keepin it real fake
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Keepin' it real fake, part CCIII: New York Times undercover edition
When the New York Times sent one of its ace reporters to Shenzhen to check out the KIRF scene, they came to a startling conclusion: these things are really quite popular. And why not? Your iPhone might be a terrific device, but is it really $400 better than the Hi-Phone, or the iorgane? Well, it's probably $400 better than the iorgane -- we'll give you that one. The article sites a general lack of concern from the Chinese government, new technology such as Mediatek's turnkey circuit board solution, and a significant drop in the price of parts as reasons that knock-off phones are so prominent in that part of the world. There is also a bit of cultural pride at work, too: purchasing "shanzhai" technology is sometimes seen as a way to thumb your nose at the big players in the industry and throw some work to your local bandit. That said, we do have to cry foul at the way the paper lumps our beloved Meizu M8 in with the usual assortment of knock-offs: the thing sports nary an Apple (or "organe") on its handsome exterior. Check out the price breakdown on a typical $40 KIRF after the break.[Thanks, Ben]
Keepin' it real fake, part CCII: meticulous G1 clone forgets the keyboard, a reason for being
We were already scratching our heads over the SciPhone Dream G2+, which went to all the trouble of ripping off Android for little apparent reason -- most of the OS is free for the taking. Well, things just got weirder with the new "G1 Quad band GSM Google Android Style Touch Screen Mobile phone." The handset not only has a fake version of Android, but also mimics the G1's looks pretty extensively -- ironic for a phone that was a bit long in the design tooth by the time it hit the market, despite its adorability factor. The fake G1 also lacks a slide-out keyboard, and we're having trouble making out the trackball -- it might be fake as well. We suppose a 3.5mm headphone jack would be a bit much to ask for?[Thanks, Patrick K.]
Keepin' it real fake, part CXCIX: NokiPhone N3000i dual slider is one part N95, two parts iPhone, and six parts win
Combining two pretty great ideas in a way that is all kinds of illegal in the US, the China-produced NokiPhone N3000i looks to be a pretty straightforward iPhone ripoff with bonus N95-esque dual slider capabilities. The GSM smartphone's got 3.2-inch QVGA screen, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0, dual SIM support, microSD slot, and video recording capabilities. Price of admission is $129 right now, which according to chinagrabber is a hefty discount from its $400 MSRP. Your move, NOKLA.[Via PMP Today]
Lenovo's Android-powered OPhone gets hands-on video treatment
It's always nice to get an update on one of our favorite KIRFs as of late. Lenvo's Android-powered OPhone has popped up in a hands-on video, showing off its mock-iPhone OS interface and all the doppelganger apps / features -- weather, stock, calculator and even a near-identical push notification window. Surprisingly, it's actually pretty well put together and includes some things we wish our legit Apple phone would do, like on-screen widgets and an option to change backgrounds. It'll be a cold day in Hell before we see this serial patent infringer outside of China, so for now you'll have to get your OPhone kicks by checking out the video after the break.[Thanks, Neerhaj]
Keepin' it real fake, part CXCVI: NOKLA 5800 XpressMusic is actually quite convincing on video
NOKLA strikes again! The Hong Kong-based doppelganger has concocted its own version of the 5800 XpressMusic, and it looks like they've spared no expense in copying the Finnish phonemaker's handiwork, from the apparent use of Symbian S60 5th Edition to the wavy line-infused screen film. Vietnamese retailer L. A. digital's selling it for 1,900,000 VND, or about $107 US. Peep the video after the break to see this grade-A KIRF unboxed and toyed with.[Via Daily Mobile]
Keepin' it real fake, part CXCV: NOKLA N97 drops two i's, fools no one
Make no mistake, the Chinese-bound NOKLA N97 has neither Finnish origins nor any connection to a certain KIRF-friendly mobile OS. Specs include a large screen, an OK button, absolutely no slide-out keyboard, the words 'N97' in the top left corner, and an utter sense of despondency for those who actually pay money for this.[Via Daily Mobile]
Keepin' it real fake, part CLXXXVII: the Toshiba TG01 doesn't deserve this kind of love
Toshiba definitely made some waves at MWC with the Snapdragon-powered TG01, but you'll have to wait a while to get the real thing -- or you can front like you're VIP with the Venus JXD318 here, which cops all the style with none of the substance. You'll have to keep your friends at a distance (and possibly a little drunk) to keep the illusion alive, however: Venus didn't see fit to clone Tosh's stripes UI, instead going with the sadly-ubiquitous "wannabe iPhone" look, and the whole thing is controlled by those five tiny side buttons, since it's not a touchscreen. That's a pretty weak effort, overall -- come on, KIRFers, you can do better.[Via PMP Today]
Keepin' it real fake, part CLXXIX: AURA clone loses a vowel and a lot of class
Despite finding it incredibly luscious to behold, we realize not everyone can afford to drop $2,000 on a piece of pocket jewelery like the Motorola AURA -- ourselves sadly included. Regardless, we would never advise anyone to go the KIRF route, and that includes the RicT-007 AVRA. It looks to offer something of the etched beauty of Moto's choice handset but lacks the exclusivity, cherry wood packaging, and, we presume, the solid feel of the real thing. Yes that 750 yuan price (about $100) is mighty tempting, but resist, fair readers, resist. [Via Engadget Chinese]
