Meizu CeBIT booth shut down by German authorities

Remember how the folks at the Meizu booth swore up and down that the M8 Mini One wasn't that similar to the iPhone? Well apparently the Hanover police think otherwise. According to a report, the booth (shown above in its vacated state) was shut down by cops for piracy during CeBIT and passersby were told that, "The venue is closed until further notice." It appears that after stopping down the M8 show, cops proceeded to confiscate equipment and literature associated with the painfully obvious knock-off, and will be making a more detailed statement on Thursday in regards to the action. Meizu, it might be time to get yourself a makeover... and a good attorney.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in; Image courtesy Heise Online]

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 5th 2008 10:19AM]

WTF?

Just because they made an iPhone that does everything people expect from a mobile phone?

This is the first time I've heard of "Piracy" raids at a tech expo...methinks the Hannover police either really wanted some alone time with the M8 or they're Apple's hired muscle.

More likely the latter!

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 5th 2008 10:40AM]

Get a grip.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 5th 2008 10:39AM]

Stupid companies, stupid knock-offs. Talk about lacking creativity of their own. Just look at the booth. Looks like an iPhone back there for sure. Someone should take this crap company and sent it out in space.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 5th 2008 11:51AM]

According to forum posts by Meizu CEO Jack Wong, and contrary to what's in everybody's mind, the raid was initiated by Sisvel due to the lack of a Sisvel (patent holder of MP3 format) license. He also said that the booth will be open again at 4 PM.

[Sepirioth Posted Mar 5th 2008 12:33PM]

And if you put a tooth under your pillow a tooth ferry will leave you a Benjamin.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 5th 2008 2:12PM]

*LOL* Hey, I'm just quoting Meizu's biggest guy. :)

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 5th 2008 12:48PM]

EPIC FAIL. Part 2.

[Justin Ried Posted Mar 5th 2008 3:07PM]

What a crappy photo... must've been taken with an M8.

[keithwwalker Posted Mar 5th 2008 3:26PM]

LOLZ!
Germans don't mess around with infringement. There was a Chinese car recently introduced that was a BMW clone. It brought out the bad side of the Germans. You don't want to bring out the German's bad side...
http://www.egmcartech.com/2007/08/27/bmw-threatens-action-against-chinese-copy-of-x5/

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 6th 2008 9:16AM]

Thanks for the link. The resemblance is uncanny. I don't know what's with the Chinese imitating everything. Obviously, it's a different culture. Here in the U.S., people wouldn't buy a car that looks like a BMW and has a different logo, because, after all, the BMW logo is one of the main reasons they're getting one in the first place.