Mobile/PDA About Us Advertise here


		User name	Password

		Not registered yet? Register here. Lost your password? Click here.

Browse by topic

News

Hyundai IT booth raided at IFA event

1 September 2008 18:23 by Andre "DVDBack23" Yoskowitz | 11 comments

An extraordinary event occurred today at the IFA event in Berlin when German customs police raided and seized flat-screen televisions from the booth of Hyundai IT Corp.

On Thursday a German court ruled that Hyundai and other Asia-based companies were using and marketing unlicensed patented technology at the annual event. The court then authorized 69 raids.

"Hyundai had the chance today to show us that it had paid for the licenses -- then we would have gone. But that was not the case. They could not prove they had paid so we took the devices away," said spokesman Norbert Scheidhauer of Berlin's customs investigation office.

The raid occurred during the event in front of visitors and the booth was left with nothing but wires and cables hanging.

Scheidhauer would not name the other companies that are to be raided but did say that 170 televisions, 140 MP3 music players, 21 mobile phones and 57 DVD recorders had already been seized since the IFA event began on August 29th.

"This year is the biggest operation that customs investigators have had to carry out," he added.

Hyundai has not commented on the raid yet but Scheidhauer added that they could challenge the seizures in a German court.

Permalink to this article

Universal tracks going DRM-free on Saturn (1 September 2008)

Sony sued over Blu-ray patents, again (30 August 2008)

Panasonic bringing Blu-ray burners to European markets (30 August 2008)

Immersion to pay Microsoft over controller dispute (27 August 2008)

Philips shows off 3D on Blu-ray (27 August 2008)

Quanta and LG settle over DVD-rom patents (27 August 2008)

Nintendo sued over Wii-mote patents (21 August 2008)

« Previous news article
Wii and DS sales push Nintendo profit higher

Next news article »
Universal tracks going DRM-free on Saturn

Post your comment

Discuss this article!
rlessmue (Junior Member) 1 September 2008 20:25
*Quote:* Hyundai and other Asia-based companies... So, it looks like Sony, and others might be next?!!! Maybe someone can post a list of with "companies" or "brand-names" are on the "raid" list. Cheers! [ + quote]
banshee07 (Junior Member) 1 September 2008 20:42
*Quote:* *Quote:* Hyundai and other Asia-based companies... So, it looks like Sony, and others might be next?!!! Maybe someone can post a list of with "companies" or "brand-names" are on the "raid" list. Cheers! why is Sony the first thing out of peoples mouths? Sony wasnt even mentioned here. [ + quote]
varnull (Inactive) 1 September 2008 21:01
*Quote:* *Quote:* *Quote:* Hyundai and other Asia-based companies... So, it looks like Sony, and others might be next?!!! Maybe someone can post a list of with "companies" or "brand-names" are on the "raid" list. Cheers! why is Sony the first thing out of peoples mouths? Sony wasnt even mentioned here. What is that do do with anything? Sony are pretty universally hated, and probably behind this in one way or another. Another shining example of how the current patent laws are stifling innovation and progress. I want to know more, especially who is complaining about such things as TV's and MP3 players. I'm going to patent the method of using a biological optical sensing device to look at stuff.. get ready to pay me if you want to use your eyes! We REALLY need reform of the patent system as soon as possible. [ + quote]
mspurloc (Member) 2 September 2008 2:03
Hyundai needs to learn that in a leftist country, you've got to bribe the right people. [ + quote]
windsong (Junior Member) 2 September 2008 2:50
*Originally posted by mspurloc:* Hyundai needs to learn that in a leftist country, you've got to bribe the right people. Agreed. [ + quote]
matt87622 (Junior Member) 2 September 2008 11:15
Hyundai has always been a joke, Now they are not even paying licensing fees. Another reason to avoid there cars. [ + quote]
emugamer (Member) 2 September 2008 11:40
*Originally posted by mspurloc:* Hyundai needs to learn that in a leftist country, you've got to bribe the right people. In a leftist country, you have to bribe the left people :P [ + quote]
rlessmue (Junior Member) 2 September 2008 12:57
Hyundai is a South Korean company. When I was working in South Korea the other year, and saw a lot of "knock-offs" of clothing, electronics and other items. Basicly this doesn't surprise me, or with the other Asian countries I have been to. I've seen it in Korea, Tawian, Japan, China just to name a few. Don't get me wrong...some of the products that come out of these countries are good and are "clean" (paid for licenses). I don't agree with "everyone is guilty until proven innocent" method of law. Cheers! [ + quote]
beanos66 (Junior Member) 2 September 2008 18:16
well... that's the customs officers christmas presents sorted for this year [ + quote]
grkblood (Senior Member) 3 September 2008 9:07
you know you dont have crap going on when this is at the top of your priority list. good to see those tax dollars are being spent well...seriously, they could be doing things that are way more important than this. I would rather them reinvestigate roy jones silver medal than this. Atleast I could see the point in that. [ + quote]
Mez (Senior Member) 8 September 2008 8:38
I am with varnull at least on the Sony issue. I bet Sony was behind this it is the way they do busibness. They were cheaper competition. The patent laws may be OK it is what the lawyers do with the law that is the problem. Companies do exactly what varnull was complaining about. If you have enough money you can beat them in court claiming the patent was not 'real'. Patents have to be a real invention in the USA. That protection is in the patent laws just like fair use is in the copyright laws. The weakness is you need money to fight a suit even if you are in the right. I am sure donations were involved. I really don't know a country where bribes don't work. I am sure the TV companies were just doing business as usual. They got into the market cheaper than if they leased all those licenses before they started. A few years into the project they can either start paying for the licenses or use different technology. [ + quote]