Keepin' it real fake, part CLXXVIII: Canon doesn't suck edition
You know what Canon doesn't make? Right, Vacuum cleaners. Obvious to us but according to the site English Russian, a large Russian electronics supplier recently bought what they believed to be genuine Canon-made Vacuum cleaners. Why not, after all, that logo slapped all over the manuals and device is a straight rip from the Japanese company. The KIRF-co even has the audacity to host a Russian site registered to Gold Space Inc. at www.canon-electonics.com (the official Canon Electronics site is canon-elec.co.jp) which, ambient music aside, is nothing but a portal into an empty consumer abyss. A call to the company's New York support number results in an "invalid number" recording. Surpising.
Keepin' it real fake, part CLXXV: The SMS walkie-talkie roundup
We know, the holiday season is officially kaput, but if you still owe that niece or nephew a gift and you feel like teaching them tech-savvy and brand loyalty, you might want to consider one of these KIRF walkie-talkies / organizers that let you send text messages in addition to voice calls in the same vein as that Slide Click we saw back in the day. Trust us, typing on a small keyboard or numpad is one of the best skills they can have when they grow up -- it's a lot more practical than the Morse code we learned back in our day. The lone exception here is the feature-less RAZR knockoff that does voice-only -- hey, it's only fitting that the one phone here that doesn't knock off a smartphone have less features.[Thanks, James]Read - Discovery Exclusive Pink Slide and Text Messengers (Sidekick)Read - iChat SMS Text Messenger/Chat Talkies (Blackberry)Read - iText SMS Text Messenger (iPhone)Read - Discovery Exclusive Flip Phone Walkie-Talkies (RAZR)
Keepin' it real fake, part CLXXIV: MiWi2 Wiipoff spotted in London shop
We're pretty sure that Nintendo doesn't have anything to fear when it comes to the MiWi2, a Wii knockoff that was first spotted by Engadget Korea back in June. However, we were surprised to see the fake on sale somewhere outside of Asia -- or really anywhere for that matter. Yes, unknowing parents may have accidentally snagged one of these rip-offs instead of the real deal at an unnamed London shop, but rest assured, your little darlings probably let you know once they unwrapped it and realized you got them the wrong damn thing.[Thanks, Kasam]
Keepin' it real fake, part CLXVII: 2PG PSP knockoff adds second controller, nothing else
The 2PG TC8281 is one hard working portable game console -- and trust us, it ain't easy trying to make a living under the shadow of the PSP and its less expensive (and downright irreputable) siblings. Don't blame the poor guy if he was born with "brand name style," as they say in the business -- what he lacks in originality, or in technological ability, he more than makes up for in hard work. Yours for just under $50, this handheld is compatible with the ever-popular Cool Boy game console, and ships with 117 games (5 on-board, 112 on the cartridge) including Milk Nuts, Space ET, Zippy Race and perennial favorite Mappy. And if all that weren't enough, the device includes A/V outputs for bringing the party to your television, and a separate Playstation-like controller so you can get your game on multi-player style. Ready to take a chance? More pictures after the break.[Via Technabob]
Keepin' it real fake, part CXLI: if the Nokia E90 had the keyboard from hell
In case you've mastered the time-honored QWERTY configuration to the point that using such keyboards bores you right into a peaceful slumber, we present to you this beacon of intelligent industrial design and usability, the device known simply as "E9000." The Nokia E90 rip features what can only be described as one of the most nightmarish bastardizations of the QWERTY layout we've ever seen, planting a touchpad (or something) square in the middle of where you'd expect a bunch of keys to be. The good news, we guess, is that the "Fashion" label silkscreened onto the back should reassure buyers that they're investing in some of the finest lookin' kit money can buy -- just don't expect to be able to type worth a damn.[Thanks, facelessloser]
Keepin' it real fake, part CXXXVIII: HiVision knows that even netbooks need fake friends
HiVision (also known as Shenzhen), a Chinese OEM exhibiting at IFA, is completely unabashed about its collection of netbook look-alikes, which range from 400MHz ARM-based computers that could retail for as little $150, to full featured VIA-powered affairs. Everything was as plastic as could be, of course, but the HP Mini-Note rips were almost passable as sexy. Almost.%Gallery-30849%
Keepin' it real fake, part CXXVII: OQO G900 mimics Palm Centro
Windows Mobile in a ripoff Palm Centro casing doesn't exactly scream out OQO, but the KIRFers know no boundaries, and at least the "G900" here isn't totally crap underneath that indelicate exterior. You're looking at a 624MHz CPU, 128MB memory, quad-band GSM / GPRS / EDGE, a 2 megapixel camera, Windows Mobile 6.1, Bluetooth, and a dash of WiFi -- ostensibly better specs than the Centro itself. Of course, this set may not find its way to a provider's shelves near you, but it's refreshing to see KIRF done right, and perhaps even done better for a change. Wonder if they're planning to move two million of these bad boys?
