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Apple's lawyers finally going after Meizu, or so it seems
C'mon, let's all color ourselves shocked at once. It'll be fun. We promise. If you've been calling the underside of a rock home for the past decade or so, you may have missed out on a Chinese outfit by the name of Meizu. For all intents and purposes, the company has done its darnedest to copy Apple in every respect, particularly with the software on its M8 and M9 smartphones. Strangely, we've never actually heard confirmation that Cupertino's best lawyers were breathing down Meizu's neck... until now. As the story goes, Meizu CEO Jack Wong's forum postings have been rather tense of late, and one in particular seems to explain why: Apple's all up in his grille. The details are hidden beneath a good bit of pent-up rage, but what is clear is a mention of Apple's lawyers and their "unreasonable negotiation tactics." In essence, Jack finds it absurd that Apple could claim rights to the touchscreen smartphone form factor, and while Apple could only serve a relative few in China, he (obviously) expects Meizu to serve far more. We won't pretend to be sad on Jack's behalf -- we mean, the guy had it coming -- but we can't shake the looming depression when thinking of a world with no future Meizu devices to chuckle at.
BleckBarry raises the bar for KIRFs, casually crawls under it
BleckBarry! This is the handset that puts the "phone" in smartphone but, sadly, leaves out the "smart." Featuring a 2-inch display, Bluetooth, a whopping 506KB internal memory, FM and TV (with antenna!), and all the dual SIM action your heart can take, this $62 wonder does one thing well: it makes the BlockBerry look great in comparison.
Keepin' it real fake: Dyson's Air Multiplier gets ripped off, multiplied a few more times
We never really understood the value proposition behind Dyson's (admittedly boisterous) Air Multiplier, but that's mostly due to the $300+ MSRP. Cut that back to right around $40, and you just might have us singing a different tune. Thanks to the wonders of KIRFing, Dyson's bladeless fan has seen itself duped and multiplied over in China, with a 10-inch version now selling for just $41.05 so long as you buy ten or more units. Abiko seems to the company hawking the knockoffs, with its version reportedly "indistinguishable from the original." So, what's it going to be? The real deal? Or the real deal? Update: Dyson requested that we add this comment, so we're more than happy to present you with it. "The Dyson Air Multiplier™ fans were launched in 2009 after four years of research and development. A team of specialist Dyson engineers have refined and patented the technology: illegal copies are of significantly inferior quality. Dyson rigorously defends its intellectual property and treats any infringement very seriously. Dyson is taking legal action against anyone who copies its technology."
Lenovo side project to launch Xbox 360 / Kinect knockoff in China: hello, eBox
Well... this is interesting. Prior to Kinect hitting the masses in November, one Eedoo looks to be doing the world one better (or worse) with the eBox. In what can only be described as a bizarre tale of mystery, a Lenovo co-founded company has decided to produce what amounts to an Xbox 360 knockoff as well as a motion sensing peripheral that unquestionably takes inspiration from Kinect. In fact, we don't even know if conventional controllers are a part of the deal, but word on the street has this one getting official in November and shipping early in 2011. Beyond that, details are few and far between, but you can follow the links below for a couple of videos (one's after the break) and a smattering of cellphone snapshots.
