Sony is suing Hong-Kong's Lik-Sang. It is alleged that Lik-Sang is selling PlayStation Portable handheld consoles to European buyers before the formal launch of the PSP on the first of September. Lik-Sang has dismissed the lawsuit, calling it a "cynical attempt to disrupt the successful online business... gain total market control, and garner publicity".
The exporter is accused of violating SCEE's trademarks, and of infringing SCEE's copyrights by posting a copy of the PSP manual on its website. Sony warned Lik-Sang on 14 June it would begin legal proceedings if the manual was not removed, along with links to Sony's own website. Lik-Sang maintains it immediately complied with that request.
Lik-Sang vowed to fight the case, claiming it has Hong Kong trade regulations on its side. They, it said, "allows free trade once an item entered the market for sale". In other words, what we do with a PSP once we've bought it is up to us - and that includes selling it on to consumers in the UK and elsewhere.