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Keepin' it real fake: Chinese Nokia N9 makes but minor sacrifices
Chinese rip-off merchants have been crafting N9s since before the handset even existed and by now they're pretty good at it. This latest bogie comes in at just $64 -- way cheaper than a genuine budget smartphone -- but it still manages to pack in dual SIM slots, a mock iPhone UI and a resistive touchscreen that gives you the ergonomic pleasure of pressing everything three times. Sure, we have a few misgivings about the lack of functioning apps and the blurry 1.3MP rear camera, but then even the N-Man himself has the occasional phony moment. Update: We switched the pic to show you the iOS version, rather than the mock Sense variant depicted earlier. Yes, it seems you do get a choice.
Want free coffee and got an iPhone? Use Jonathan's Card (Updated)
Update from Editor-in-chief: According to evidence surfaced via Coffeestrategies.com, this was supposedly a "viral marketing campaign." While we strive to verify sources before posting, it appears we were too eager to believe this "social experiment" was legitimate (and others have been in the past, just not from Starbucks). - Victor Agreda, Jr. Update 2: We received this statement from Starbucks: "I received your note and wanted to let you know that the information you read is inaccurate. Starbucks had no knowledge of Jonathan's plans, and has no official relationship with him or the company he works for. We do think his project is interesting and we are flattered that he is using Starbucks as a part of his 'pay-it-forward' experiment. Again - Starbucks did not have any knowledge of Jonathan's project." While we here at TUAW find it curious that Starbucks was, at one point, listed on the Mobiquity client page, and shortly after this story went wide that page was removed, it is possible that Jonathan, obviously a Starbucks customer as well, independently came up with this idea on his own and implemented it. Note the use of past-tense when referring to the relationship with Starbucks and Jonathan and his employer. The only comment from Jonathan has been by way of this Facebook page. - Ed. Update 3: Our pals at TechCrunch were even more generous in this post, published 3 minutes before update #2 there. Faith in humanity is once again restored. Mostly. - Ed. App developer Jonathan Stark is taking the Starbucks app and adding a philanthropic twist to it. Stark is trying out a social experiment by offering up a picture of his Starbucks card to the Internet and urges people to get a cup of coffee on him. He bought a Starbucks gift card, took a screencap from his iPhone and uploaded it to the Internet for anyone to use. The only thing Stark asks is that if folks are feeling generous, they can add to the card's balance to pay the good deed forward once they get their free cup of joe. To participate, download a copy of the image to your iPhone and take it to your local Starbucks and use it to pay for your coffee. A Twitter feed keeps track of the current balance on the card. Instead of launching the Starbucks app, open the saved image and have the Starbucks employee scan it. This can be used in locations where the Starbucks mobile app is accepted. Stark told CNN that as of Monday, more than $3,650 has been spent on a card that started with just $30 on it. Starbucks told CNN that the company was flattered that Stark chose to use it for the experiment.
Keepin' it real fake, part CCXL: HTC Hero gets iPhone flair
It's just like the old riddle: what looks like a Hero, thinks it's an iPhone, and does double-duty as an old-school FM handheld? Why, it's the TVG3 -- and when combined with some prototypical shanzhai flair, its (con)fusion of attributes from all over the cellphone space make this one a stunning exemplar of KIRFness. Behold! 3.2-inch touchscreen, G-sensor (aka gyroscope), dual sims, Bluetooth, WiFi, built-in TV tuner, HTC looks and an almost-iPhone UI: not bad for $130, eh? In case you won't be in Shenzhen any time soon, you can get a closer look after the break. [Thanks, Jules H]
The not-3G iPhone unboxing gets faker still
C'mon guys -- you're going to have to do better than this. First you show us that beat looking gray phone with the "dot" front-facing camera. Now the dot has magically grown, and the gray face looks more and more like a Colorware job or a badly cut sticker. But you know what's really insulting? You show that colored plastic back, and then in the next picture, the original iPhone aluminum back is clearly visible. Honestly... it's like you're not even trying.
