Keepin' it real fake, part XCI: Loomax Ii touch isn't an iPod, duh

German publication Welt Online has the scoop on a killer KIRF: the Loomax Ii touch, which rips off the iPod Touch and sells for less than half the price. It has all the usual ingredients -- it plays music, has a touch screen, and Apple-esque icons -- but this time, Apple gives a damn. Apple spokesperson George Albrecht commented on this specific example, saying something along the lines of "we'll examine this case closely," which is a lot more than can be said for the multitude of other iPod rip-offs we've seen in our KIRF series (and beyond.)

[Thanks, David K.]

[Clinton Christian @ Oct 20th 2007 10:24PM]

I think it's safe for me to say the whole ipod/iphone copying madness has now gone too far.

...wow

[JDizzle @ Oct 20th 2007 10:25PM]

No such thing as too much copying. That's how "innovation" happens.

[suv4x4 @ Oct 21st 2007 2:32AM]

==No such thing as too much copying. That's how "innovation" happens.==

That's not how innovation happens.

Innovation means taking what's out there and building upon it, adding something from yourself.

And this here is just a quick clone done to for some quick money (they hope). That's not useful, it reduces the efforts of the original teams at Apple who had to come up with the concepts and design on their own.

[Reader @ Oct 21st 2007 4:41AM]

engadget should add sarcasm tags...

[Chris Macdonald @ Oct 21st 2007 4:09PM]

you'd think the quotation marks would be enough...

[Bistro88 @ Oct 22nd 2007 3:57AM]

Well its the Onda VX858 or a rebranded one anyways, since when has anything with a touch screen a rip of Apple, it doesn't even look the same, it just happens to be touch screen.

http://www.mp4nation.com/products/index.php?PID=onda

[JDizzle @ Oct 20th 2007 10:25PM]

They're probably keeping an eye on it because they're scared it'll better the Touch, or at least not be plagued with problems. Or am I thinking of one of the other iPods...

[Sir.Byrd @ Oct 20th 2007 10:40PM]

You are thinking of the other ipods, I just got mine today and it has worked flawlessly (almost)

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Oct 21st 2007 12:14AM]

Man JDizzle, You think aaaalot like me.

[Reader @ Oct 21st 2007 4:42AM]

"Man JDizzle, You think aaaalot like me."

Idiots are pretty common, nothing new.

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Oct 21st 2007 7:42AM]

Why do you have a grudge on me? Your probably an apple fanboy. Causing fights and sissy fits on engadget. I like apple but I like other companies too.

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Oct 21st 2007 8:15AM]

The fanboys are low ranking JDizzle because they know its true

[dj-kenpo @ Oct 21st 2007 9:56AM]

the easy route is to yell fanboy. the harder path is to admit to yourself you actually ARE an idiot.

it's ok, you're not the only one williams.

[JDizzle @ Oct 21st 2007 2:23PM]

@Reader, did CUBSWILLWIN's comment incite your comment? I don't see what part of my comment caused you to call me an idiot.

[Reader @ Oct 21st 2007 4:23PM]

Have my Toshiba Gigabeat on my lap and posting this comment with Firefox on my dual boot windows/ubuntu PC. Shit if I'm an Apple fanboy, who isn't?

Also, my reasoning for calling both of you idiots is the completely asinine comment you made and he agreed with.

[John @ Oct 20th 2007 10:27PM]

I guess they actually think this is a contender, or is being marketed AS their product.

[Scott @ Oct 20th 2007 10:53PM]

Yes, but what fool would believe you could get ANY apple product without a hefty premium pricetag lol

[bugmat @ Oct 20th 2007 11:25PM]

If it comes with an FM tuner, 3G and 3rd party apps off the bat it's got my vote!

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Oct 21st 2007 12:12AM]

Dude, whaddya expect. Every knockoff is better then the original. That's why when there is a chance, I get my hands on chinese and european knockoffs. I got a Lacoste polo for 5 bucks thats supposed to be 60!