Enso's Android-based zenPad 4 ships, gets unboxed and politely berated on video
Based on our experience with the original zenPad -- one that we wouldn't wish upon our worst enemy's enemies -- we had a feeling that Enso's latest crop of wares wouldn't exactly be teeming with high quality components. One kindhearted tipster of ours managed to ignore our advice and order up a $199 zenPad 4, which is just another iPad KIRF for all intents and purposes. Loaded with Android 2.1 and doused in mediocrity, this 10.2-inch tablet actually ships in a knockoff iPad box... one that proudly sports a perfectly random Internet Explorer icon on the front. Trust us, the laughs don't end there. It was also said to be about half as responsive to key presses as the iPad, and when pressing down on the bezel, it actually leaves momentary indentations that require a tick to flatten back out. Classy. Head on past the break for a purely comedic video unboxing and preview -- if you've had a rough one, you owe it to yourself. [Thanks, Michael] %Gallery-99241%
Keepin' it real fake: Nokia's Android N8
Can you believe we've waited on the N8 long enough for (at least) three KIRF versions to beat it to market? This latest one's pretty special too, as it gives us a glimpse into one of the fevered dream of Engadget commenters: a Nokia flagship rocking Android (2.1, in this case). The iZiNN CJ-3 copies the N8's form factor, styling, and 3.5-inch screen, but throws in an upgrade of its own by going with a higher-res 800 x 480 capacitive panel. Yeah, we're shocked too. A 5 megapixel imager, a budget Rockchip CPU, and an HDMI port fill out the rest of the known specs, while a release in China is expected some time later this month. Anyone know why this thing isn't being built and sold by a legitimate manufacturer? [Thanks, Ludger]
Keepin' it real fake: EVO 4G Shanzai edition
Shameless isn't even the word for it. While some companies try to get away with calling themselves Nokla or BlockBerry, these Chinese KIRFers have no qualms about copying HTC's EVO 4G in its entirety (externally, anyhow). Yes, that includes the Sprint insignia and the promise of 4G, both of which are, of course, amusingly untrue. Not only do you not get that supersonic WiMAX radio, you also miss out on Android, as this EVO rides the WinMo 6.5 gravy train. There's also no 8 megapixel camera, no 720p video, and no mini-HDMI output. But you still get a 4.3-inch, 800 x 480 screen and one of the best copy-and-paste KIRF jobs we've seen to date. See the back of this skilled imitator after the break.
Breaking: Fake white iPhone 4 is not delayed
If the KIRF arrives before the KIRFed, then it's debatable who's KIRFing who, right? Either way, we ordered two.
Pedal-powered Porsche made out of Balsa wood doesn't fail to impress
You've always wanted a knock-off, pedal powered Porsche that was actually constructed largely out of Balsa wood and tin foil painted gold, right? Well, who wouldn't?
Keepin' it real fake: Nokia's N8 beaten to release by lackluster knockoff
All together now: "Already?" KIRFers overseas are getting quicker and quicker with their knockoffs, and at this point, it's safe to say that you'll have an easier time wrapping your hands around a commendable Nokia N8 impostor than the real-deal. The outside looks an awful lot like Nokia's first major Symbian^3-based handset, but the specifications are decidedly lackluster: you'll get a 400 x 240 resolution display (3.2-inches), an MP4 player, FM radio, Bluetooth, webcam and a battery that'll last three to five hours. Glaringly absent is a 12 megapixel camera, WiFi module and built-in 3G support, but it's not like that stuff really matters -- after all, what else would you expect for an unsubsidized price of just $105? Head on past the break for a video, rockstar. [Thanks, Alain]
Keepin' it real fake: Android iPad KIRF gets Android 2.1, display upgrade, and our undying respect
Still unsure whether you want that Android iPad KIRF we spotted a couple weeks ago? What if we told you it got a display upgrade to 10-inches and an OS upgrade (to Eclair) to boot? Rocking a 1GHz Cortex A8 processor, 512MB of RAM, a 16GB flash drive, SD card slot, three USB 2.0 ports, headphone and mic jacks, Ethernet and HDMI ports, and WiFi, this is definitely something to keep an eye out for on your next trip to the gadget markets of Shenzhen. Just remember to grab one for us, okay?
Keepin' it real fake: MacBook Pro knockoff rocks Ion 2, thinks itself fly
We've stumbled across any number of MacBook Air KIRFs, but it's not often we see a worthy representation of Cupertino's heftier model. Never underestimate Shenzhen. This "Dragonfly QT Pro" not only features a familiar aluminum alloy shell, the 14-inch, 1366 x 768 netbook's also got Ion 2 switchable graphics ahead of its Acer and ASUS cousins. A 1.66GHz Atom D410 and 1GB of memory help pump out 1080p video while keeping case temperatures at a lap-happy 36 degrees Celsius, while a 160GB hard drive, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and HDMI (take that, Mini DisplayPort) round out a 4.2 pound, roughly $3000 RMB (about $440) package. Shame it only gets 2 hours of battery life, eh?
