Datel suing Microsoft over Max Memory card lockout

[GamerMan316]

Datel announced that it has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft, in response to Microsoft's lockout (via Xbox 360 firmware update) of the company's Max Memory Cards. We doubt this is the "remedy" for the lockout issue to which the company previously referred, but it's certainly one way to address it.

"Microsoft has taken steps to render inoperable the competing Datel memory card for no visible purpose other than to have that market entirely to themselves," Datel attorney Marty Glick explained in a press release. "They accomplished their recent update by making a system change that will not recognize or allow operation of a memory card with greater capacity than their own. We believe that with the power Microsoft enjoys in the market for Xbox accessories this conduct is unlawful."

In the press release, Datel goes on to say that the lawsuit is intended to "restore competition" which, the company suggests, is beneficial to consumers. It's now up to a federal court in San Francisco to determine whether the Max Memory-crippling Xbox update constitutes unlawful anti-competitive behavior on the part of Microsoft.

The last time Datel went to court, it viewed the experience from the other side. Sony filed suit against the peripheral maker over the "Lite Blue Tool," which would have enabled users to run unsigned code on PSP hardware.

[nCogNeato]

I'm very mixed on this issue, which is actually why I'm glad to see it going to court for an official end.

I do not support market monopolies, so I want alternative options to the proprietary Microsoft Memory Unit.

I do not support online cheating and hacked achievements, which the Datel Memory Unit encourages (perhaps unintentionally).

I replay the same contradicting arguments in my head.  (1)  Pirates and hackers are not going to stop just because you create a new obstacle for them, so why continue inhibiting honest customers?  (2)  Pirating and hacking is a small subsect of the overall customer base because it requires a level of dedication that most customers do not have.  Devices that 'streamline' the process not only makes life easier for current hackers, but also encourages non-hackers to do things they normally wouldn't consider.

There's not real "right" or "wrong" answer, really.  But if the case sees its way through (and doesn't settle out of court), I'll agree with the outcome.

[KoreRupt]

I agree with Microsoft just because of the fact that IF they didnt do anything about it.. everyone would buy the aformentioned device and use it to cheat or mod their xbox.. purely because microsoft didnt do anything about it.. Happend with PS2's everyone chipped their PS2 because sony didnt do anything about it..  this mega corp's need to protect not only their hardware but the fact that 20million+ people are playing online games and expect a level playing field!

[GamerMan316]

I agree with Microsoft just because of the fact that IF they didnt do anything about it.. everyone would buy the aformentioned device and use it to cheat or mod their xbox.. purely because microsoft didnt do anything about it.. Happend with PS2's everyone chipped their PS2 because sony didnt do anything about it..  this mega corp's need to protect not only their hardware but the fact that 20million+ people are playing online games and expect a level playing field!

not me 

[TaraJayne]

I chipped my ps2 then bought a slimline one and went all legit. I wouldnt abused my xbox though.

[GamerMan316]

I had a chipped PS1 and was finishing games before they were even released in this country, i wasn't really into the PS2 as much as the PS1 so i never bothered chipping that, plus i still had my Dreamcast which played copied games straight from the box so i just abused that for a bit, then the original xbox arrived & the rest is history 

[TaraJayne]

yeah I screwed around with my dreamcast too. I didnt with my sega Saturn though

[GamerMan316]

yeah I screwed around with my dreamcast too. I didnt with my sega Saturn though

The Dreamcast was weird in that all you needed at first was the boot disc & it would play copies without any need for internal modding, then people realised you could put the boot disc data on the copies themselves it was even easier, you did lose FMV on games though as Dreamcast discs were around 1GB in size while the blanks were only 700MB, great times though 
I never owned a Sega Saturn.

[Failed]

I had a 100 megadrive game romulator for the dreamcast

[DFUSIONITE]

I had a 100 megadrive game romulator for the dreamcast

I have over 300 megadrive games on my chipped original xbox's hard drive, along with about 30 snes games. i would never mess with my beloved 360 though!

[TaraJayne]

I had a 100 megadrive game romulator for the dreamcast

I have one for the pc and a spectrum one. But no DFUSE I would never do this to my Elite

[GamerMan316]

Microsoft files motion to dismiss Datel suit, cites Apple and others in defense



Microsoft has registered a motion to dismiss the antitrust lawsuit originally filed by unofficial memory card maker Datel, in which Datel claimed that by locking out its cards, Microsoft was being illegally anti-competitive in the field of 'Multiplayer Online Dedicated Gaming Systems" and their accessories. Microsoft's motion to dismiss (here's the PDF link) actually cites one of its biggest rivals, Apple, who fought off another unofficial vendor by claiming that its users (us) had knowingly agreed that by using its products, any aftermarket products had to come from Apple as well. You can't run OS X on any computers not made by Apple, says Microsoft, and so you can't use any non-Microsoft memory cards on your Xbox.

As with most legal filings, the situation is complicated. Datel is also trying to claim that Microsoft has a grip on the console market by claiming that the much better selling Nintendo Wii isn't actually a part of that market, which leaves Microsoft in the weird position of arguing that yes, there are plenty of consoles (including the PSP and even the PlayStation 2) that "have outsold the Xbox 360." And Microsoft also argues that Datel's cheat-enabling memory cards "undermine quality user experience" on Xbox Live, which would also be reason enough to keep them off the system. Interesting arguments, all, but we'll have to see which emerge victorious after a hearing scheduled for March 2 in San Francisco.

[nCogNeato]

Easy solution to make everyone happy ...


Allow the Datel cards to work.  Ban people that use them (or anyting else for that matter) to cheat.

Was that so hard?  I should have been a Judge.

[Kyuubi]

I have to admit that I am stuck in the middle on this one.
I don't agree with Microsoft arbitrarily blocking everyone who doesn't comply with their wants but then again I also agree with them wanting to protect their product and their users.
If Neato's solution was so simply I would have no problem with it seeing as I wouldn't be affected by it.

Policing it would be a nightmare though, with over 3 million users how can you check every single one all the time? Without infringing liberties??

Tricky catch 22 and I wouldn't want to be the judge on this one.

[CRracer_912]

I just wish they'd allow USB drives, it's so handy to use be Cruzer drive on the PS3 for system updates and game saves or file transfers.

I can see why they don't, but it's handy for me.