[Orpheus @ Oct 20th 2007 11:51PM]

Actually, that's not a picture of the product that guys holding, it IS the product. New ultra-thin technology.

[Constable Odo @ Oct 20th 2007 11:59PM]

Of course it's not an iPod Touch. It doesn't have Steve's blessings.

[Michael La Framboise @ Oct 21st 2007 12:36AM]

Well yeah, that plus the whole multi-touch screen among other goodies.

[Tired_ @ Oct 21st 2007 12:18AM]

Yeah, Apple's certainly entitled to the moral high ground here. It's not like they copied the GUI elements they're most famous for from Xerox or anything.

[Comacozi @ Oct 21st 2007 12:51AM]

but will it blend?

[Bernhard @ Oct 21st 2007 1:04AM]

It says it has 2 GB of memory for up to 1000 songs. It would have to use either Ogg Vorbis or AAC at 64 kbps to achieve any decent quality if all of those songs were 4 minutes in length. It would explain the low price as it has only a quarter of the storage space of the cheapest Touch.

[apple_rox13 @ Oct 21st 2007 1:16AM]

it does sound ok.. yes this copying is getting annoying.. but look at the picture..
2GB!!! how could u have 2gb on a device like the ipod touch??

[Sam @ Oct 21st 2007 1:36AM]

Uh 3rd party apps...and no user base? Hmm.

[suv4x4 @ Oct 21st 2007 1:38AM]

Maybe these people saw it differently, but it seems so god damn trivial to put your own spin on the design and interface and make your device unique and pit it against the iPod touch at the same time.

Why on Earth do these people need to copy 1:1 ?

It's so sad they can make such a device, but can't make it their own to save their lives.

[Reader @ Oct 21st 2007 4:44AM]

It's not that they can't, it's that they don't have to. If there were no laws against it here in America I guarantee you the same thing would happen.

[Mike @ Oct 21st 2007 3:36AM]

good artists copy great artists steal

[SteveMB @ Oct 21st 2007 1:09PM]

Because we all know that the iPhone/iPod Touch came out before the LG Prada...

[John Sinshack @ Oct 21st 2007 1:47PM]

Does that talk bubble at the top of the ad mean it has HDMI?

[KC @ Oct 21st 2007 3:19PM]

This mp4 player also goes by the name Onda VX858, Pasen iTouch, Digital Touch DT-1, SuperTalent Vidego28.

[Rahil @ Oct 22nd 2007 1:57AM]

I think this thing is on Amazon, or at least something very similar:
http://www.amazon.com/Touch-Screen-player-Video-recorder/dp/B000UGS2SG/ref=pd_bbs_6/102-9377902-5122538?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1193032567&sr=8-6

[news-letter @ Oct 22nd 2007 10:24AM]

I happened to see that in store and tried it.

1) The device is much smaller than the iPod. About as high as the iPod is wide.
2) Its nice to have a touchscreen. This one being 'simple-touch', not multi-touch.
3) It is very basic in all respects.
4) I think nobody will mistake it for an iPod. The only thing that makes it look like an iPod are the icons.

[Patrick @ Nov 5th 2007 10:44AM]

It has the specs I want at the price I want. If it doesn't break, and works sufficiently, this would be the one I buy. I don't need the iPod Touch. If you want iPod Touch functionality, buy it. If you want Li Touch functionality, buy it.
Maybe Apple doesn't see it as "respectable" to use someone else's design, but this is silly. If this product is really that bad, then probably it won't be popular, and will die. If people are in the market for it, and it does well, Apple should compete using their own low end version for a chunk of market share.
I think it's unethical to enforce monopoly on a design because you hit it first; it's not like the design transcends us common beings' knowledge, and Apple is communication with ETs. It's thin, big touch screen, shiny, and has a full list of modern tech standards. That is all, even if it's of great quality and worth the price.