http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/ Engadget Comments for EU, U.S. seize $1.3 billion in counterfeit computer parts, plan crackdown http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/Feb 22nd 2008 7:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/Feb 22nd 2008 7:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/Feb 23rd 2008 9:27AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/Feb 22nd 2008 7:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/Feb 22nd 2008 7:59PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/
It's mostly because a person making less than $200 a month can't afford to dish out $24 for a DVD or $14 for a CD, much less $200 for winders]]>Feb 22nd 2008 8:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/
The Chinese have ripoffs of EVERYTHING. I was suprised to see them selling video cards that claimed to be Radeon and Geforce with "512 MB ram" and such.
You can't trust any of that stuff cause there is no warranty and no proof it will work as advertised.


They have every computer part you could imagine - and all of those parts look like higher end products and aren't. They copy any and all software and sell it DIRT CHEAP. This is actually a great place to get software. Try a working copy of Vista for just $2.50 How about OSX Leopard for $1.50?

when I was there last you could buy PS2 games and Xbox games for just $1. PS3 games and 360 games cost around $3.

DVD's naturally are dirt cheap. You can get 10 for $5 and the sad thing is, they are PERFECT QUALITY.]]>Feb 22nd 2008 8:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/Feb 22nd 2008 10:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/Feb 23rd 2008 12:05AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/
Well, in India they apparently do, as I've found it hard to *easily* come across fake goods the way flashpoint has. To get the fake stuff, you have to find a guy running a small stall in a dodgy backstreet to get pirated software and knockoff goods.

That said, my cousin did have a "Hatty Davidson" cap :P]]>Feb 23rd 2008 4:10AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/
I wouldn't be surprised if he also finds ripoffs of his apartment keys.]]>Feb 23rd 2008 4:30AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/Feb 23rd 2008 5:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/It's how Datel have been putting ActionReplay onto the PS2, GC and so forth. They're not licensed software so it's the only way for them to get it done. Same with SwapMagic for PS2 as well.]]>Feb 23rd 2008 7:51AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/2) I'm going to go play CrackDown on my 360, it's a really nice game.]]>Feb 22nd 2008 8:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/Feb 23rd 2008 2:07AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/Feb 23rd 2008 2:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/
Ha, my PC sure isn't, even though some of the components probably are.]]>Feb 23rd 2008 4:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/Feb 22nd 2008 8:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/
*boom*]]>Feb 22nd 2008 9:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/
Fake Rubbish quality : Sure, turn to the back of the keyboard you're typing on right now ( and that is just ONE example)

Population invasion in universities : and the problem is ? are you frustrated because more of THEM going to universities than YOUR people ?



The Chinese are the victims of their own legacy as well, quite a number of Chinese companies got their products ripped off by smaller "fishes". ]]>Feb 23rd 2008 4:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/
That said, at least in the US, most of the PRC students coming here are graduate students who get stipends as PhD's. Very very few (PRC) Chinese students can afford to attend undergrad in the USA-there's no such thing as student loans for foreign students! *Most* of the international students who are Chinese aren't from the PRC, they're usually from Hong Kong or Taiwan or Singapore (notice that 2 of those countries have English as an official language, and Taiwan has heavy ties with the United States so there's kids who bounce between the two countries), or Canada. I've seriously only ever met ONE undergrad student who actually came from the People's Republic of China.

So take your haterade elsewhere. The only reason why the PRC kids end up in PhD programs is because there aren't enough domestic students who want to do a PhD in biology or chemistry or mathematics, whereas there's tons of kids from the PRC who dream of getting that PhD. So unless you yourself dream of a PhD in mathematics I suggest you take your xenophobic crap elsewhere.]]>Feb 24th 2008 8:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/Feb 22nd 2008 8:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/Feb 22nd 2008 8:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/Feb 24th 2008 5:06AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/I am sure there are more expensive parts, I am also sure if you are spending that kind of money for 'parts', you are a big company with deep pockets and you buy from a manufacturer directly or through a trusted sales channel that these items cannot enter.

