Nokia warns that KIRF phones are a threat to personal safety, national security

Over the years, Nokia handsets have fallen victim to the infamous KIRFing process time, and time, and time again. Evidently the suits up in Espoo have had enough, as evidenced by a new marketing campaign urging bargain hunters in India to avoid unbranded / duplicate handsets. The ad, which was spotted in the Mumbai Mirror, is comical in a number of ways. For starters, the notion that "originals last forever" is obviously misleading untrue, and secondly, the whole "instilling fear" tactic is severely unnecessary. Nokia asserts that all KIRF handsets lack an IMEI number, and thus owning one "could be a threat to your safety and national security." Or is that longhand for "a threat to Nokia's bottom line?"

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 24th 2008 4:32AM]

It was obviously a KIRF read link that had no IMEI number or original hologram. (btw try clicking on the picture, that's a working link)

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 24th 2008 1:54AM]

Funny because if I were choosing a cellphone... I would choose the thinnest of both and especially the less oily!!!!!!

[FRiC Posted Nov 24th 2008 2:37AM]

The problem with the fake handsets here in Asia is that buyers often are unaware that they're buying a fake handset...

[MeisterDon Posted Nov 24th 2008 3:10AM]

Noot really, if you look he looks quite deformed actually...How do you know the one on the right is not the KIRF, I mean look at him, he's pretty fake if you ask me!!! (sterrooiiidddssss!!!)

[kalleboo Posted Nov 24th 2008 3:54AM]

I just had to check out the IMEI of my own KIRF, and whaddya know, it checks out! Gotta love the "Equipment Type" name though :) http://phone.gbsfm.info/p168/imei.png

[jashsayani Posted Nov 24th 2008 6:05AM]

Why can't they show a phone in the Ad. At first, I didn't realize that its a phone related ad. But I guess, Indians read it only after they see SRK....

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 24th 2008 10:20AM]

I think what we have here is an epic fail on the part of Nokia's marketing department in India.

[jashsayani Posted Nov 24th 2008 2:35PM]

Well, Nokia can make better ads but the Indian readers just read the ads with celebrity pics...So Nokia has to design ads in the Indian way.....

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 24th 2008 6:24AM]

Wow, Engadget really HAS jumped the shark.

The old writers at least cared more about tech than about "scolding" the big bad companies.

You could at least be amusing about it.

[inteller Posted Nov 24th 2008 8:17AM]

wow, where can I get a phone without an IMEI? If being beyond the reaches of corporate control is a threat to national security, SIGN ME UP!

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 24th 2008 9:37AM]

shouldve been silpha shetty ;)

[therpham Posted Nov 24th 2008 11:06AM]

Either this is the first time KIRF has been shortened to acronym form or I need some coffee. It took me way too long to figure that out.

[corp Posted Nov 24th 2008 11:24AM]

what would Neil Patrick Harris do?


probably both.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 24th 2008 12:25PM]

If originals last forever why did I only get a 12 month RTB on my phone? :)

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 24th 2008 12:29PM]

well perhaps nokia shouldnt sell the n96 for $900usd. Notice how no clones of the e51 have been around... fantastic features in an affordable phone..

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 24th 2008 1:31PM]

Yeah, the nokias and sonys are getting tough competition from these china handsets ...
But there is some merit in the AD, these phones violate copyright, are cheap quality, repairing is a pain, and 100s of these have the same imei or no Imei..
A little more organized and these phones can stand better (legally)

And even i wud prefer shilpa shetty :)