Slim PS3 update: mysterious Chinese firm issues a cease and desist... to Engadget

You know, one of these days, someone at one of these big companies is going to get this right. If you send a cease and desist about "leaked" photos of a supposed device, you're basically saying, "Hey guys, those pictures are real." Now, we can't tell you with 100 percent assurance that that's the case when it comes to those factory pics of rubber-gloved hands all over an apparently-new PS3 hardware design, but it doesn't help anyone's case when a Chinese company sends your Japanese wing a takedown notice. Keep in mind, since this thing isn't from Sony, we can't really be sure that it's the real deal, but we'll be honest -- things are starting to look mighty suspicious. Text of one of the charming messages after the break. We'll pause for comment now.

Gallery: Wild and slim PS3 redesign caught on camera?

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Dear Sir,

We just find that the following web pages on your website contain some
confidential document and photos, which were highly possibly illegally
released and posted:

(redacted)

We are investigating this violation and will bring all necessary legal
actions regarding this matter. In order to protect the confidential
information and prevent you from further legal issues and
infringements, please immediately remove those pages and keep our
request confidential. If you have any question regarding this issue,
please feel free to contact us.

Your cooperation is deeply appreciated.

Best regards

[dtwhite @ May 18th 2009 3:21PM]

Who other than Sony would issue such a letter, unless it was a prank?

[Alex @ May 18th 2009 3:22PM]

Conspiracy theory?

[alex @ May 18th 2009 3:25PM]

I'm betting it's a Chinese company/factory that's counterfeiting PS3s and is feeling nervous about all this coverage...."Keep our request confidential..." haha. If these pics were legit, Sony would either give a no comment or would be the authors of this letter.

[basroil @ May 18th 2009 3:27PM]

This thing isn't even in legal language, either a hoax in itself or we have a case of a KIRF wanting privacy when they rip off someone.

[kjb434 @ May 18th 2009 3:30PM]

Sony most likely isn't involved in the manufacturing of the device and probably subs it out. This letter is probably the Chinese manufacturer covering its ass so it doesn't get in trouble with Sony for pictures getting out.

[Kamokazi @ May 18th 2009 3:54PM]

@alex

There's also a good posibility that it's the company that makes the boxes, who is very likely to be a separate entity. They could be worried about losing their contract for having an employee leak the pics.

[Quantumphysics @ May 18th 2009 4:17PM]

I'd much rather the slim PS3 to that monstrous atrocity they released, sans games, years ago.

Slim is much nicer.

[Schweppes @ May 18th 2009 4:29PM]

AHAHAHA!!!!

Cina is getting peeved about IP theft...

AHAHAH I'll call you on your HiPhone to talk about it...

STFU AHHAAH

NUBS!!!

[Papa Midnight @ May 18th 2009 4:34PM]

It's not even the right font, lol. No, 99.999% chance of this being fake. Probably some fake console. Hell, it probably even comes loaded with 27 of your favorite games including Pitfall! and Super Mario!

[Vidikron @ May 18th 2009 4:50PM]

"It's not even the right font, lol."

But isn't that almost too obvious? Everytime I think that is indeed a dead giveaway I end up questioning myself. For example, if this really is a fake, why would they have the balls to use Sony's name, all their official PS logos, PSN logo, the Blu-Ray logo, etc... but then use a different font? Even the pink and green coverings in the background of the pictures match the setting of the actual PS3 assembly plant. It just almost seems too convenient that the font is wrong despite all the other details being correct.

[AndrewNoNumbers @ May 18th 2009 5:11PM]

No idiots, didn't you notice Sony changed its PS1 logo too when it was slimmed?

[dtwhite @ May 18th 2009 5:14PM]

I think that this would be an awful lot of trouble for a company to go through to make a fake, especially since the whole reason companies make fakes is because they don't have the money to design their own stuff. Designing and fabricating a brand new enclosure isn't as easy as it seems.

[Lars @ May 18th 2009 8:05PM]

kjb434 is the most intelligent poster in this thread.

Most likely this is a manufacturing or packaging firm contracted by Sony. Sony can sue their ass big time for this leakage, so they're trying to recover. Kind of a douche move on Engadget's part, but I also understand that once info hits the internet, it's public... there's no going back.

[vdex34 @ May 18th 2009 10:03PM]

Legal issues with a Chinese company may not bother Engadget, but if Sony gets involved...BANZAI TOTSUGEKI!!! バンザイ突撃

[solmar @ May 19th 2009 8:36AM]

Yep, a combination of the replies. Sony doesn't make much of its own stuff anymore... maybe *assemble* it, but not make it. So, some things that make this pretty much believable:
1. The font thing really isn't much of an issue, since the rest is correct. It's a new design, so why not a new font? The box looks legit enough with the rest of the appropriate logos and a design that looks like Sony could have done it, instead of a cheesy Chinese hack job, with tons of spelling/gramatical errors (and Chinese letters). None of the telltale signs of Chinese incompetence are on the box.
2. Chinese counterfeiters tend to copy or make things worse, not improve on a design. With things like a slot loading disc drive and usb ports, it's highly unlikely that this is a copy.
3. The backdrops look believable... if it were really a counterfeiter's factory, I doubt that they would use this many safety precautions.
4. The use of so many copy obviously copyrighted logos isn't what Chinese do, not on retail box art. One likeliness is risky, let alone three or four.
And it's about time Sony did a revamp of the huge/fugly PS3. They did it with the PS2 and PS1 (and somewhat with the PSP), so it's to be expected.

[OneLove @ May 19th 2009 10:26AM]

cease and desist or we will replicate you! www.enggadget.com

[Papa Midnight @ May 19th 2009 9:15PM]

Andrew: Didn't you notice the PS2 didn't?