Oh, I know, they seized 359,999 computer components at $100 each and 1 Hal9000 singularity processor at $1.264 billion.]]>Feb 22nd 2008 8:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/Feb 22nd 2008 9:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/A rumour I heard is that there is a Chinese company that makes high end router and switch clones legitimately and which do work, but Cisco believes it's ripped off their patents. When they tried to pursue the company, apparently Cisco were warned that they would not be able to sell anything in China if they persisted. Just a rumour but from people in this market.]]>Feb 23rd 2008 1:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/
Kick some counterfeiter ass!]]>Feb 22nd 2008 9:13PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/Feb 22nd 2008 9:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/



sorry, had to be said]]>Feb 22nd 2008 10:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/Feb 22nd 2008 10:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/Feb 22nd 2008 10:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/Feb 22nd 2008 10:18PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/Feb 22nd 2008 10:35PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/
That said? When people buy fake DVDs for $1, they know it's a bootleg. I remember when I went to China even the stuff that didn't look bootleg was probably bootleg, and you could tell just from the price, because it'd be $3 for a boxed set of VCDs instead of $30. And quite honestly, none of the people there could have possibly been able to afford software like Adobe Photoshop or Microsoft Office if they didn't buy the bootleg. I mean, someone I knew worked at KFC for 25 (US) cents an hour, so if he were to try and save up to buy Adobe Photoshop he'd have been able to buy it in 20 years (since you do have to spend money on rent and food).

So if you're counterfeiting stuff but it's obvious it's a knockoff, then it's not really ripping off the consumer. And how much it's ripping off the company really depends on whether the person buying the product could have afforded the real thing. In the case of a pirated Photoshop disk being purchased in China by some kid who makes 50 cents an hour as a gold farmer it's pretty hard to argue that Adobe actually lost any money there, since that kid was never a potential customer.
On the other hand, if a professional graphic designer in NYC decides to go buy a $1 counterfeit copy of Adobe Photoshop, that's another story since Adobe is actually losing money there.]]>Feb 24th 2008 8:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/Feb 22nd 2008 10:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/Feb 22nd 2008 11:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/
"This isn't a processor...THIS IS A PIECE OF CINNAMON TOAST CRUNCH! THE HACKERS HAVE STRUCK AGAIN"]]>Feb 22nd 2008 11:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/Feb 22nd 2008 11:59PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/Feb 23rd 2008 1:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/Feb 23rd 2008 1:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/
Let me guess, you learned English from that knocked-off software, didn't you?

Not problems, though, me did two. Qualities stuffs are those software!]]>Feb 23rd 2008 4:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/Feb 24th 2008 11:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/Feb 25th 2008 2:58AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/
American used to do the exact same thing China is doing now. It didn't care because Europe (from where the patents and copyrights originated) was to far away and it was too difficult to pursue through the courts. It changed its tune when it started to produce significant quantities of its own patents, but not until then. What goes around.

That being said, what will Dell do now that their supply line has been cut off? ;-)]]>Feb 23rd 2008 1:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/Feb 23rd 2008 2:10AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/Feb 23rd 2008 2:07AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/
One thing I will miss is the little gadgets like USB hubs and such. I wonder how that iPhone ripoff will fair....]]>Feb 23rd 2008 4:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/
It's hard to feel that the corporations, whose parts are being duplicated, are really victims. They moved their factories to China in the first place, putting workers in NA and Europe out of work, to make more money. They will argue that competition drove them to it, or that it was for survival. Really? It was for a fatter bottom line, and that's the start and end of it.

In doing so, they thought they could control China like every other third world country they've gone to for cheap labour. The Chinese are no fools, though. They will take what they've learned and run. They've opened pandora's box.

My second concern is:

Why all this effort for counterfeit parts? 1.3 Billion sounds like a lot, but it isn't, and it was destined for someone (I was only half joking when I mentioned Dell - mystery parts have been in circulation since Desktops have been around, and can be found in MANY products).

I find this action disturbing, not because of anything to do with computers, copyrights, or the like, but because it was done by our governments, whose police departments, paid for by OUR taxes, has made the protection of corporate interests a priority. I don't recall seeing this set as an agenda for our government in the news. The big corporations make insane profits, yet WE, the common people, are paying to make sure that their copyrights are being protected, while THEY move their factories to...China!

]]>Feb 23rd 2008 2:18AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/eu-u-s-seize-1-3-billion-in-counterfeit-computer-parts-plan/Feb 26th 2008 1:34PM