It seems like just yesterday when we were unboxing our very own Psystar system, and apart from some build quality issues, were surprised at how well it worked.
The Open(3) system they announced last month was expected by some to be a no-show, what with the ongoing dispute with Apple, but it looks like at least one person with a camera has gotten his delivered. → Read More
In a move that’s sure to make Apple shake its fist and gnash its teeth, everybody’s favorite underdog, Psystar, has thrown legal caution to the wind and released the Open(3) Computer, starting at $599 without monitor, keyboard, or mouse. → Read More
The long-running Psystar dispute may be settling down as the controversial PC-maker runs out of steam, but don’t think that’s the end of… the Clone Wars. (sorry)
German PC company HyperMegaNet UG has started selling its own line of cloned Apples. But good heavens, you say, aren’t they scared of Apple? Won’t they see the smoking ruins of Psystar and fear the same fate may be in store for them? Ah yes, but you forget: they’re German. → Read More
The saga between Psystar and Apple is reaching a sad point. Apple has held firm against the claims of the Mac clone maker and Psystar keeps pilling on new Apple offensives. The latest simply claims that Apple cannot sue Psystar ’cause OS X isn’t covered by copyright protection. → Read More
You would think that these Argentineans would know about Psystar’s legal ‘issues’ with Apple before they decided to release an unofficial OS X machine, but whatever. The company is selling two Mac Clones for a reasonable amount of cake. The OpeniMac is only $990 and ships with 2GB of memory, 320GB HDD, and a 256MB ATI Radeon HD Pro. The OpeniMacPRO will run ya, $1,710 but is a 3.0GHz machine with 4GB of ram and a 20-inch widescreen LCD. Legal concerns aside, if you’re jones’n for a Mac but don’t want to pay the Steve Jobs’ Tax – and can speak Spanish – this might be an option. OpeniMac via AOL → Read More
Oh dear, I think Apple’s legal department is getting paranoid. After suggesting that people taking their ad literally were irrational, they’re now suggesting that a shadowy unknown may be behind the whole Psystar drama. The suits and countersuits have been going on for months and months now (all I care about is that it works), and in an amendment to their suit today, Apple added the following language: On information and belief, persons other than Psystar are involved in Psystar’s unlawful and improper activities described in this Amended Complaint. The true names or capacities, whether individual, corporate, or otherwise, of these persons are unknown to Apple. Consequently they are referred to herein as John Does 1 through 10 (collectively the “John Doe Defendants”). Good lord, how mysterious! Can they really think that someone like Dell for example, jealous of Apple’s increasing market share, would set up a shell company to sell pieced-together Frankenmacs? I think Apple needs a drink. [via MacRumors] → Read More
The court proceedings between Apple and Psystar are still dragging on with the latest charges being filed by Apple the day before Thanksgiving. Allegedly, Psystar is violating the Digital Mellennium Copyright Act (DMCA) by circumventing the OS X copy-protection. Through this motion, Apple seeks leave to file its Amended Complaint pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 15(a) and this Court’s November 7, 2008 Case Management Order. Apple’s Amended Complaint, attached hereto as Exhibit A, adds a Digital Millennium Copyright Act claim, additional factual allegations relating to Apple’s previously asserted claims and Doe defendants. The DMCA claim is based on new information that Apple has learned since the filing of its original complaint. It’s just a matter of time before Apple steamrolls the clone computer maker. → Read More
The latest chapter in the David vs Golitha battle has just unfolded in the Northern District of California with a dismissal filing by Apple. Jobs & Co. state in the claim, Defendant Psystar Corporation is knowingly infringing Apple’s copyrights and trademarks, and inducing others to do the same. Psystar makes and sells personal computers that use, without permission, Apple’s proprietary operating system software. In an obvious attempt to divert attention from its unlawful actions, Psystar asserts deeply flawed antitrust counterclaims designed to have this Court force Apple to license its software to Psystar, a direct competitor. The Court should reject Psystar’s efforts to excuse its copyright infringement, and dismiss these Counterclaims with prejudice So to catch you up to speed, Psystar started selling Mac clones, Biggs buys one, Apple sues the company, Psystar countersues, and now this. Maybe a big group hug would help. Filing [PDF] via AppleInsider → Read More
A week ago we reported that Apple had finally filed suit against Mac clone maker Psystar. Apple claimed that Psystar was trading on the Apple brand and illegally releasing the Mac OS X operating system on clone hardware. Today we have learnt via Macblogs of a new clone maker, Open Tech, who are planning on filling the void that is likely to be soon left by Psystar. Open Tech are taking more precautionary measures than Psystar, who traded openly from Florida, by setting up their company and domain hosting in the tiny atoll nation of Tokelau. The atolls, a former British Protectorate, measure only 10 square kilometers (5 square miles in funny units), have a population of 1,500 and an annual GDP of only $1.5M USD. It seems that the domain registry business associated with their .tk TLD has increased their annual GDP by 10% a year. Domain name and host information reveals that the website is hosted in Germany and the company behind the domain is registered in The Netherlands. It may be that the company operates in Europe but has shielded itself behind a tiny nation in the Pacific. The fact that Open Tech is setting up in such an esoteric location is a sure sign that they expect the wrath of Apple to come down hard and are taking precautionary measures. The website claims that their product range will retail soon, with a starting price of $620 USD for a clone machine with about four times the power and storage of a similarly-priced Mac mini. There is no information on where manufacturing takes place (I doubt they are setup on one of the Atolls) nor who is behind the company. We have sent an email to their PR contacts to get more information and will be updating this post accordingly. → Read More
That said, where the hell is .tk? .tk comes from Tokelau, a small island in the South Pacific. It is run by the dot.tk registrar and reveals no information about the domain name holders: → Read More
Apple has filed suit against Psystar in the northern district of California. Apple, Inc., manufacturer of the well known line of computers and software, filed suit on July 3 in the federal district court for the northern district of California against Florida company Psystar, Inc. The suit alleges counts for violation of its shrink wrap license, trademark and copyright infringement. While we love an Apple clone as much as the next guy, I think you’re going to have to brew your own now that Pystar is dying. → Read More