Psion Teklogix

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Psion Teklogix
Type Subsidiary
Industry Technology, Computers, RFID, WiFi, Mobile Devices, Wireless LAN, Bluetooth, Data Capture
Predecessor(s) Psion, Teklogix
Founded 1967, 1980, 2000
Headquarters Mississauga, Canada
Key people David Potter, (Chairman)
John Conoley (CEO)
Products NEO, Ikôn, Workabout PRO, 7530, 7535
Revenue £199.7 million (2007)
Operating income £9.5 million (2007)
Net income £7.0 million (2007)
Employees 1,229 (2007)
Website www.psionteklogix.com


Psion Teklogix Inc. is the operational business of Psion, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Psion Teklogix is a global provider of solutions for mobile computing and wireless data collection. Psion Teklogix' products and services include rugged mobile hardware, secure wireless networks, software, professional services and support programs.

Psion Teklogix was formed in September 2000 as a result of the merger between U.K.-based Psion Enterprise division of Psion PLC, and Canadian-based Teklogix Inc.
Psion Teklogix is headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada with additional corporate offices located in Europe, the United States, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.
Psion Teklogix is an ISO 9001:2000 registered company, and holds a certificate of registration from the British Standards Institution.

History

Teklogix was created in 1967 by Rod Coutts, a 1964 bachelor of applied science in electrical engineering,[1] together with a small group of young Canadian engineers. The company grew to specialize in empowering mobile workers with wireless data transmission and real-time data management within the logistics industry.

The Psion Group, founded in 1980 by David Potter, is widely credited with having created the world's first volume produced PDA with the launch of the Psion Organiser in 1984. Generally recognized as the world's first practical pocket computer, the Organiser helped evolve Psion into a major technology player.

In 2000 Psion acquired Teklogix in Canada for £240 million, and merged its business-to-business division, Psion Enterprise, with the newly acquired company. Teklogix was re-branded Psion Teklogix. This division now forms the core of Psion Plc's business.[2]

In 2002 Psion Teklogix created a new division called Psion Software. This business developed push email solutions for Symbian smartphones, Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Notes. This business was sold to Visto (USA) in 2003.

In 2004, Psion Teklogix announced its intention to dispose of the company's remaining Symbian shareholding to Nokia, as they no longer regarded it as a core part of their strategy.[3]
Having closed or disposed of all its previous operations, Psion today comprises one operating division, Psion Teklogix.

Psion Teklogix and Linux

Psion PLC had a lengthy, but distant, interest in Linux as an operating system on its electronic devices. In 1998, it supported the Linux7K project that had been initiated by Ed Bailey at Red Hat, which was to port Linux to its Series 5 personal computer.[4][5][6] The project was named after the Cirrus Logic PS-7110 chip of the Series 5. Although this project was one of the earliest attempts to port Linux to a handheld computer,[7] it did not come to fruition for Psion. The project soon transitioned to an informal open source project at Calcaria.net, that kept the name Linux7K. After the project transitioned again to sourceforge.net, the project's name was changed to a more general name "PsiLinux", and more recently to "OpenPsion".[8] The project has developed Linux kernels and filesystems for the Revo, Series 5 and 5MX, and Series 7 and netBook.

In 2003–4, Psion Teklogix and its founder David Potter expressed interest in Linux as the operating system for its devices as it divested from Symbian.[9][10][11] However, the only result of that interest was Linux as the operating system on a limited number of custom NetBook Pros designed for a hospital setting.[12]

Psion Teklogix and the term Netbook

Psion registered the trademark NETBOOK in various territories, including European Union Community Trade Mark 000428250 and U.S. Trademark 75,215,401, which was applied for on 18 December 1996 and registered by USPTO on 21 November 2000. They used this trademark[13] for the Psion netBook product (discontinued in November 2003[14]) and more recently the NETBOOK PRO, from October 2003 onwards.[15]