[Jim @ May 18th 2009 3:21PM]

FIRST amendment rights.

[hal laugh at youz @ May 18th 2009 3:23PM]

HAHAHAHAHA Oh how I love it when they dont quite make it.

[yuj @ May 18th 2009 4:03PM]

The First Amendment Rights that you are referring to only apply in the United States. From what I read, this is China/Japan we're talking here.

[DrXym @ May 18th 2009 4:05PM]

The 1st amendment doesn't apply in Japan. Besides, it may well be that Japan has laws to cover trade secrets that they feel they can use to threaten sites over there if they have to.

Can't say I would be happy AT ALL if I were this Chinese OEM, or Sony. But at the same time the pics are fascinating and really most right minded people would have suspected Sony of producing a slim anyway.

[Duke @ May 18th 2009 4:27PM]

Damn I love it when people scream "FIRST amendment rights". Maybe you should read some law on it before you preach it.

The best is people crying about posts on websites and how it infringes on their rights for Engadget to delete them. People should do more legal research on issues instead of just reading a bumper sticker here and there.

[Papa Midnight @ May 18th 2009 4:32PM]

Note the part where it said CHINESE company. Not AMERICAN company. See the difference there? No? Google.

[Rocky @ May 18th 2009 4:52PM]

Unless I missed something, AOL is an American company and is governed by American laws. First amendment is relevant. I can see you saying "omgz china" if AOL was in China, but just cause a Chinese company doesn't like something an American company is doing doesn't mean they can apply Chinese law to them.

[Phil @ May 19th 2009 10:06AM]

@ Rocky - You're wrong my brother. Perfect example of an American company being sued by an International entity, is the EU suing Microsoft, for a hefty 1.35 billion fine. So do you think that no other country has it's own versions of copywrite law, or amendment rights regarding free speech and fair use?

Of course Sony wouldn't come after Engadget or any of the other web sites that published the pics, only unless there was some foul play involved. But more than likely Sony will hold the company that is producing the materials liable for any forseeable damages (that's IF this story isn't a hoax).

[Paul @ May 19th 2009 11:47AM]

what a tool

[kontaxis @ May 18th 2009 3:22PM]

Well that's good news. This PS3 Slim looks sick. Hopefully other goodies besides a new design come as well.

[Massmass @ May 18th 2009 4:57PM]

Sick in a bad way, yes. I would still choose this over the original, though. Just because it really is quite slim.

[pete @ May 18th 2009 3:22PM]

wtf?

[Alex @ May 18th 2009 3:22PM]

Well aren't you badass, Engadget!

[primetime4 @ May 18th 2009 3:22PM]

Do they know who they're messing with?

[Aguiluz @ May 18th 2009 3:29PM]

Apparently, they don't.

Engadget is powerful. Engadget pwned T-mobile. Engadget will do it again.

[Andrew @ May 18th 2009 3:34PM]

engadget owned monster cables too when their review summary was on their site

[xtn @ May 18th 2009 3:46PM]

engadget pwned and used Monster's own cables to strangle it

[Daniel @ May 18th 2009 7:21PM]

Engadget is the Chuck Norris of blogs.

[nick @ May 18th 2009 8:48PM]

Engadget is the most interesting blog in the world. They once punched a magician- you heard me.

[Josiah @ May 18th 2009 3:22PM]

:O

[htowngator @ May 18th 2009 3:23PM]

LMAO @ china asking people to cease and desist

that place is the den of copyright infringement and stealing

[wako @ May 18th 2009 3:27PM]

hey, careful what you say now. you say it like its a bad thing :)

[Kei @ May 19th 2009 1:57AM]

That's because all Chinese are the same right? No Chinese company (or person) deserves to uphold their rights because there are other companies in the same country that dont have morals.

*sighs at ignorance*

[htowngator @ May 19th 2009 9:56AM]

@Kei

China is where almost all of the copies of technology come from all the way down to rebranding memory and selling it as counterfeit. Some companies might be good, but don't be stupid and assume that China is good except for a few bad apples. It is much more the other way around. There will always be exceptions so it's moot to say "well, some are good".

[Robin Jacobs @ May 20th 2009 9:34AM]

It´s no surprise that most counterfeit are made in China as almost of all originals are made in China as well.. Did you look at the labels of your iPod, netbook, Roomba or any other recent electronic gadget?

Q: Why is mostly companies from china that make counterfeit items?
A. As thay are the only ones that can fabricate those items at a cost so low that after transporting it to the other side of the world it´s still dirt cheap. It´s not a question of moral, if a US (or European) company is be able to do it they will do it as well.

[Jerry @ May 18th 2009 3:23PM]

"...keep our request confidential."

LMAO! Yeah right.

[electron @ May 18th 2009 3:26PM]

haha, I know, really :D :P

[Setnev @ May 18th 2009 8:10PM]

Ha ha yeah right. They contacted a company who is based in the US, regardless if the contacted the office in Japan. It's owned by AOL/Time Warner and everyone knows what happens when you fuck with Time Warner.

[JrA 2I9 pSu @ May 18th 2009 3:23PM]

hmmmm....well if that really is the PS3 "slim", I don't think it's very impressive in the looks department.

but that letter is funny all the same as its legitimacy is questionable and even if its not, well, see above...

[Sgt_Quackers @ May 18th 2009 4:24PM]

I agree. To me the new case kind of looks cheap. IDK we shall see what it really looks like at E3

[SDAlpha1510 @ May 18th 2009 3:24PM]

yummm legal threats are so tasty, yet so empty.

[B3astofthe3ast @ May 18th 2009 3:24PM]

Reverse psychology?

[Eric Foor @ May 18th 2009 3:24PM]

I don't believe the First Amendment comes in to play, when someone is trying to keep information from someone. As in Sony is trying to keep the news about it PRIVATE.