KeepinItRealFake
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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]
Keepin' it real fake, part XCVIII: a near-perfect Nokia N73 rip?
Doing a double-take? Yeah, us too -- in fact, we're not totally convinced it's fake. This here is allegedly a "chinese [sic] clone" of Nokia's 3.2 megapixel N73 candybar for sale in New Zealand, but apart from some wonky looking user interface stuff, it looks like a perfectly legit Asia-spec N73 to us. For what it's worth, the specs list a 2 megapixel cam (1.2 off the real deal's mark), a mere dual-mode GSM radio, and a listing of "data mode" that leads us to believe that EDGE may be nowhere to be found -- let alone 3G -- so odds are the imitation only goes skin deep. Then again, if it turns out to be one of Espoo's own, someone's lined up to get a real steal on an N73, no?[Thanks, Ebbi]
Keepin' it real fake, part XCIV: Act-429 PMP puts on a RAZR2 act
Another unimaginative PMP for you this weekend, which happens to vaguely rip-off the design of the RAZR2. Nope, this doesn't have a phone stuck inside: it's simply a regular little PMP that features a 2-inch screen and controls that mimic the look of Motorola's flagship. It also has an FM tuner, a speaker -- hey, at least you could pretend that this is a speakerphone -- and e-Book and gaming "functionality." Don't expect to see this in your local Wal-Mart anytime soon.[Via PMP Today]
Keepin' it real fake, part XCI: Loomax Ii touch isn't an iPod, duh
German publication Welt Online has the scoop on a killer KIRF: the Loomax Ii touch, which rips off the iPod Touch and sells for less than half the price. It has all the usual ingredients -- it plays music, has a touch screen, and Apple-esque icons -- but this time, Apple gives a damn. Apple spokesperson George Albrecht commented on this specific example, saying something along the lines of "we'll examine this case closely," which is a lot more than can be said for the multitude of other iPod rip-offs we've seen in our KIRF series (and beyond.)[Thanks, David K.]
Keepin' it real fake, part LXXXVII: "Manhattan" mobile not a T-Mobile Dash
Although this "Manhattan" Wide Screen GSM Dual Card Mobile phone doesn't rip-off any logos, it most certainly is more than "inspired" by T-Mobile's Dash. You probably won't want to pick up this $224.99 model, unless you don't mind living without any internet access at all (it doesn't even do GPRS), but if you need a phone that does two SIM cards -- we can't imagine what for -- then you're in luck. Then again, if you live in the US or Canada, you're out of luck again, because apparently this doesn't work there. Double lame.
Keepin' it real fake, part LXXXII: The Chintendo Vii
While we imagine that reverse engineering the Wii console is a fairly straightforward procedure, reproducing Nintendo's extensive software library would be quite the trick. That is, until Meizu's OS X duplication team becomes available. Pages 3 and 4 after the break. [Thanks, Anonymouse]
Keepin' it real fake, part LXXX: ONDA Honey VX878
What's made in China, costs just $55, and looks like your favorite [insert touchscreen device here] full-screen media player? The ONDA Honey VX878, that's what. The followup to the Honey VX855, overhauls the GUI while squishing the touchscreen down to 2.4-inches and just 260k colors with up to 15 hours of audio power and support for AVI, MP3, WAV, WMA, FLAC, APE, TXT, LRC, JPG, and BMP media formats stored on microSD. What, you didn't expect them to include a card in the box for that price did you? [Via The Gadget Site, thanks Carl P.]
Keepin' it real fake, part LXXI: X-Game 360 doesn't play Halo
Most people pop across the border for a good time. Engadget editors interpret that good time as a chance to check out rip offs like this $28 "X-Game 360." No bonus points here for spotting the inspiration behind this KIRF. All we wanna know is, what're the chances it comes with HDMI?
Keepin' it real fake, part LXVI: shifty shuffles
We've gotta say, we're having real trouble figuring out exactly which MP3 player the bright green "Mini Aluminum Pocket Clipper" is trying to copy: the lack of a symbol for the play button, coupled with a badly Photoshopped-out logo on the back has us really muddled! The second example -- the iQ Sound 2GB Clip-on Aluminum MP3 Player with FM -- at least tries to improve upon its "source of inspiration," whatever that device may be.[Thanks, Marcus V]
Fake iPhones: a retrospective
It ain't even out yet, and the iPhone already stands to become one of the most ripped consumer devices the world has ever seen. From the "I-MOBILE i-phone" to the CECT IP9300 and everything in between, Engadget Mobile's taken a sentimental trip down fake iPhone lane this week as we all brace ourselves for the real thing to finally hit. Come share a few emotional moments with us as we reminisce!
Keepin' it real fake, part LXIV: 2G Shuffle goes dark
Some folks just don't know when to call it quits, and yes, we're looking directly at the Chinese knockoff factories responsible for all of these shameful attempts at ripping the iPod. Of course, this isn't the first time the Shuffle (first-gen or second) has been duped, but this iteration certainly raises the opprobrious bar. Pulling the oh-so-prestigious black color scheme over to the Shuffle side of things, this clone was somehow designed in California but "Assombled" in China, but what else would you expect for a mere $14? More comedy, er, pictures, after the jump.
Keepin' it real fake, part LIX: Sony nano sure to be a hit
It's nice to see Sony finally stop trying to play catch-up with Apple, and instead begin a mutually-beneficial partnership that leverages the design prowess of both companies. Keep reading for another shot of the all-new Sony nano...
Keepin' it real fake, part L: The "Ipod style Mobile Phone iPhone"
We've gotta hand it to them: electronics conmen are extremely confident in their belief in the ignorance of the masses. Gaze at the unbelievably poor "Ipod [sic] style Mobile Phone iPhone" rendition above, and then suck in the £75 (around $150) pricetag. It comes complete with an iPod-esque white finish, Mac OS X wallpaper, and a strange Quicktime skin for the included media player, but the kicker has got to be the modified Apple logo -- as if the extra leaf is going to fool anyone.[Thanks, John Derbyshire]
Keepin' it real fake, part XLIX - Le Clip: c'est chic!
We really honestly do wish Chinese knockoff artists would spend more ripping off gadgets we want to use (i.e. not iPods), but hey, it is what it is. And if nothing else, "Le Clip" might just have the best name a knockoff ever had. Voulez-vous jouer la musique pour moi?[Thanks, Gabriel G]
