Mac clone maker to open storefront in LA
updated 02:00 pm EDT, Fri May 29, 2009
Clone maker to open store
A company from California, Quo, has outlined plans to sell Mac clones from a Los Angeles storefront, according to CNET News. The brick-and-mortar location sets the operation apart from other clone makers that rely solely on sales from the Internet. The owners are reportedly aware of the potential legal troubles their endeavor is likely to bring.
"It's exciting. We are trying to stay as close to Apple as we can with our products," said Rashantha De Silva, founder of Quo. "We are trying to mimic things as much as we can. I'm hoping that Apple sees the value in what we are doing."
Although De Silva aims to be different from other clone makers, the company is essentially running the same type of business that Apple's lawyers have been known to target. The systems will be sold with Mac OS X preinstalled, in violation of the end-user license agreement (EULA) that forbids the software from being run on equipment not produced by Apple.
"They probably will (sue us)," De Silva admitted. "There are others doing this, but we have a different attitude." The founder claims that a focus on quality products and support could give Quo a better chance of surviving.
Apple is currently involved in an ongoing battle with Psystar, a Florida-based clone maker that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection earlier this month. Apple accuses the company of violating the EULA terms and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), although Psystar filed a countersuit claiming anticompetitive business practices and an excessively broad interpretation of the copyrights.
RussianMac, a clone maker based in Russia, is confident that it will avoid legal trouble. The company only sells systems within Russia and could be relying on protection from its home country as long as it does not ship to other markets.
A German company, HyperMegaNet, claims it is shielded from potential lawsuits. German law allegedly prohibits the copyright restrictions from being imposed after the sale, a technicality that could serve as the basis for legal defense.
Quo plans on having its website and store open on June 1st. Three desktop systems, the Life Q, Pro Q, and Max Q, will be available initially.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001
suckers for punishment
You have got to be kidding me " I'm hoping that Apple sees the value in what we are doing." Just package that w**** of an OS Windows, she'll work on any crappy piece of hardware.