Intel began the use of the term netbook in March 2008 as a generic term to describe "small laptops that are designed for wireless communication and access to the Internet", believing they were "not offering a branded line of computers here" and "see no naming conflict".[16]

In response to the growing use of this term, on 23 December 2008 Psion Teklogix sent cease and desist letters[17] to various parties including enthusiast website(s) demanding they no longer use the term "netbook".[18][19]

In early 2009 Intel sued Psion Teklogix (US & Canada) and Psion (UK) in the Federal Court, seeking a cancellation of the trademark and an order enjoining Psion from asserting any trademark rights in the term "netbook", a declarative judgement regarding their use of the term, attorneys' fees, costs and disbursements and "such other and further relief as the Court deems just and proper".[20][21] The suit was settled out of court, and on June 2, 2009 Psion announced that the company was withdrawing all of its trademark registrations for the term "Netbook" and that Psion agreed to "waive all its rights against third parties in respect of past, current or future use" of the term.[22]

Similar marks have been recently rejected by the USPTO citing a "likelihood of confusion" under section 2(d), including 'G NETBOOK' (U.S. Trademark 77,527,311 rejected 31 October 2008), MSI's 'WIND NETBOOK' (U.S. Trademark 77,580,272) and Coby Electronics' 'COBY NETBOOK' (U.S. Trademark 77,590,174 rejected 13 January 2009)

References

  1. ↑ News release, University of Waterloo .
  2. ↑ "Psion buys Teklogix". BBC News. 2000-07-12. Retrieved 2008-12-27. 
  3. ↑ Litchfield, Steve (1998: updated 2005). "The History of Psion". Palmtop Magazine. Retrieved 2008-12-27. 
  4. ↑ Jones, Marc Ambasna (May 11, 1999). "Opinion: Mobile Linux for Bluetooth - spanner for Microsoft?". ZDNet (ZDNet UK). Retrieved 2007-06-17. 
  5. ↑ Jones, Marc Ambasna (April 23, 1999). "Mobile Linux for Psion pressures Win CE". ZDNet (ZDNet UK). Retrieved 2007-06-17. 
  6. ↑ Almesberger, Werner (1999). "Linux in the pocket - The Linux-7k project". Linux Symposium, Ottawa (abstract). Retrieved 2007-06-17. 
  7. ↑ Maddox, Paul (May 4, 2000). "Linux for handhelds: fact or fiction?". Linux Today Wireless Developer Network. Retrieved 2007-06-17. 
  8. ↑ OpenPsion, SourceForge .
  9. ↑ Kewney, Guy (February 9, 2004). "Psion looks past Windows to Linux as Nokia buys Symbian". newswireless.net (newswireless.net). Retrieved 2007-06-17. 
  10. ↑ Partridge, Chris (July 8, 2003). "Psion prepares the way for the one true OS". vunet.com. Retrieved 2007-06-17. 
  11. ↑ Kewney, Guy (February 2004). "What Will Become the Next Scion of Psion?". eWeek (Ziff Davis Media Inc). Archived from the original on 2007-11-26. Retrieved 2007-06-17. 
  12. ↑ Glover, Tony (May 23, 2004). "NHS deal with Psion heralds move away from Windows". The Business Online. Archived from the original on 2004-06-06. Retrieved 2007-06-17. 
  13. ↑ Psion netbook news release
  14. ↑ Psion Discontinued Products
  15. ↑ NETBOOK PRO announcement
  16. ↑ Paul Bergevin - VP and GM of Intel’s Global Communication Group
  17. ↑ Psion Cease and Desist Letter
  18. ↑ jkOnTheRun
  19. ↑ Psion threatens netbook sites over trademarks
  20. ↑ Complaint for Injunctive Relief, Declaratory Judgment & Cancellation of Federal Trademark
  21. ↑ Intel Wants 'Netbook' Trademark Canceled
  22. ↑ Psion, Intel settle 'Netbook' trademark dispute

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