Level Up Studio ( Beautiful Widgets ) Given C&D By HTC

[Brendanmurphy]

As some of you may know, Level Up Studio has been given a cease and desist order by htc. This means Beautiful widgets will be removed from the market until they can work it out with htc ( if they can ).

 

[flu13]

Why?

 

[Caddyman]

cause they were copying htc's widgets....

they would actually have to be creative and make their own style of widgets, guess that is too much work...

 

[waremaster]

Why?

Because it duplicates the intellectual property of HTC. I however believe that the level up product is better. On my Eris the weather constanly reports the city as being 5 cities from where I am. However Beautiful Widgets always reports correctly. Maybe they can work together.

 

[psufan5]

How do you back these widgets up??

 

[waremaster]

How do you back these widgets up??

I believe the install file is on your phone at this point you should be able to use either Astor file manager or eStrongs File Manager (my pref) and search for apk once you find it copy the file too your SD Card or I think there is an app called Mybackup in the market place that will back up the contents of the phone as well.

I strongly suggest you back it up because if it does get removed from the market you will lose it if you ever have to wipe your phone.

 

[vincentp]

Astro file manager has a backup feature, that should allow you to backup the installation files for Beautiful Widgets so you can continue to use it if you ever have to do a wipe. I did it. I guess I'm also going to give Weather Widget Donate a try, assuming they don't receive a similar notice.

 

[MotoAlex]

This is unfortunate... Especially considering I just bought this app a couple of days ago.
I'm not sure what all the legalities of this case are, but I hope these widgets don't get permanently taken off the market. I think the developer is providing a product that people want and it is not a direct replacement for Sense UI. I'm only using the clock/weather widget and none of the other stuff, for example.

I guess we'll just have to see how this plays out.

 

[vincentp]

Maybe he can just tweak the art and design a bit so it's not such a close match to the Sense widgets. Then HTC can't really complain. They obviously don't own the rights to ALL clock/weather widgets, or others would be taken down as well. It's more likely that the design is just too close to theirs, and clearly a replica. I can understand why they might have an issue with it, though it's still annoying that they felt the need to screw over people who want to use these widgets - with or without an HTC device.

 

[odiej34]

Astro file manager has a backup feature, that should allow you to backup the installation files for Beautiful Widgets so you can continue to use it if you ever have to do a wipe. I did it. I guess I'm also going to give Weather Widget Donate a try, assuming they don't receive a similar notice.

Can I back this app (or any app) with astro and reinstall on a replacement droid? If so how do I go about doing that? (reinstalling the app)
Thanks!

 

[Caddyman]

word is HTC will be selling their widgets on the market and this is one of the reasons the C&D was issued

 

[pizzachef]

I wonder if Weather Widgets got the same thing. They can at least skin it differently (i think?)

 

[Watashi]

I'm trying to back up the file. I downloaded AstroFM and I'm doing a search on the / for either .apk / Beautiful / Widget and it doesn't find anything.

I'd like to back this file up so I can continue to use it.

Also can't the dev of BW just remove the 'Beautiful Home' part? and possibly make a seperate one with BW for free. Hard for someone to sue over something you aren't making any money from.


EDIT: just realized this wasn't in the Droid forums....I'm on a droid.

 

[choffy21]

I'm trying to back up the file. I downloaded AstroFM and I'm doing a search on the / for either .apk / Beautiful / Widget and it doesn't find anything.

I'd like to back this file up so I can continue to use it.

Also can't the dev of BW just remove the 'Beautiful Home' part? and possibly make a seperate one with BW for free. Hard for someone to sue over something you aren't making any money from.


EDIT: just realized this wasn't in the Droid forums....I'm on a droid.

Someone should back it up and post it online. I really want to try this.

 

[brettlewis]

I sent these to levelupstudios as ideas to make them look different but still good, don't think he is using either idea unfortunately but thought I would show them to someone.

 

[waremaster]

I sent these to levelupstudios as ideas to make them look different but still good, don't think he is using either idea unfortunately but thought I would show them to someone.

They both look awesome. Excellent work. I love the second one. I hope Level Up reconsiders using these.

 

[Carl C]

I sent these to levelupstudios as ideas to make them look different but still good, don't think he is using either idea unfortunately but thought I would show them to someone.

Awesome Design , I would love to have that on my Android Phone!

 

[brettlewis]

ok, ok, ok. Im going to start to look into becoming a dev. I already work extensively in web based coding, so I just need to hop over to the SDK and figure it out. If i ever get a widget like this made, Ill repost info for it.

 

[tsaunders]

I think we should all send these images to the developer.

 

[brettlewis]

I did but he doesnt seem to want any help. I guess he want full credit cause he doesnt want to get screwed like he just was by HTC?

Im working on creating it, but I don't know anything about developing for android. I have been fiddling around for a few hours now and am running into so many dead ends.

 

[brettlewis]

I think we should all send these images to the developer.

HAHA, well, I think I might not want him to use them anymore cuase If i figure this out, I dont want to look like the copy.

 

[tsaunders]

I did but he doesnt seem to want any help. I guess he want full credit cause he doesnt want to get screwed like he just was by HTC?

Im working on creating it, but I don't know anything about developing for android. I have been fiddling around for a few hours now and am running into so many dead ends.

I am a programmer, but new to the android SDK. I might be able to help, but it's a learning curve for me too.

 

[Tim K]

Unless he is copying HTC's code or using their images, how is this "illegal"? Since when can a company stop you from making a similar product? This is another example of a big company using legal pressure to force a small guy out of a competing business even if its legal.

 

[Watashi]

Unless he is copying HTC's code or using their images, how is this "illegal"? Since when can a company stop you from making a similar product? This is another example of a big company using legal pressure to force a small guy out of a competing business even if its legal.

Likeness rights. Most of the time it will hold up in court and since his widget look 'exactly' like HTC's they do have some ground to stand on. I'm just pissed that a big company feels so threatened by a small dev that they need to do this


Boycott HTC imo!

 

[Tim K]

Likeness rights? I have never heard of that being applied to anything other than a person's likeness (as in video games, advertising, etc). Making a piece of software that looks like another piece of software is not illegal as long as you do your own artwork and your own coding. I sincerely doubt HTC has any kind of patent or tradmark on a flip clock and weather....and nor should they.