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Amazon tries bringing in lawyers for sellers claiming patent infringement
Amazon has been battling counterfeit products and knock-off goods for years. It's tried charging merchants large fees, creating a registry of approved vendors and launching a self-service tool for removing knockoffs. Now, according to The Information, the company is testing a program to help fight utility patent infringements. It's meant to be a cheaper, faster alternative to traditional patent lawsuits, which can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and take years to settle.
For this iPhone clone maker, it's all about survival
A Chinese company called Leagoo made headlines at MWC for showing off its S9, a cheap Android phone that looks like an iPhone X and swiped Samsung's flagship name. These kinds of clones have been a part of the industry forever, clogging up eBay and disappointing whoever buys them. The S9 is indeed the latest in a long line of clones, but as I discovered, the forces that brought it to market are more interesting than the facsimile itself.
Amazon is cracking down on counterfeit goods
Amazon is cracking down on more than just counterfeit reviews -- the e-commerce juggernaut is waging a war against fugazi products, too. In order to sell Adidas, Asics, Hasbro, Nike and Samsung products, Amazon is asking for a $1,000 to $1,500 fee and a surfeit of paperwork according to CNBC. One of the publication's anonymous sources provided a screenshot of the submission process for Samsung. The requirements? An invoice no more than 90 days old showing the purchase of at least 30 items, with at least five different products across the invoices.
This knock-off console puts the PS4 and Xbox together at last
Have you ever had a dream where you were in a place, but it looked or felt like another place? As in, you were in San Francisco, but really it was your friend Paul's basement in Delaware? That's what I imagine playing this knock-off console from a Chinese Kickstarter-style crowdfunding site is like. The main console looks remarkably like a PlayStation 4, with a controller that has more than a hint of Xbox about it. Even its "Ouye" name is eerily familiar. This three-way console mash-up appears to be running Android (4.4.2), and the modest octa-core A80 processor is definitely more Sonic Dash than Destiny. The campaign page also claims the Ouye supports 4K, because buyers of this box deserve the best. We're not sure anyone's going to confuse this with a real-deal next gen console, but you have to admire the cheek. Despite all the obvious reasons not to, if you were inclined to buy one, you can snap one up for about $70/£45. Perfect for Paul's basement.
Etsy's counterfeit problem is getting worse
News of Etsy's battle against sellers pedaling knockoff goods on its site isn't a recent revelation, but an analyst report this week details the extent of the problem. Investment firm Wedbush says that up to 2 million items listed on the marketplace may be counterfeit or infringe on either a copyright or trademark -- items like these. That's around 5 percent of all goods promoted there. It's not just fashion and jewelery brands, either: products with pro sports, cartoon and comic book artwork abound on Etsy as well. The company recently went public, and as you might expect, its stock fell in response to the report. What's more, a class action lawsuit was filed against the site for making "false and misleading statements" about the counterfeit issue. Etsy took aim at questionable merchandise in the past, banning the sale of Washington Redskins items back in September. However, if it wants to continue being the go-to place for handmade goods, it'll need to do some spring cleaning. [Image credit: Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images]
iPhone 3G mini? Looks legit to me
Apparently all you need to do to knock off an imaginary Apple product is put "Mini" on the back in really crappy vinyl lettering. [Photo credit: Juska Wendland]
Goophone copies the all new (still-unannounced) HTC One
If you're going to clone one of 2014's hottest Android flagships, you might as well clone others, right? Goophone certainly thinks so. It just launched the Goophone M8, a smartphone that bears an uncanny resemblance to the all new (and still-unannounced) HTC One. Not that the similarities are much more than skin deep, mind you. Goophone's attempt at keepin' it real fake uses capacitive keys instead of the new One's on-screen buttons, and we doubt that the middling (if octa-core) processor, 1GB of RAM and 3G data speeds will have HTC breaking a sweat. It only costs $230 to get Goophone's knock-off, though. And hey, it comes in gold -- if you're only looking for an ostentatious design, you might as well save some cash.
