Apple throws a wobbly over Steve Jobs dolly
It's not just radio app developers, websites that dish the dirt on upcoming Apple products, and journalists who take the mikey out of Steve Jobs' diction that fall foul of the "magical and revolutionary" CEO. So do memento makers. Take online retailer MIC Gadget, which had the temerity to tout an iPhone 4-sized Steve Jobs …
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Simple solution
A doll of the Steve Jobs doll..
Job(s) done.
@AC
Yeah, most judges would probably see through that one... (though I'm sure many would appreciate the pun).
A simpler solution would be to keep making the dolls, and just sell them in any jurisidction that doesn't recognise image rights (such as the UK). That said, the Apple logo that the doll is standing on would still present a trade marks snag...
But this is all academic, of course, because the product itself is utterly pointless.
Todays title is brought to you by the letter 'SAUSAGE'
"because the product itself is utterly pointless."
Pretty much the first words to pass my lips every time Apple announces a new fondle bauble for the fanbois to waste money on.
Reality check
If "utterly pointless" are the first words past your lips at every Apple release, then I concur that your comments are utterly pointless.
Apple's progress & growth over the last 10-12 years can not be explained away in terms of "baubles" - good job they don't rely on the oh-so-erudite proclamations from NB in deciding their development, sales & marketing strategies, isn't it?
Having said that, I can see why Apple might be upset regarding the unauthorised use of the Apple logo, but as the doll itself is not in any way derogatory, I feel the outraged response of Apple to this is a little crazy.
Almost as crazy as those who would part with fifty-odd smackeroonies for the aforementioned.
Fifty-odd smackeroonies buys more RAM, or a 1TB HD, or a reasonable external drive for backup....
Yes, I love and use Macs:- but I'm a pragmatist
Theres no way...
...that Jobs didn't piss himself laughing when he saw that doll. Or is he really that dead inside?
Quick fix
They could replace the Apple logo with a steaming pile of turd, change Steve's hair to red or purple, then carry on selling.
Beat me to it.
I was gonna say they could just collect up some dog turds, varnish them, stick on some wire frame glasses and sell them instead!
@There's a bee in my bot net
"I was gonna say they could just collect up some dog turds, varnish them, stick on some wire frame glasses and sell them instead!"
aka Steve Jobbies!
(sorry, only Scots will get that...)
Billy Connolly?
"I'm just a little Jobbie". From the Jobbie Wheecher.
So if Steven comes to the UK to enforce his rights perhaps the only sound we'll hear is "Wheeeech!!!"
I'd suggest
a regular guy with jeans, trainers, black turtleneck, glasses holding a generic smartphone standing on a different-shaped piece of fruit. As long as they can roll out 'Steve from the accounts department' who has a resemblance to the figure and gives his permission I expect they'll be fine.
Market it as a parody doll
It is a bit of a stretch, but parody has some legal protection.
A title is required
Parody has legal protection in copyright issues, but not in trademark issues. Trademark law is entirely separate from copyright law (trademarks are legally similar to patents), and there is no parody exemption for trademark law. So the apple logo is still an issue.
Why get pissy over this?
It's not mocking him - it's actually a pretty good doll. If I were Jobs I'd be flattered.
Missing parts..
.. I'd buy it if it came with Voodoo pins. And a Bill Gates one.
Agreed
I was expecting the worst while waiting for the photo to load and was surprised to see that whoever sculpted/ molded (and then painted) them did much better jobs (yeah, that pun's done to death) than is probably warranted. If Steve must deny that his likeness be promulgated without his permission, he should at least be grateful that it was done this well and not as I'm sure others would have done.
The first thing I'd do, if I were MIC Gadget..
Is redo the doll with some not-so-subtle caricaturing. I'm no californian lawyer, but I'm sure a hideous and hilarious balance could be struck that wasn't subject to these daft copyright laws.
So what's the difference...
...between this and the hilariously-NSFW http://headostate.com at all?
I don't see Obama rushing to sue.
But...but...why?
