Those Monsters: Monster Cable sues Monster Transmission
Monster Cable is nothing if not aggressive. The company rabidly peddles overpriced wiring products to purchasers incapable of analysis, and Monster Cable is just as obnoxious about suing everything in sight that uses "Monster" in its name. What kind of copyright infringement might Monster Mini Golf be foisting upon a company that charges way too much for wire that offers dubious, if any, performance advantage? While the issue with Monster Mini Golf has been settled, Monster Cable is now going after another totally unrelated business. While the company says it's over any issues with Monster Transmission of Florida, the shop says the story is not yet over. While Monster Cable seems bent on copyrighting the word "Monster," the businesses they're harassing are engaged in actual commerce, some even building class-leading products, you know, like the type Monster claims it makes (and charges for). We're off to stock up on lamp cord to hand out as part of an overpriced interconnect recovery package.
[Source: Engadget]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
FSM 1:10PM (4/12/2009)
I've been following this, along with the other legal exploits of Monster Cable. Simply put, they are bullies. Their business seems to be suing companies with the generic word "monster" in their name rather than making cables. It has already been shown on several web sites that Monster Cables are no better than the bargain basement kind that you can order on line for a tenth the price. This, coupled with their frivolous lawsuits should (I hope) prevent any of us from buying their merchandise, no matter how hard the people at Best Buy try to dupe us.
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James 2:11PM (4/12/2009)
I go to Monoprice.com for my cable needs.
Don't buy from these hideous offensive "Monster" ripoffs...
Patrick 1:42AM (4/13/2009)
Even if Monster actually made good cables at reasonable prices, I would not buy its products because of the despicable strong-arm tactics they use.
Matt 1:53PM (4/12/2009)
BOYCOTT Monster Cable and their strong arm tactics!!
This is not the first time they have attacked other companies with the name monster.
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fixitfixitstop 1:12PM (4/12/2009)
Monster Cable sucks, as a company, and as a peddler of crap. They once tried to get me to sell their products for them, suggesting that their $19.99 RJ-11 cable would increase dial-up modem speeds.
The don't own the word Monster, because they didn't make it up. Oh yeah, the same goes for Apple Records too.
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Seminole 1:35PM (4/12/2009)
Apple is OK because they only own a trademark on the word Apple relating to computer products. They don't go around willy nilly suing the pants off any company with Apple in the name. Monster seems to think they qualify for what is called a "famous mark". For instance, when you hear the word Visa, you automatically think of the credit card company. That is considered a famous mark because consumers instantly think of that product.
Here is an article with more info about it:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123869022704882969.html
polo 1:55PM (4/12/2009)
@seminole, how much were you paid to post that??
Apple is just as bad as Monster. They make crap glossed over plastic crap that is over-priced and inferior to everyone else, AND they sue everyone and everything with the word "pod" in it. Nevermind that their ipod has the poorest audio quality of any mp3 player, except maybe a chinese knockoff (but even then they're comparable...they're produced in the same factories). Crapple is the king of frivilous lawsuits, attacking and threatening ANY business that dares use the word "pod". If you hate Monster cable, make sure you have some left for Crapple.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-407213/Apple-war-pod.html
Jim 3:43PM (4/12/2009)
"Apple is OK because they only own a trademark on the word Apple relating to computer products. They don't go around willy nilly suing the pants off any company with Apple in the name."
they did sue a company which made a coin counting box called the "ProfitPod" 'cos evidently people would confuse it for the iPod. I can see that, an iPod definitely looks like a small stamped-steel black coin box, especially when it's buried inside a vending machine or arcade cabinet.
fixitfixitstop 5:19PM (4/12/2009)
polo,
I may share your opinion of the iPod, but that's only because mine never worked right. I know many people who have never had a problem with theirs, and have gone on to buy 4 or 5 or more of them. The interface is the main reason iPod dominates the mp3 player marketshare. Being first to launch a widespread marketing campaign put them ahead of the curve. Once they achieved a dominating variety of aftermarket accessories, they stayed at the top and are still there. It's the same model that Atari used in during the first video game boom. Atari's success waned early because they didn't update the products adequately and they had no idea how to manage third-party support. Apple "gets it" whether you like it or not.
Also, I have seen the counterfeit iPods you mention in person. They are far from comparable.
I've been a Macintosh user since 1993 and have never had any of the headaches that Windows users commonly complain about. The price premium is worth it for me. Having said that, Apple is just as evil as a corporation as Microsoft or Monster or any others.
Don't like Apple? Don't buy one. I don't care.
I don't like Toyota products, but I don't think they're inferior nor do I bash them at every opportunity online the way people like you bash Apple.
Jacob 5:59PM (4/12/2009)
"suggesting that their $19.99 RJ-11 cable would increase dial-up modem speeds. "
Damn, so that's why dial-up was so slow. ;)
Ken 7:02PM (4/12/2009)
The OP was posting about Apple Records, recording company for the Beatles and others, not Apple maker of iPods, etc. There was an issue between the two companies as they were afraid Apple with iTunes may create confusion in record sales between them and Apple Records.
chconline 7:25PM (4/12/2009)
Exactly. People still buy Monster cables? They just don't understand... coloring your connectors gold and making your cables appearing thicker by increasing the plastic does not automatically make them better... and charging $80 for an HDMI cable which claims to increase image quality. I guess people don't understand that on the digital interface (Back to basics -- the signal is either 0 or 1, unlike analog) which means that it either conducts the signal (1) or it doesn't (0). The loss over an average quality/stock cable is negligible, even to a system that benchmarks final image output integrity, no difference to an enthusiast, never mind to a consumer. On the analog interface, well, real audiophiles simply don't but Monster, just like Bose systems, except worse.
jamie 1:16PM (4/12/2009)
Monster.com??
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Farmboy 2:59PM (4/12/2009)
Monster Energy?
mk3 3:08PM (4/12/2009)
TemplateMonster...This company has to deal with a lot of companies with monster names.
James 4:42PM (4/12/2009)
Monsters, Inc.?
Turall 9:43PM (4/12/2009)
Monster, R.E.M's ninth studio album?
PJ 1:31PM (4/13/2009)
Cookie Monster?
Dennis 1:19PM (4/12/2009)
WHEN ARE THEY GOING AFTER MONSTER ENERGY DRINKS!? LOL, yeah I have a Monster HDMI cable that I got for free with my purchase of a new LCD..the cable isn't all that great, better to buy one from China for $2!!
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Seminole 1:30PM (4/12/2009)
They already have.
They have also sued Disney over Monsters Inc., Monster.com, The Boston Red Sox because of the Green Monster, The Chicago Bears over their nickname "The Monsters of the Midway", Discovery Channel over Monster Garage, and more.
They have also been linked to numerous false advertising scandals.
This company is the lowest of low, and I would go without an HDMI cable before I own one of their products.