said: "APPLE HAD ALL STEVE JOBS ACTION FIGURE AUCTIONS REMOVED! BUY IT NOW SO YOU CAN GET ONE! HURRY! NO GUARANTEE THAT THIS AUCTION WILL RUN A FULL DAY!"
As of this writing, there doesn't appear to be additional listings, however Steve Jobs fans can certainly purchase magazines, the made-for-TV movie "Pirates of Silicon Valley" starring Noah Wyle (Steve Jobs), Joey Slotnick (Steve Wozniak) and Anthony Michael Hall (Bill Gates), a Steve Jobs "Hope" T-Shirt, and more Jobs-related items.
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Grats Apple, you made those figurines worth even more!
Apparently they made comeback here:
http://www.amazon.com/Zoogster-Cos [...] B002IALUJ0
lol
At least Steve's cult produces something physically useful and artistic. Zuckerberg's cult makes nothing and adds nothing but inane thoughts and words that serve mainly to sell ads for some sponsor's soap.
Why would an American law be applicable in mainland China? One expects even the most stupid and arrogant lawyer to correctly identify "China" as a foreign country.
get over your self Jobs.
Don't they know images in His likeness are forbidden?
What a humorless tool Jobs is.
Are Apple employees going to bomb the makers of these things for creating something in the likeness of his holiness, Steve Jobs?
How the fuck is the even remotely legal?
I don't understand what the big deal is for both sides. I personally though, wouldn't want an asshole staring at me from my shelf in my house every day. The figurine is also kind of creepy.
LOL
You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth
Can someone be that frakking stupid? They should send the model to China and copy it by the millions...
This is news now...
wow. Should have bought one at the begging... can you imagine how expensive these will get?
They should release the same figurine with a small tweak, replace Steve's head with a turd and call it Shit Jobs
I would put him on the back of my toilet along with Obama and Pelosi bobble head dolls so they could get mooned everytime I get off the head.
This news was posted on Tom's sometime ago.
I would put him on the back of my toilet along with Obama and Pelosi bobble head dolls so they could get mooned everytime I get off the head.
Don't forget your Beck, Murdoch, Cry-baby Bainard dolls.
Can't make a doll to look like Steve Hand-jobs in the US? WTF this country legal system coming to! Oh Yessss sorry, rules for the rich, even their image is protected. Go FO Hand-jobs! Another reason the world hates you! I know you didn't have anything to do with this personally but you DA company bred lawyers do and they represent you my little butt buddy. Sooo keep I'll just keep on steering clear of anything to do with Steve Hand-Jobs. How's date UDF!
Wait.. they copyrighted Steve Jobs? What's next? A patent on black shirt & jeans?
Someone was correct: California law isn't applicable in foreign countries, like China. Of course, Apple's focus was on eBay as the 'seller', since it's based in California. However, I think that eBay shouldn't be held to the silly law, as it's only facilitating the transaction, and not actually selling the product itself.
Either way, someone should call the ACLU. I'm surprised the higher courts haven't abolished this stupid law, since it clearly steps over our First Ammendment rights. Just another reason to hate crApple though.
Whats the bet that Apple will "confiscate" one of these, mass produce them with a little apple logo on the bottom, then sell them for 5x the price?
Jobs is just a complete and utter power-mad wanna-be dictator. Any other human would be pleased that there is a "doll" version of them on the market. Jobs sees only potential profits for himself being usurped. Such a dillwad.
Getting email alerts for spam is getting annoying.
If they are popular, why not Apple just buy an order from that company? And sell them.
perfect gift for top competitor honchos if the doll comes with pricking needles
All hail to Führer Jobs. We will xenocide the inferior pc from the world!
This news was posted on Tom's sometime ago.
Right. That was a previous story about the same topic http://www.tomsguide.com/us/Steve- [...] -8963.html The latest one adds a little more information, go ahead and it the entire thing and see for yourself.
Someone was correct: California law isn't applicable in foreign countries, like China. Of course, Apple's focus was on eBay as the 'seller', since it's based in California. However, I think that eBay shouldn't be held to the silly law, as it's only facilitating the transaction, and not actually selling the product itself.Either way, someone should call the ACLU. I'm surprised the higher courts haven't abolished this stupid law, since it clearly steps over our First Ammendment rights. Just another reason to hate crApple though.
ACLU? Seriously? Apple got California's Rapid Enforcement Allied Computer Team REACT to kick in Jason Chen's door for a lost iPhone. As much as I tend to agree with you, I don't think theres anyway the ACLU would touch something like this. It has nothing to do with his civil liberties.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perso [...] ted_States
ACLU? Seriously? Apple got California's Rapid Enforcement Allied Computer Team REACT to kick in Jason Chen's door for a lost iPhone. As much as I tend to agree with you, I don't think theres anyway the ACLU would touch something like this. It has nothing to do with his civil liberties. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perso [...] ted_States
Bingo. Steve Jobbs's Likeness, his right to control. Now... he can ask Ebay to take the sales down, but I am not certian he has any legal sway with Ebay unless he gets some kinda court order.
if it were you or me who had bobbleheads made of them outside the US, and Ebay was selling them, I think they might require a court order.