Who is the market for this, aside from Jobs' enemies, who would lob spitballs at it? Why go to all thsi trouble? And how can you be a businessperson and not know that the Apple logo is a trademark more sacred than God?
<waves dead chicken>
For His Jobs' Fanboi Shrine of course.
Duh.
Hah! Pun
If the factory can't produce these statuettes people might lose their Jobs.
Mine's the one without an apple logo on it. Ta.
How about...
Licensing Noah Wyle's image for an action doll. I would suggest using his performance in Pirates of Silicon Valley as the model.
/my coat wouldn't fit John Di Maggio
Thats not steve jobs...
That Neil who I went to university with back in the 90's now if only we could track him down.. get his permission and put a small rug over the odd shaped floor....
How about Steve & Boris????
You could get a miniature Ginger headed Steve to ram up Boris' jacksie for wanting to charge for underground mobile coverage -- and give them a share of the royalties.
Jobs seems to be getting pettier and pettier
But then, I suppose if you have that much cash, you can be as petty as you like.
Let's hope they hit ebay quickly
I wish i had one for my Ken doll to use as a sex slave while barbie is away.
...But i suppose i could always melt it in the microwave.
The Apple workers collectable figurine range
They should stop making the Steve figurine and instead make a Foxconn iPhone factory worker one - instead of standing on an Apple logo, he or she would be standing on the factory roof.
But that would mean...
It could equally well be associated with a Sony/Dell/HP/Any-Other-HW-Manufacturer logo.
Or do we ignore facts to indulge in Apple-baiting?
SAPSUER?
How about a fuzzy-faced, polo-necked and brown jacketed doll?
I'm wondering
if one gets the pins included, or are they purchased separately?
Replacement
A Steve Balmer doll trampling a city; shake it and it screams 'developers! developers! developers!'
I'd prefer
the USB connected Steve Balmer with patented chair flinging action. It'd beat the pants off those wimpy missile lauchers.
So go and bang them out in another State
where they don't have this law.
Then give a derogatory name which Jobs will never claim is him.
RE: JaitcH
Like Steve Jobless? A scraggly haired man sitting next to a dustbin?
Steve Job? A doll giving certain favours for cash in back alleys?
rename it steve mobbs.....
i am sure fox wil licence the figure for less money than its going to cost to pay off apple, then rename the figure. Steve Mobbs, holding a mypod,,, from the Mapple store....
see the simpsons episode "mypods and broomsticks for more details....
He's only mad at the size of the head.
His is way bigger than that.
May I respectfully suggest this
Reasonably unsafe for work in a politically correct enviroment.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:3-strap_harness_with_orange_dildo_01.jpg
Which could equally apply to the dickhead who appears in the banner advert. Can imagine the meeting between Mr Jobs and him quite graphically, and can also imagine the fight as to who is going to be the "wife".
Nope...
Steve was just pissed that his likeness was holding the phone with his LEFT hand.
Apple logo
The thing that the doll is standing on is not copyright, since it it not an Apple logo. Check the Apple logo first. Also you can not copyright a 3 dimensional object, which that is - ask Coca-Cola (tried to trademark the bottle shape)
Art
The solution is to sell this in kit form. Art materials for construction of male sculpture.
If the person uses these parts and their creative talents to create Steve Jobs then so long as they don't sell it all is good.
@Apple logo #
Dude... its the Apple logo. By your argument anyone that did a 3D extrude of a company / product logo would avoid copyright infringement. That would mean that if I to make a 3 millimeter thick badge of say.... uhm... IBM's logo, I wouldn’t be infringing.
Your argument is plainly stupid without going into a debate how it differs to the Coke bottle.
Now go straight to bed without dinner and think about how silly you are......
Apple throws a wobbly over Steve Jobs dolly
a harmless bit of fun, surely!
imitation is supposed to be flattering i thought
I suggest ...
... a line of Reg Hack dolls, suitably mounted on a Vulture logo :P
And Jobs need to get a grip on reality (again), he's been using his reality-distortion field a bit too much lately ...
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