Keepin' it real fake: iPad QWERTY slider edition
We're not about to cover every iPad knockoff that emerges from parts unknown, but this particular device packs just enough KIRF innovation to get us to take notice. The biggest selling point, so to speak, is the tablet's sliding QWERTY keypad, which packs some MacBook-esque keys and a ThinkPad-style pointing stick. As if that wasn't enough, you'll also apparently get WIndows 7 for an OS, along with a 10-inch display of unspecified resolution, and an Atom N450 processor at the heart of rig. No indication of a price -- or even a name, for that matter -- but you can at least check out another shot of it in its closed state at the source link below.
Tonight on the Talkcast: Fake or real? Engadget's 'iPhone HD' find
Many of you may be wondering "Where's the TUAW post about this phone from the bar that Engadget is talking about? Is it the next iPhone? Huh?" Well, the answer is simple: as much as we love our Engadget pals, and as much as we respect their enthusiasm for all things Apple, we were pretty sure it was fake, so we didn't post it. Now it turns out that Spanish site AppleSfera has found the mystery phone, and it's a Japanese iPhone knockoff (translated post here). Thanks to Aaron Hirst and Bradley Petrik for tracking down the link. The excitement was palpable for a second there, but next time a strange phone gets found in a San Jose bar, let's all take a breath or two, shall we? Update: Engadget has posted new pictures that add confidence to the prototype's bona fides. Also, the AppleSfera photos have been confirmed to be fakes. We were fortunate enough to have Josh Topolsky on the show, so you can hear the story straight from him. Meanwhile, we have finally got a week with news other than the iPad onslaught. New MacBook Pro models have hit the shelves, and if you happened to pick up one of the new machines, we'd love to hear from you tonight on the talkcast. We'll also be running down the latest episode of "Emails from Steve," our new favorite soap opera, and talking about the odd case of iPads banned from Israel. To participate on TalkShoe, you can use the browser-only client, the embedded Facebook app, or the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client; however, for maximum fun, you should call in. For the web UI, just click the "TalkShoe Web" button on our profile page at 10 pm Sunday. To call in on regular phone or VoIP lines (take advantage of your free cellphone weekend minutes if you like): dial (724) 444-7444 and enter our talkcast ID, 45077 -- during the call, you can request to talk by keying in *8. If you've got a headset or microphone handy on your Mac, you can connect via the free Gizmo or X-Lite SIP clients; basic instructions are here. Talk with you then!
Keepin' it real fake: Moonse iPad knockoff loses a few inches, runs Android
This is far from the first iPad knockoff to emerge from KIRF-land, but Moonse's new E-7001 tablet may just be the first to garner some serious interest -- if it ever actually turns up for sale, that is. Supposedly, the tablet will sell for as little as 900 Chinese yuan (or about $130), which will get you a 7-inch touchscreen, a 600MHz Rockchip RK2808 processor (which could possibly be upgraded to a Cortex-A8 before launch), Android 1.5 for an OS, an SD card slot for storage, built-in WiFi, and a promised five hours of battery life. What's more, while it is slightly thicker than an iPad, it apparently weighs just 0.7 pounds, or about half as much as the iPad, and it boasts a few advantages of its own, in a front-facing camera and a USB port. As you may have guessed, there's not even a hint on availability, but it does seem to at least exist in prototype form, and there's plenty more shots of it at the source link below.
Newegg terminates supplier relationship over counterfeit Core i7 CPUs
This weekend, up to 300 Newegg customers who pulled the trigger on a new Intel Core i7-920 processor found themselves puzzling over a clever fake instead. Who's to blame? It's not exactly clear -- Newegg initially said that the processors were "demo units," but has now posted a statement to Facebook saying that supplier IPEX shipped counterfeit chips and has had its contract revoked. That's good news for D&H Distributing, another Newegg supplier that responded to an initial wave of finger-pointing by issuing legal nastygrams to sites covering the story, thus ruining whatever good vibes the truth's generated. Finally, here's the statement Intel just sent us, explaining in no uncertain terms that these are counterfeit parts: "Intel has been made aware of a limited number of counterfeit i7 920 packages in the marketplace, specifically Newegg, and is working to how many and/or where they are being sold. The examples we have seen are not Intel products but are counterfeits. Buyers should contact their place of purchase for a replacement and/or should contact their local law enforcement agency if the place of purchase refuses to help. Intel is getting samples to inspect and until then we can say that everything in the package appears fake. Some of the photos of the processor look like it is a casting and not even a real processor of any kind. Newegg has moved quickly to replace the suspect units." No matter who's at fault here, the damage has been done. We'll never build another PC without losing precious seconds carefully examining its CPU first. [Thanks, Cody C.]
