Imitation is the greatest form of flattery, after all.

Personally, I think the third parties - iGear definitely included - just make it a richer, more interesting and diverse hobby. You don't get that with other toy properties, except maybe 1/6th action figure collecting.

I have a feeling the folks at Hasbro and Takara feel the same way.

 

Fixed that for ya.  

 

except they cant..there are a number of threads explaining why hasbro wont and cant go after these guys...short answer they stand to lose a lot of money fighting a legal battle(which they will lose) with a foreign county(ies)..i'll just call out the big dog for the sake of it china..our laws hold no warrent in said foreign country.. they dont and more often will not honor our laws...the same way a country doesnt have to extradite a criminal to america if they flee to a country that doesnt honor our extradiction laws.. the only way hasbro or the US gov can get at these guys is to impose an trade embargo on said country and since china produces 80% of the shit in america it aint gonna happen...u got two options even deal with it or dont support them....they could however crack down on AMERICAN countries that stock them tho...but i dont see it sticking tho...

 

What's with all the Igear hate?

They definitely seem to be going in the right track now with those weapons and the 2 new molds that definitely aren't ratchet and ironhide.

 

Eh, some people are a little sensitive when it comes to figures that are pretty much the exact same molds as Hasbro or Takara has produced in the past. Me personally, I couldn't care less. Some of iGear's other stuff has been pretty not bad IMO.
In the end I guess it all comes down to your own personal interpretation of the word KO/rip off/imitation. Mine is quite liberal so I don't get worked up about it.

 

And the SOPA act is trying to take down anything that infringes on copyrights. America is starting to seem much more like china

 

^ You mean the opposite.

 

Yawn.....in relation to Transformers do you think they have much jurisdiction in China?

Good luck with that  

 

Did you read the article? The stuff they are going after is stuff made in China. No offense but i think some of you underestimate what the government is capable of. If they want something done, they'll get it any way, dirty or not, they can.

Like I said, this isn't starting out as something that will effect 3rd party companies. But you just watch it develope into a weapon Big Corps can use.

 

Made in China. Sold here.

Here is where they can do stuff without starting a war.

Try again next time.

 

I think you may have interpreted some of our comments.

We don't underestimate what the government is capable of. [IF they are that motivated]. But you may have overestimated their willingness to take drastic action.

Yes, you are right. If they want something done, they probably can. But not at a cost where it would benefit the country, and therefore, they won't.

 

  stop watching fox news, it's propaganda that will make you less informed than if you don't watch news at all:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xilvv1kPAjc[/youtube]

Some News Leaves People Knowing Less

The reason Fox has a piece about it is because of this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sE5WlyQRvaM

But to answer your question - could american law enforcers go to a foreign country, maintain their jurisdiction and enforce american law in China in order to shut down Third party companies when the article even tells you that the extent of their ability to do something about it is that of contacting not all domain name hosting companies, but only the American domain name hosting companies and have redirect the domain names of sites that sell knock offs?

the term "when pigs fly" would seem like the apropriate response.

 

I think an important word is being forgot by OP. The gov wants to crackdown on sellers of fake goods. These goods are manufactured in China for example and they cannot go after the manufacturers without risking some backlash. What the government can do is go after the people and stores in this country that sell these goods. So igear who has made complete kos of figures such as faith commander is safe while BBTS could get into trouble for selling the figure.

 

If Hasbro tried to claim ownership of Hercules most judges would laugh in their face me thinks.

It's like saying Bandai owe Takara money as Gundam Heavy Arms or SHSCS Xenon looks like Optimus Prime.

 

I don't feel like arguing about that when you point to polls in videos put up by anti Fox News organizations. That is propaganda. Second, I don't limit myself to Fox News only. I check out all different kinds of news. Third, Fox News has been awarded best news coverage in general time and time again and guess who votes? People who watch and all the news outlets as well. So, I say, quit being so close minded about the entire channel just because they have a few conservative talking heads hosting shows that you don't agree with. Those shows aren't "the news" they are opinion. I am sure you feel the same way about lopsided views from all the liberal talking heads on certain other networks, right? Honestly, tell the truth. Last thing, if you or anyone else depends on the Daily Show for honest, unbiased news coverage, you have bigger problems than hating on Fox News. Jon Stewert himself wiill tell you, and has stated many, many times, the Daily Show is satire and is not to be taken as a serious news outlet. That's why it's on Comedy Central!! Yeah, it is fun to watch but you need to have enough common sense to take it with a grain of salt.

OK, that will be all i will discuss on this topic because it derails the thread.

 

I understand that. But that is where they can put the hurt on them. make it VERY difficult to import the stuff. They will never be able to stop the manufacture of these goods. But, they can stop it from being able to be sold to the US. Then the only way to get it is to pay inflated ebay prices. That will lose customers who don't want to pay that much. So the customer base at that point just got a double whammy. Then they can sanction ebay to stop selling these items and have them removed from auctions available to the US. Think they can't do that? Try buying a toy gun off ebay that looks like a real one. That is the way they will cut the head off the snake. It will never stop all imports but it can hurt the business so bad that companies won't be able to profit and will slowly start closing down. THIS CAN BE DONE, PEOPLE. Don't say I didn't warn ya.

 

I do not see why this is such an issue. Its merely a matter of protecting US IP which is a good thing. Now based on previous posts i think its time for this thread to be closed because it is on the verge of becoming political discussion

 

the government always looks for IDENTICAL RECREATIONS OF OFFICIAL PRODUCTS what this means is theyre not going to look at a big green dumptruck that looks like long haul and confiscate it. what they will do is look for, identify and confiscate EXACT REPLICAS of official (hasbro/takara) products that have been made and are sold in the us. most kids dont have access to online sites that carry the hundred dollar versions of a combiner from 30yrs ago theyll get the generic dollar store ko for a few pennies. that is what the government is concerned with.

my point is dont worry about the 3rd party market. unless we just stop buying their stuff they are not going anywhere.



also if hasbro wanted to make a case they would have to show not just some similiar appearance to a product they made 30 yrs ago ie it would need to be more than "they stole our insect transformer idea" and seeing as i can go to walmart and get transforming insects that are not made by hasbro that would be a weak argument they wouldnt win. also i can go to the kmart near me and purchase a figure that has more than a passing resemblance to movie ratchet.and on that note i went to grand central station in nyc and guess what they had for sale in their train museum? a set of trains that had robot and vehicle modes and they also combined. oh the horror a figure that has a slight and passing resemblance to rail racer oh the humanity 

 

I feel left out by OP now   He didn't address my polite counter post.

 

That's because I agree with you.