While we lauded the Asus Transformer Prime tablet in our buying guide, the folks at Hasbro are not feeling the love. If you’re a Transformers fan, then you likely know that the suffix Prime has a bit of history with the brand. Honestly, I was a bit surprised they didn’t got after LG for the Optimus. This is a much, much stronger case than that though. While “transformer” is a generic term, “Transformers Prime” is Hasbro’s trademarked title for the most recent revision of their iconic toy line and TV show. Transformers Prime is also the flagship of their new Hub TV network.
Despite what internet memes want you to think, this is not the flagship.
With the only difference being that the cartoon is in plural form, I think Hasbro actually has an outright duty to defend their trademark. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to find something to do to get the theme song to the original cartoon out of my head.
“Despite what internet memes want you to think, this is not the flagship.”
Pffffftttt, that’s what Hasbro wants to think.
Also Asus, how do you so epically fail? Maybe I’ve just overestimating a large computer manufacturer’s resources but isn’t this something the legal department is supposed to check first? :-
Then again we all know how TIME-WARNER COMMUNICATIONS completely bungled the movie rights to Watchmen.
So, if Hasbro has licensed their show name to Lenovo, I’d think it would come down to who moved on THAT first–Asus, or Lenovo.