|
here's the latest BREAKTHROUGH in the RAZOR WARS:
Gillette's new M3 Power Razor - with battery-powered VIBRATIONS!
..........................
Gillette loses court fight with Schick
By Neil Buckley in New York
Published: January 15 2004 19:12 | Last Updated: January 16 2004 0:34
The war of the razors heated up on Thursday as Gillette unveiled a high-tech powered version of its triple-blade Mach3 razor and a judge rejected its attempt to block rival Schick from selling its four-bladed Quattro product.
Gillette still has about 70 per cent of the razor market, but faces growing competition from a revitalised Schick-Wilkinson Sword, which launched Quattro last September.
Gillette sued Schick for allegedly infringing its patents on Mach3 - which has had sales of $9bn since its launch in 1999.
However a Massachusetts judge on Thursday night denied Gillette's application for an interim injunction against Quattro, saying that its case had no reasonable likelihood of success.
Schick said it was pleased with the decision and that it remained "highly confident" of its legal position.
Gillette said it had been vigorous in defending its intellectual property and did "not intend to abandon these claims based on this interim ruling".
The legal news came hours after Gillette unveiled a battery-powered, "pulsating" version of the Mach3.
The M3 Power includes a specially designed motor that makes the handle pulsate gently.
Gillette says this lifts hairs away from the skin, captures "wayward" hairs that conventional razors miss, and tautens the skin in front of the blades - leading, the company claims, to a better shave.
But consumers will have to pay up for what Gillette says is not just a new razor but a "new shaving experience".
The handles, including two blade cartridges and a Duracell battery, will cost about $14.99 when they are launched in North America in May - $6 more than the Mach3 Turbo, Gillette's current flagship.
A four-pack of blade cartridges will cost $10.99, 15 per cent more than for the Mach3 Turbo.
Gillette said it had been developing the M3 Power for some time and the launch timing was not influenced by the new competitive environment.
The M3 Power, developed at Gillette's laboratory in Reading in the UK , is protected by no fewer than 62 patents.
__________________
create evolution
|