NewEgg sells 300 counterfeit Core i7-920 CPUs, KIRFers pump their fists
Oops. Over the weekend, it seems as if 300 or so unlucky individuals were shipped a counterfeit processor from the normally reliable warehouses at NewEgg, and Hard|OCP has the images (and video) to prove it. Vincent Waller couldn't have possibly been more eager to receive the Core i7-920 that he had ordered, but upon unboxing it, he realized that he had received a well-disguised fake. After a fair bit of digging, it seems as if one of NewEgg's "long time partners" (D&H Distributing) got ahold of 300 fakes in a batch of 2,000, though not everyone's buying the "it was an honest mistake" line -- especially when you consider that said company has already issued cease-and-desist letters to the sites who published the news. At any rate, NewEgg has already arranged for an authentic CPU to be rushed to Mr. Waller, and it's purportedly working around the clock in order to make things right with any other negatively affected customers. Hop on past the break for a look at the knockoff, particularly if you just took delivery of a shiny new Core i7.
Apple, Siemens and Sisvel patent infringement leads to CeBIT booth raid
Mama always said that some folks just never learn, and we reckon there's plenty of wisdom to be had from that very statement. Year after year, German police are called in to raid select booths at CeBIT (and IFA, to be fair), and yet again we've seen a booth cleared out at the request of powerful lawyers from a few companies you may have heard of. Word on the street has it that Apple, Siemens and Sisvel were all kvetching over patent infringements made by an unnamed company exhibiting at last week's show, and within an hour or so of the fuzz showing up, the whole thing was stripped and a hefty fine (€10,000) was levied. Unfortunately, the exact details of who was violating what remains clouded in mystery, but for whatever reason, we get the feeling that something extremely similar will be going down in Hannover next year. We blame KIRFers determination. Updated: Turns out one of our editors at CeBIT saw this whole situation go down at the FirstView booth. Within minutes the entire booth was surrounded by the Polizei, and though we tried to dig further on the situation our inability to speak German caused some communication issues so we decided it best to move on to the next craptablet on the floor. We will, however, always have the shot above to remember the confusing experience. [Thanks, TheLostSwede]
Keepin' it real fake: HP Mini 5101 knockoff is almost as good, almost as expensive as the real thing
Coveting a beautiful new netbook but can't quite manage the $399 for a new HP Mini 5101/5102? Maybe this knock-off would fit your budget, looking more or less indistinguishable from the real thing. The ports have a slightly different layout (with some of them looking a wee bit askew) and the red hue here doesn't have quite the same lustre of the real thing -- but it is awfully close, right down to the chrome HP logo on the lid. How much would you pay for this piece of impressioned gadgetry? How about $337? Sure, the difference is enough to cover a copy of Heavy Rain, but could you live with yourself typing your e-mail every day on a lie? Beyond that, we have a suspicion this thing wouldn't last much longer than the Origami Killer's victims.
JXD V3 handheld is confused, confusing and altogether interesting
We won't front -- there's little chance we'd actually use JXD's V3 handheld, but it's not for lack of interest. This here PMP / game player hybrid isn't apt to leave the shores of Asia, but for those in that neck of the woods, this unit offers up emulators for a slew of game consoles, a 4.3-inch display, a 5 megapixel camera and plenty of file format support to handle your favorite music and video. Reportedly, the device even features an FM radio tuner, and in case you're curious as to why there are two D-pads on this thing, it's because you'll need 'em to get through certain Game Boy / NES titles. Or so they say. We can't say we're stoked about the $112 price tag, but in a way, we're kind of in love with the whole flip-top design.