Keepin' it real fake, part CXXIII: the Wiimote candy dispenser
According to the reader who sent this our way, this candy dispenser looks "exactly" like a Wiimote, except it fires candy out of the spot where the IR transmitter should be. Apparently the instructions suggest that you "Do not aim at face," so... it's kind of like the real thing.[Thanks, Timothy]
Keepin' it real fake, part CXXI: Sapido NAS apes another Xbox 360 KIRF
Okay, so it's one thing to copy Microsoft on its Xbox 360 design -- and yes, Amigo did so shamelessly with its R622AG WLAN router that we peeked about this time last year -- but it takes some serious cohones to copy a copycat. Nevertheless, Sapido has done just that with its latest NAS. Yeah, we could tell you all about its SAMBA / FTP / BT compatibility, but we'd rather point out that for all intents and purposes, this enclosure is the exact same one Amigo used when showcasing its own device last year. So apparently there's a universally accepted method for ripping off Redmond's console -- who knew?
Keepin' it real fake, part CXVIII: iPhone on the farm
Yeah, we too are hoping that these overseas impostors will have to start changing up their game if they still want to ape the iPhone in just a few months, but as it stands, the Toggolino Phone actually does a fantastic job of shaming itself. Apparently this handset, er, device comes packaged with some form of German kit meant to teach kinder a few things about words, animals and the equitable distribution of wealth throughout social classes. Okay, so maybe that last bit isn't in there, but seriously, those animal apps look way more interesting than stocks, weather and company email. [Thanks, Oliver]
Keepin' it real fake, part CXIII: the Blade Runner MP4 player doesn't make calls, retire Replicants
Like peanut butter and jelly, oil and vinegar, and Benny and Joon, some things just go together. If you thought the words "Blade Runner" and the industrial design of the RAZR were always "meant to be," your day has finally come. Enter the Blade Runner MP4 player -- the PMP that looks like a phone, but acts like far, far, far less. The device has lots of familiar media player features, but let's be honest: all the information you need about this baby is up in that photo above. Own the magic today for $49.99.[Via Crave]
Keepin' it real fake: lunar evidence edition
Not content with just KIRF'n popular gadgets, our favorite reversers of engineering are back and this time, doing it up in space. Notice any difference between the 1994 Pentagon photo (on left) of the moon and that taken by China's Chang 1 last week in almost exactly the same location? Hint: look in the yellow circle. Right, what appears to be a new crater on the geologically dead hellscape we call the moon. Well, since the image was released under great fanfare in China, it's been heavily shouted down as a fake by flat-Earthers in the West. It's not, at least not in the traditional sense. According to Emily Lakdawalla of The Planetary Society, the image is real (and likely original) but the "new" crater is just an artifact from the process of stitching and blending 19 image strips taken on different orbits. The correctly stitched image (achieved by sliding the left-most crater up, and the right-most down) is presented in the yellow box above. Unfortunately, the chief scientist of the Chinese lunar exploration program, Ouyang Ziyuan, said that the emergence of the crater was proof that their photograph was original. Sorry Charlie, the crater is not new, only the lighting angle and resolution is... we think.[Via MSNBC]
