Yellow multimeters now illegal in U.S. Link goes to slashdot more links in story.
Sigh
wow that is rediculous. Wha it next to be denied access, all flashlights that have the name “fire” in them ? (Surfire) or and anything else that is black in color.
Well, sounds like they did just as all the other Chinese companies do: try to make something that looks the same but much cheaper. It was a copied color scheme not just yellow, and who knows maybe they copied the look of the meter too. Its not very likely they “accidentally” stumbled upon the same color scheme as one of the leaders in the market.
But it does seem like they should be allowed to just change the plastic jacket or color them somehow, not destroy them.
Makes me uneasy about my Fluke… :~
Well, Telekom has a trademark on magenta, others cant use it..
Same for Milka, Nivea, Fiskars.. why not Fluke. ;)
That’s so greedy and arrogant from Fluke… wow…
Penalties must offer deterrent, destruction is the only option IMO. China doesnt care about copyright, the US and western nations do. So the US has to set a standard, a known penalty to deter people importing what the Chinese dont care about. You will lose your merchandise, not simply get the chance to correct it. Its almost no risk to them to try if its returned to them. Destruction makes companies in the US think twice before importing fakes. Essentially, the US is doing what it takes to make sure its laws are not dictated by the Chinese lax attitude to copyright. Saying yellow MMs are not allowed is a tad disingenuous.
Seems right to me.
Wow, kinda makes the little guy mad? I could say so much. But, wise for me not to get into politics. I can get carried away.
I guess the storm troopers won’t be coming to my house to confiscate my real Fluke DMM’s. Two of them are yellow and one is gray.
I really don’t have a problem with more ‘copy cat’ products being stopped at the border. Copyright, Trademark and Patent violations are rampant in other countries (not just China) and if I owned one of the companies being regularly ripped off I would want something done about it too. Just saying. 
The DMM i bought from BG fits the description and cost. Lucky i only imported one item.
Australia is prohibited from producing champagne. Wine growers can only make Sparkling Wine.
The reason I have a problem with this is silly patents.
A DMM with yellow borders? A phone with rounded corners?
Whats next, a car with round steering wheels?
I wonder about this, there must have existed other yellow DMM's before Fluke got that protection.
But it is probably way to expensive to fight Fluke about it.
I think its more likely its something more than simply ‘yellow’. If it was simply a yellow DMM, the business whose products have been detained should fight to have the stuff returned. Of course they shouldnt have to fight to keep their stuff if that is the case, but I doubt that is all there is to it.
http://www.amazon.com/Supco-DM10T-Economy-Multimeter-Temperature/dp/B001VCMGDU/
I could keep going, but looking at 48 of 11,142 results is enough for me.
As much as I love my Fluke 87, it does make me a bit upset that they would have such a generic trademark. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t appreciate when Chinese manufacturers blatantly rip off a high end product and call it their own, but I certainly do appreciate having lower cost alternatives that are being sold to people who can’t afford a $300 meter anyways.
Patent and copyright laws seem like such a wonderful thing to have as in inventor, but the people that enforce them sure are dumb!
Just like flashlights or soldering irons, a lot of the ‘branded’ DMM’s are made at the same fab as the generic or tribute meters. Different components? Likely.
But ultimately, IMHO, Fluke would be catering to an entirely different clientèle. They would not be competing for the same buyer. It’s like Aston Martin suing Trabant.
Fluke actually comes out of this with a Pyhrric Victory. It picked a fight with a weaker, but feisty competitor and appears to have won. However, when this tempest in a teapot makes the front page of Ars Technica, the stronger party comes across as petty. I doubt it will drive customers to or from either brand. Perhaps, Fluke, a thoughtfully worded letter to the offending party would have been the more appropriate step, saying 1) Here is what we claim you did and 2) Please don’t do it again with this color.
I found Chrysler’s decision in early March to crush 94 historic Vipers to resolve a lawsuit a more entertaining read.
The trademark patent was applied for in 2000. I remember Flukes used to be dark grey with a thick yellow rubber bumper. At that time there were several yellow meters available, however, the patent is a bit more specific than just yellow. I understand the need to protect intellectual property, but I think this just makes Fluke look bad.
I understand why people would be upset with Fluke, but the anger should really be directed towards US trademark law and application.
Neither patents nor Fluke nor customs are the problem. The real problem are the greedy lobbyist attorneys and lawyers…