Getting Around Apple's Licensing Problems With The iBox

from the creative-solutions dept

The arguments have gone back and forth over the years as to whether or not Apple should license their designs to other companies to build "Mac clones". Steve Jobs has always been against the idea, and quickly killed Apple's one real experiment into the space when he came back into power there. Now, however, a guy in Minnesota is looking to sidestep Apple's licensing issues in order to produce his own "iBox" - an upgradeable, pizza-box shaped Mac computer. His plan is just to build the boxes using spare parts normally used for repairs, and then having customers buy and load their own Mac OS onto the box. There are still some questions about whether or not this is all legal, but Apple's lawyers (or, perhaps more importantly, Jobs himself) haven't come out with their opinion (and subsequent cease-and-desist letter) yet. Other lawyers, though, seem to think it's going to be a difficult path to take - since he's likely to tread very close (if not directly trample) some trademarks and patents held by other companies.

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