Keepin' it real fake, part CCXIII: Magic trick goes awry on eBay

Sigh. Where to begin? It looks like a Magic, it smells like a Magic, but the perfectionist in us fully understands that it's absolutely not a Magic. The self-proclaimed followup to HTC's G1 has itself an impostor, and that very shammer is parading around on eBay for the low, low price of $122.99. Granted, that doesn't buy you an HTC logo, Android or 3G, but hey, it just might fool a few folks on the subway. Take it from us, though, it's totally not worth the risk of embarrassment.

[Thanks, Jeremy]

[RioRyan @ May 20th 2009 10:02PM]

My favourite part is where they rip off open source software

[B3astofthe3ast @ May 20th 2009 10:12PM]

I really can't see why these don't have full blown android on it, when its completly free and open source, LOL.

[Soulsaber @ May 20th 2009 10:13PM]

From read link: "This is not intelligence handset , it is can not use 3G."

*giggles*

[rcarm @ May 20th 2009 10:31PM]

"GSM 850/900/1800/1900MHZ.can be work worldwide."

*chuckles*

[flyingcolours87 @ May 20th 2009 10:16PM]

Really impressive.... Looks like t real....

[flyingcolours87 @ May 20th 2009 10:22PM]

I think an upper hand with 3g connection will be more attractive for this price...

[bryan @ May 20th 2009 10:25PM]

The only reason for making a knock-off of a free, open-source OS is if

a.) You can do it better
b.) Your hardware can't run it

It's as simple as that.

[jonwil2002 @ May 20th 2009 10:36PM]

I would say that in the case of most of these KIRFs its a case of "the hardware cant handle Android"

[Awjvail @ May 20th 2009 10:37PM]

Is it just me or is there a terrible overuse of the word "awry" on this website?

That word bothers me.

[mark @ May 20th 2009 10:44PM]

Keepin' it real fake: 52,802 - Another manufacturer makes another knockoff product.

Wow! Thanks for the awesome reporting, engadget.

Who gives a fuck?

Vote #1 to kill off this stupid tradition..

Anybody else?

[Jon Nelson @ May 20th 2009 10:47PM]

Vote #1 to downrank you to oblivion...

[hemmy @ May 20th 2009 10:53PM]

I give a fuck. Now go away! Shoo!

[fz02 @ May 21st 2009 2:42AM]

I guess not...

[danimaldan @ May 20th 2009 11:01PM]

okay who ever cannot tell the differance between a legit magic and this magic deserves to get ripped off. Sure they are both white, but from that dont look that much alike. The form is different and so are the buttons.

[Ashvala @ May 20th 2009 11:45PM]

As far as i am concerned, you boot the device and it says Windows XP mobile!

[Setnev @ May 20th 2009 11:49PM]

Are you kidding, they can't pay people little enough to develop drivers for the hardware. So why not skin it with a generic OS to make it look like a popular OS, and use the same hardware that has been used in KIRF phones since they came into existence.

[digitallysick @ May 21st 2009 12:06AM]

Here is why you buy that device, to pass off to idiots that think its real for a profit

[ddub @ May 21st 2009 1:36AM]

If you could put android on it, I'd buy it in a second.

[kaznai @ May 21st 2009 2:47AM]

Worst part is that it's most likely a resistive touchscreen.

[FuzzyCat @ May 21st 2009 3:51AM]

On the plus side it looks like it's a dual SIM device...

[Jon @ May 21st 2009 5:28AM]

So according to engadget, you buy the phone to fool some people. actually, you'd be fooled if you had actually bought this phone.

There was an article on a news site (I couldn't remember, maybe BBC?), they reported that one of these phones cost about $50 to make.

[Jamie @ May 21st 2009 7:50AM]

LOL there are a lot of typos in that listing.

Camera: 13.0 lacpixel (exactly, it lacks 13.0 megapixels)

Operating Frequency ;GSM 850/900/1800/1900MHZ.can be work worldwide. (lol)

This is not intelligence handset , it is can not use 3G. (why would I want to buy this?)

[Payperbiz @ May 22nd 2009 11:19PM]

This is a very nice piece of information. Thank you for sharing.