Keepin' it real fake, part CLXXXIX: meet the HTC A296 -- and its gaping maw

We can totally picture this scenario at a bar, party, or Engadget reader meetup: "Hey, check out my Touch Diamond... oh, oh, wait, what's this? Wha-BAM!" Out comes the numeric keypad, right out of nowhere, accompanied by a sickeningly bad S60 knockoff interface. Observers are stunned, dumbfounded; some even pass out in shock. Babies are crying, you can hear the forlorned wail of sirens in the background, and mass riots ensue. Put simply, the world was never designed to handle a fake Touch Diamond with a slide-out keypad -- but you had to cross the streams, didn't you? Jerk.

[Thanks, Jack G.]

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 6th 2009 1:45PM]

Doesn't Look that bad actually. Would be cool if it was also touch.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 6th 2009 2:41PM]

It's people like you who keep Motorola in business.

[Richard Posted Mar 6th 2009 6:31PM]

You should see the back then: http://www.solomobi.com/pic/HTC%20A296/04.jpg

[Flaystus Posted Mar 6th 2009 1:49PM]

Whats the point? The mind boggles.

[Snowman Posted Mar 6th 2009 1:55PM]

Shameless.

[Oli D Posted Mar 6th 2009 2:00PM]

Engadget reader meetup, aka MacWorld

[Chris Posted Mar 6th 2009 2:03PM]

Clever. Seriously, bravo.

[Oli D Posted Mar 6th 2009 2:06PM]

I do try.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 6th 2009 2:01PM]

Seriously don't cross the streams.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 6th 2009 2:01PM]

Looks Old School

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 6th 2009 2:02PM]

Brazen.

[htd Posted Mar 6th 2009 2:08PM]

dont you wish your diamond would slide like this?
dont you wish your diamond would slide like this?
...
those plastic directional thing on sprint diamond/touch pro feels horrible, touch pro is too bulky...

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 6th 2009 2:09PM]

WHY?

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 6th 2009 2:22PM]

Seriously though, it doesn't look too bad..
If they manage to cram a keyboard instead of the numpad, and manage to keep the thickness more or less the same.. i'd be sold..
(the touch pro is far too thick..)

[ustna Posted Mar 6th 2009 2:18PM]

These are getting old.....

[BeniRose Posted Mar 6th 2009 2:39PM]

Except at an Engadget reader meetup, everyone would be too busy being douche bags and screaming to "do the f*cking raffle already!" to even notice.

[conscious Posted Mar 6th 2009 2:56PM]

Maybe some of you have other examples of this, but this looks to be the first KIRF that doesn't even go as far as to change the company name. It says HTC, it's got the HTC logo, so it must be from HTC, right?

I'm confused, I'm gonna go lay down.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 6th 2009 3:07PM]

I'm completely confused by the site that links to, which seems to show an iPhone mini with dual sims, and much other craziness as well. I'm feeling a little slow today, is that entire site a joke? Or are have those tricky chinese phone makers beat Apple to the punch with their version of the iPhone mini? Not that I want an iPhone. Because I don't. I want an Touch Pro 2. And I want these guys to make one for $100 . . .

[JustAGuy Posted Mar 6th 2009 3:53PM]

Will your Touch Pro 2 give you an understanding of the English language's use of articles? "A" is used whenever a noun or adjective starts with a consonent. "An" is reserved for when said word starts with a vowel, except in very rare occasions. Therefore, I believe you want "A" Touch Pro 2 ....

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 6th 2009 5:07PM]

Ooops, that was "an" typo. I typically do know when to use "a" and when to use "an", "an" no, my TP2 probably won't help me with that!

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 6th 2009 3:06PM]

I'm now officially a kirf fanboi ,.this way I won't be called apple fanboi , it hurts ntmy feelings;(

[Slaarg Posted Mar 6th 2009 3:53PM]

Nom nom nom nom....

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 6th 2009 4:21PM]

i love the KIRF's. this is one of the worse/best, tho.

[savagemike Posted Mar 6th 2009 5:07PM]

"forlorned"...

I"m all for grammatical daredevilry.
But it's simply beyond the pale, man.
Beyond the pale.
It simply isn't done.

- mike

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 6th 2009 6:01PM]

Lol, this article was written with so much clever wit and tenacity. I love the reference to ghost busters. Engadget forever!

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 6th 2009 10:53PM]

Dasswussup. I do so enjoy Engadget's use of imagery and diction. Words like "forlorned" are the Kelsey Grammar of our native tongue.

This looks like the a "barely-legal HTC Touch trying to show off its navel piercing before it's even developed a decent pair of dirty pillows."

Cue the Apollo sandman music. (jeers)

d

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 6th 2009 11:12PM]

Fake HTC, real HTC...who cares. All their stuff is crap.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 6th 2009 11:46PM]

be a bitch to type on

[xev11 Posted Mar 7th 2009 7:04PM]

The white one looks very nice. Much better than the black

[lamzor Posted Mar 25th 2009 5:58AM]

nice fake.