Apple adds page to Chinese website showing how to recognize genuine power adapters
Last week, TUAW reported on the case of Ma Aliun, a 23-year-old Chinese flight attendant who was apparently electrocuted while answering her iPhone -- which was attached to what may have been a knockoff iPhone charger. Apple has now added a page to its Chinese website showing iPhone and iPad users how to identify a genuine Apple power adapter. The page talks about Apple's "stringent safety and reliability testing," then recommends that owners use the genuine article: This overview will help you identify genuine Apple USB power adapters. When you need to charge the iPhone or iPad, we recommend that you use the supplied USB power adapter and USB cable. These adapters and cables are also available separately from Apple and Apple Authorized Resellers. Apple most likely published the page to satisfy the Chinese government, which would probably be critical of any statement blaming a knockoff charger for the death of one of its citizens -- especially when the knockoff was most likely manufactured in China. The page will be of limited usefulness, since most counterfeit equipment is hard to distinguish from the real deal. [via 9to5Mac]
Can't wait for a new iMac? Buy a cheap Chinese knockoff instead
It's getting very close to the end of November, and Apple's iMac web page still shows the 21.5-inch all-in-one Mac as "coming in November," with the 27-inch slender desktop "coming in December." If you're worried that there may be no new iMac under the Christmas tree this year, then you might want to consider buying a LAVI S21i from the well-known manufacturer Shenzhen Rahway. What? You've never heard of Shenzhen Rahway? Well, take a look at what they're offering before you scoff. It looks just like one of the new iMacs -- without the Apple logo, of course -- and features a 21.5-inch 1,920 x 1,080 display, 4 GB of RAM, and either a 3.3 GHz Intel Core i3 dual-core or 2.9 GHz Intel Core i5 quad-core CPU. For storage, the LAVI S21i (kinda rolls off the tongue, doesn't it?) can be equipped with either a 128 GB SSD or a 500 GB hard drive. And the OS? Windows 8, of course. It's only 0.4 cm thicker at the edges, comes with an ugly generic power brick, and crams most of the ports (including a state-of-the-art VGA port) in the bottom of the display, but hey -- it's just like an iMac! This baby will only set you back US$540-$621 depending on which model you purchase, which means that you'll have enough money left over from not buying that $1299 non-bogus iMac to get yourself an iPad. [via M.I.C Gadget]
Goophone I5 manages to KIRF the 2012 iPhone weeks in advance
Here's something you still don't see every day: a KIRF that's unveiled before the device it's supposed to copy. Although the 2012 iPhone may not show for weeks, the Android-based Goophone I5 is already doing a remarkable job of aping Apple's rumored style, including that two-tone look that we've all seen before. Just don't get notions that it's the bargain of the century. Where most rumors point to a bigger screen for the real thing, the I5 is making do with a 3.5-inch screen similar to that for Goophone's iPhone 4S imitator, the Y5. Performance isn't likely to jolt the engineers in Cupertino out of their seats, either. Mum's the word on whether or not the I5 will beat its inspiration to the store shelf, but we'd wager that it will cost a lot less.
Droid X360 goes for the KIRF prize, antagonizes Microsoft, Motorola and Sony at the same time (video)
Can we establish a KIRF award for Most Likely to Invite Multiple Lawsuits? If so, Long Xun Software would have to claim the statuette for its Droid X360, at least if it dared set foot in the US. This prime example of keepin' it real fake is even more of a PS Vita clone than the Yinlips YDPG18, but goes the extra mile with a name that's likely to irk Microsoft, Motorola, Verizon and George Lucas all at once. That's even discounting the preloaded emulators for just about every pre-1999 Nintendo, Sega and Sony console. Inside, you'll at least find a device that's reasonably up to snuff: the 5-inch handheld is running Android 4.0 on a 1.5GHz single-core Quanzhi A10 processor, 512MB of RAM, 8GB of built-in space, a 2-megapixel camera at the back and a VGA shooter at the front. If the almost gleeful amount of copyright and trademark violation isn't keeping you from wanting this award-winner, you'll have to ask Long Xun for pricing and availability.
