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By Chris Chang, posted Nov 23, 2010 at 11:32 AM, 27,000 views,

The End of Apple CEO Action Figure

A few hours ago, we have just received an email from a law firm representing Apple.Inc. Apple has informed us that this phenomenal SJ action figure, has not consented to the use of Apple’s copyrights and trademarks, therefore they request us immediately to cease the marketing and sale of this figure. Here’s what the email has told us:

“Unauthorized use of a person’s name and/or likeness constitutes a violation of California Civil Code Section 3344, which prohibits the use of any person’s name, photograph or likeness in a product without that person’s prior consent…” bla bla bla…

So, all Apple fanboys, you are not going to get this phenomenal figure anymore. M.I.C gadget hereby apologizes to Steve Jobs, Apple.Inc, and their law firm for any inconvenience caused. For those of you who have successfully ordered this collection item, we will contact you.

P.S. Steve, can we apply for some trademark license to produce this phenomenal figure for all your Apple fans? A wild thought, maybe Apple can bundle this figure with an iPhone 4 purchase…

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TAGS: China Tech, FEATURES, , , , , , ,
  • http://twitter.com/obamapacman ObamaPacman

    Sorry to hear that. How about calling it the Stephen Jobb mApple action figure? There are some copyright exceptions for comedy, maybe look into that?

  • http://en-gb.facebook.com/people/Rafael-Munoz/579204129 Rafael Munoz

    If you apply for the trademark license, I would totally get one :D
    Keep us posted!

    • Anonymous

      If this is related to apple, i think the figure will be selling at $299 instead, and steve jobs wont like to have a big head for this !

  • http://glenn.eu Glenn.eu

    I’m sure the first 200 sold figures got send out before this legal notice :)

    • Anonymous

      those who able to get this figure will enjoy their christmas this year !

  • http://loveapple.no/ Lasse Olsen

    Apple needs to get some action figures just like these. They where awesome and im so jelaus i didnt get one

  • http://www.penguinsix.com/ penguinsix

    Umm, since when were you based in California and subject to California law? You need to read the “legal threats” section of the Pirate Bay to get an idea how to respond…

    • Anonymous

      is California law apply to China ?

      • http://www.facebook.com/people/Jeremy-Washington/100000190010519 Jeremy Washington

        no

  • Anonymous

    Really wanted one for xmas to bad those guys took it off

    • Anonymous

      lot of people really want this for christmas gift … but apple want u to buy their product instead …

  • Anonymous

    Quelle idée de vouloir interdire cette figurine qui est un hommage à une personne qui aura marqué l’histoire de l’informatique. Pourquoi décevoir des centaines d’admirateurs ?

  • http://twitter.com/hafna Dominik Hafner

    Damn it! Wanted that figure so bad…

  • Anonymous

    Can you make a petition for asking a autorisation to Steve Jobs ?

    • Anonymous

      forget it … steve jobs and apple wont care abt producing a toy figure …

      • Anonymous

        That sucks. Apple is being a party pooper. WE WANT THE iSTEVE. WE WANT THE iSTEVE. …

  • Anonymous

    Those who successfully ordered from the 300 sets will they get it ??

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_GRB7XK4N73IFI4N64U2XTP6ATA TheLip

    could you just get it made in China so it can be sold on the net.

  • http://twitter.com/SpikeHK SpikeHK

    So what happens to existing orders? Do they still get shipped? I don’t see anything about you issuing refunds.

    • Anonymous

      editor note : we were also reply u asap … sorry for any late reply …

  • http://twitter.com/Milhooz Julien KRIVACSY

    I ordered one and I did not get any message from you about the status of my order, will I get it ? will I get refunded or what ?

    I believe the first thing to do for a fair store is to inform people about their order status, and not to ask us, in a post on their blog, to contact them, you should contact buyers, not the other way.

    • Anonymous

      editor note : we were reply u asap … sorry for the inconvenient …

      • http://twitter.com/Milhooz Julien KRIVACSY

        Thank you very much for your update.

  • http://twitter.com/kaarlows Carlos Alberto Santos

    California law doesn’t apply to your country. Actually, it doesn’t apply to any country. It only concerns to the people of the United States, so you should continue selling it.
    The only thing is that you couldn’t commercialize it at the US. Simple as that.

  • Anonymous

    Wow, OK now thats what I am talking about.

    http://www.privacy-web.edu.tc

  • Anonymous

    Shame on Apple!

    But bring on the Larry Ellison figure, and make it durable enough to withstand people throwing it against the wall…he is a NASTY BASTARD!

    • Anonymous

      will any people buy the Oracle CEO action figure !?!?

      • Anonymous

        I would!

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_WDUEKBLICXD3F3K6MSVO7G7YWM Johnson

    You know what “Violation of Califonia code” is an American law, if you are in China, this don’t applied. You should write back with sincere apology and then politely say we will sell to the rest of the world.

    • Anonymous

      sell to the rest of the world exclude US !?!?!

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_WDUEKBLICXD3F3K6MSVO7G7YWM Johnson

    You know what “Violation of Califonia code” is an American law, if you are in China, this don’t applied. You should write back with sincere apology and then politely say we will sell to the rest of the world.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_WDUEKBLICXD3F3K6MSVO7G7YWM Johnson

    You know what “Violation of Califonia code” is an American law, if you are in China, this don’t applied. You should write back with sincere apology and then politely say we will sell to the rest of the world.

  • http://twitter.com/TLPhoto Marcus

    I agree – just sell it outside the US and call it Dave Smith instead of iSteve!

  • Anonymous

    What if you find someone that looks like an action figure you want to sell, give him $500 or so for rights to use his likeness, and say it’s based on him? Call it something like Fruity Person :p

  • http://twitter.com/Johntheone John Goundry ✔

    Whats the actually firm called that made the figure? I’d love to get into this kind of work.

  • AaronD12

    Isn’t there some sort of legal statute for reproducing public figures? Doesn’t this essentially put their likeness into the public domain? Now the Apple logo he’s standing on, and the likeness of the iPhone… that wouldn’t apply to either of those.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_ELG6SYABZCKJPJ6VXFWVB6K4M4 Tomi

    I WANT ONE! I don’t reside in the US, so that silly Cali law doesn’t apply to me!

    • http://twitter.com/Bedshed Andy poulton

      Well it looks like one’s on eBay! not sure I can afford the asking price though!

  • Anonymous

    I say redo the stand to a six-pointed star or circle (use of the Apple logo is a clear copyright violation), put a removable yarmulke on his head and rebrand it as the Jewish action figure.

  • http://twitter.com/00jsebastian Joe Sebastian

    Please remind Apple’s lawyers that, in America, the First Amendment protects satire as a form of free speech.

    The US Supreme Court has upheld the rule in many cases, including where the satirical item was a commercial product making fair use of a copyrighted work.
    (1) Hustler Magazine, Inc. et al. v. Jerry Falwell : Public figures and public officials could not recover damages for the tort of intentional infliction of emotional distress
    (2) Campbell v. Acuff-Rose Music, Inc. : A commercial parody may be a “fair use” in accordance with Section 107 of the Copyright Act, as a defense against an accusation of copyright infringement.

    http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/speech/arts/topic.aspx?topic=parody_satire

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