Beautiful Widgets Dev Gets Cease and Desist
HTC apparently sent a C&D to LevelUp Studio, makers of 'Beautiful Widgets' (reviews here and here). This message was posted along with the latest update of the application in Android Market:
HTC sent me a C&D, I have to remove the widgets from the market soon, so please back it up if you want to keep it, using appmanager or ASTRO file manager - LevelUp Studio
I bought the application some time ago, and definitely feel disappointed that HTC decided to deal a low-blow to the developer. Is LevelUp Studio doing any damage at all to HTC? Probably not. Do they have a right to issue a C&D? Probably yes. Doesn't change the fact that this stinks. Reminds me of another C&D issued to a certain well-known ROM developer not too long ago.
I urge LevelUp Studio to modify the widget (use other images perhaps?) and do a new release. I wonder if this kinda of tactics means that widgets that emulates a certain look-and-feel of other widgets might get into trouble. Definitely an ugly precedence.
Update: Looks like the developer has decided to go forward with development - with a twist. The widget now doesn't look like those from HTC. And they are still look as good!