Konka W900 hands-on
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, consider Konka the number one practitioner of that "craft." The company, (in)famous for its OEM-copycatting ways, has set up a booth here at CTIA 2012, letting us get some up close and personal time with its W900. The HTC-esque handset, previously released at this past Mobile World Congress, is yet another in a line of underwhelming Android offerings that subsists on design without delivering on performance. Although, the phone's official spec sheet lists it as running Ice Cream Sandwich, the build we encountered was actually that of Gingerbread 2.3.6 -- a very buggy version, at that. So, don't let your eyes deceive you, what you're seeing on the homescreen is simply a third-party launcher made to ape ICS's more streamlined UI. Beneath that 4-inch WVGA display lies quadband GSM (850, 900, 1800, 1900) and WCDMA (2100) radios, VGA front-facing / rear 5-megapixel cameras, in addition to support for WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth. Unfortunately, the company couldn't confirm what processor's powering this lackluster affair. But no matter, this is one uneven device you can safely ignore. Terrence O'Brien contributed to this report.
There's literally no app for this: KIRF iPhone-branded gas stoves seized by Chinese authorities
Ordinarily, if you use your iPhone to fry eggs, it's time to check when your warranty expires. Not so for these KIRF iPhones, which can't make calls or download apps (let alone use Siri) but can fry your bacon rather well. 681 of these bafflingly branded gas stoves were seized by police in Wuhan, each bearing the legend "Apple China Limited." Apparently the units did not come with flame-out protection and only ran iOS 4.1, leading to the swoop. We should probably take that as solid confirmation that the iPhone 6's killer feature is going to involve making brunch on the go.
P.S. it's not a Vita: Yinlips' Android-based YDPG18
Don't call it a KIRF -- it's a Yinlips "Android Smart Game Player." Which is to say, it's an Xperia Play-like experience wrapped in PS Vita clothing. So basically, yeah, it's a KIRF. This form factor doppelganger hails from China and lacks the internal quad-core pizazz of the Sony next generation handheld it purports to be. Instead of standing on the precipice of portable gaming, this 5-inch pretender will net you a hum drum FroYo / Gingerbread-based (even its own website couldn't decide) OS packed with a slew of old school gaming emulators (from NES to N64), an array of ports including HDMI, a single core 1.2GHz processor complemented by 512MB of DDR2 RAM and WiFi. It's a must have device for, well, no one. But if you're the type who likes to burn money and carry about a virtual collection of video games past, then by all means, import away.
Apple strikes settlement with NYC vendors accused of selling counterfeit products
Remember that lawsuit Apple filed against a pair of Queens stores accused of selling fake iDevice accessories? Well, it looks like it's coming to a close. According to Reuters, Cupertino has reached a settlement with the two Chinatown-area retailers, both of which have agreed to hand over all products emblazoned with the Apple name or logo. If the settlement is approved, the two vendors, Fun Zone and Apple Story, will have five days to clear all counterfeit iPod and iPhone accessories from their inventories, along with any allegedly trademark-infringing promotional materials. The defendants, who maintain their innocence, would also be barred from destroying any records of sales, manufacturing or distribution of the unauthorized cases and headphones -- presumably as part of Apple's ongoing crusade against counterfeiters. Apple Story, meanwhile, would have to change its name, which bears an obvious similarity to another well-known outlet. The proposed settlement was filed with a Brooklyn District Court on Thursday and now awaits the approval of US District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto. Neither Apple nor the defendants have commented on the case.
Apple proposes settlement with Queens-area knockoff stores
Reuters reports that two Apple-knockoff stores located in the Queens borough of New York City have been offered a settlement agreement, currently under judicial review. Apple's proposed settlement mandates that the stores hand over all products bearing Apple's trademarks and branding; one store called Apple Story has also agreed to change its name to something a bit less infringing. This brings a swift end to a saga that only started a couple months ago. Counterfeited items bearing Apple's trademarks were seized from both stores in July, which followed Apple's initial filing of the suit only two days earlier. According to court filings, Apple hired private investigators to buy many items from both stores earlier this year in order to amass evidence for the case. Apple has found itself a popular target for counterfeiters recently, with fake Apple Stores popping up in China around the same time as the suit against the Queens-area counterfeiters began.
WikiLeaks cables shed light on Apple's battle against counterfeit wares
Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but if you're Rolex, Gucci or Apple, you probably aren't very interested in being flattered. Due to Apple's intense popularity, an entire industry has arisen that thrives on knocking off the iconic wares Designed in Cupertino. We've seen plenty in our day, and while it may strike some as if Apple's doing absolutely nothing to curtail the aping, a new WikiLeaks release confirms otherwise. According to an electronic memo from the Beijing embassy dated September 2008, Apple began to put obvious and deliberate pressure on China to act against businesses who were copying its wares a few years back. As it turns out, knocking out the knockoffs isn't exactly high on China's list of governmental priorities, and progress on halting the KIRF extravaganza has been sluggish at best. The entire story is quite the exhausting read, but it's worth delving into if you're curious -- per usual, you can get educated in the links below.
Apple cracks down on counterfeit products being sold in NYC
NYC may not have as many fake Apple stores as China, but it has a few and they've caught the eye of Apple. Apple has executed several seizure warrants and removed fake goods that carry the Apple logo or name from these stores. A trademark infringement lawsuit has halted sales of the alleged knockoffs while a District Court Judge Kiyo Matsumoto considers the case. Apple has asked that one store, known as Apple Story, change its name to avoid confusion with Apple's retail chain. The Cupertino company is also asking for monetary damages and a vendor list so it can trace back the origin of these counterfeit goods. [Via Engadget; image from f-paper]
Apple cracks down on counterfeit products sold in NYC, files lawsuit against Queens vendors
There may be more than a few fake Apple Stores in China, but for the moment, Cupertino's anti-KIRF crusade seems focused squarely on New York City. According to Reuters, Apple has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against two stores in Queens, alleging that they sold unauthorized cases, headphones and other accessories for the iPhone, iPad and iPod. In the complaint, the company claims that the products in question were all emblazoned with its familiar fruit logo, along with the phrase, "Designed by Apple in California. Assembled in China." The suit also demands that one of the stores, called Apple Story (seriously), change its name to avoid confusion with the real retail outlet and that both vendors disclose full lists of people who both supplied and purchased the goods. It all began when company representatives visited the Chinatown-area stores on "multiple occasions over several weeks," where they bought and examined the items, described in court records as "exact duplicates" of their authentic counterparts. On July 27th, Apple executed a few ex parte seizure warrants, which allowed authorities to seize any goods bearing its logo. US District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto has already granted an injunction to stop the stores from selling the alleged knockoffs, but hasn't yet decided whether Apple Story will have to change its name. The complaint also seeks undisclosed monetary damages and asks that all existing counterfeit goods be destroyed, though court documents suggest that both sides are close to reaching a deal. Neither Apple nor the defendants have commented on the accusations, but we'll let you know as soon as we learn more. In the meantime, check out this KIRF "iPhone 5" we found in Beijing -- a Java-powered handset that's slimmer than the Galaxy S II and a bit laggy, but boasts a multitouch capacitive screen. Asking price? ¥680, or about $106. %Gallery-131124%
China finds and shuts down 22 more fake Apple Stores
Chinese authorities already shut down two fake Apple Stores located in the Kunming area, but that was apparently just the opening salvo. According to Reuters, 22 more unauthorized Apple retailers have now been located and shuttered. It's not clear from the report if these retailers went all-out like the first two, with stores that looked virtually identical to the real thing. Sources were also unable to confirm if these retailers were actually selling Apple products or just broadly similar fakes. Situations like this are apparently an ongoing issue in China, which is generally lax about enforcing copyright or IP restrictions. Given that the majority of Apple's devices are manufactured in Chinese factories, it's not particularly surprising that so many of them are finding their way onto the grey and black markets of China, and this latest crackdown is probably only a temporary setback for these fake retailers.
