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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 XCVIII: T-Mobile Shadow gets shadowed
Well, would you look at that. If not for the gaudy packaging, $69.99 price tag and blatant Oasis Media branding, we'd swear the Playr was a T-Mobile Shadow (or HTC's P3300, we guess). Yep, this knockoff does a fairly decent job of mirroring its inspirer, sports 2GB of storage and a miniSD expansion slot, comes with 35 free eMUSIC downloads and includes a built-in media player for good measure. Interestingly, we get the feeling that this thing won't actually send or receive calls, but if you're quick, no one will even notice.[Thanks, Rick]Update: Turns out this thing is actually the MachSpeed Oasis Video Player, and is readily available on Amazon (among other places). Still, it could stand some originality in the design department. [Thanks, Rob!]
Keeping it real fake, part LXX: Blue Raven hatches a Hi-Fi knockoff
Blue Raven has introduced the Maestro 1070, an iPhone and iPod hi-fi docking station, with 70 watts powering a 5" center sub and two 3" satellites. Looking suspiciously like the official iPod Hi-Fi -- but with handles on the side, not the top!! -- the universal dock accepts and charges Apple's hardware, and also has an auxiliary port for those rocking other players. The Maestro includes a video-out jack for connecting to a television, a 12-key remote control, comes in black or white, and retails for $199.
Keepin' it real fake, part LXV: iPhone clones still rollin' in
You may think that all the iPhone clones from around the world (okay, China) would vanish shortly after Apple released the real deal, but hey, there's no rest for the wicked. Sure enough, I-Fighting's FT4021 "portable media player" looks at least 85-percent like the actual iPhone, which is good enough in our book to rip it as a knockoff. If you actually care about the specs, you'll find a 2.8-inch touchscreen, built-in media player, dual headphone jacks, an integrated speaker, miniSD slot, photo viewer, an FM tuner, and USB 2.0 connectivity. Per usual, there's no mention of a price, but the embarrassment factor alone that comes bundled with this thing would rule it out for most folks.[Via TechDigest]
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: E-PDA V16 mocks Nokia N95
Can't afford the $750 or so required to pick up a Nokia N95 right now? Fret not, as the Chinese knockoff factories have been workin' overtime in order to crank out a somewhat similar alternative to fit the bill. The E-PDA V16 comes in a bit larger than the authentic iteration and includes a three-inch QVGA touchscreen, three-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, multimedia player, and a touch of tacky to top things off. Of course, any of your pals that are in the know won't be impressed by your futile attempts to fool 'em, but considering that this thing won't cost you nearly as much coin as the real deal, it might be worth the embarrassment (or not). Catch a few more snapshots of the impostor after the jump.[Via iTechNews, thanks lionsense]
Keepin' it real fake, part LXI: E-PDA V16 mocks Nokia N95
Can't afford the $750 or so required to pick up a Nokia N95 right now? Fret not, as the Chinese knockoff factories have been workin' overtime in order to crank out a somewhat similar alternative to fit the bill. The E-PDA V16 comes in a bit larger than the authentic iteration and includes a three-inch QVGA touchscreen, three-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, multimedia player, and a touch of tacky to top things off. Of course, any of your pals that are in the know won't be impressed by your futile attempts to fool 'em, but considering that this thing won't cost you nearly as much coin as the real deal, it might be worth the embarrassment (or not). Catch a few more snapshots of the impostor after the jump.[Via iTechNews, thanks lionsense]
Keepin' it real fake, part LVIII: A816 mobile dons PS3 logo
As if the 7.1 surround sound smartphone and king-of-all-knockoffs weren't enough, today we're graced with the portable PS3, er, the 3 Cool A816. This laugher sports a design ripped fairly hard from Sony's PlayStation Portable, but dons a hysterical "PS3 Game Player" logo right across the back, which would absolutely thrill those wanting to play PS3 games without coughing up the dough for a $499 $599 console if, you know, those pesky discs would just fit. Carrying on, the GSM conglomerate also sports a 320 x 240 resolution 3.5-inch screen which is casually referred to as "high-definition capable," built-in MP3 player and image viewer, video game emulator, 1.3-megapixel camera, TV out, an MP3-based alarm clock, handwriting support, an integrated dictionary, and dual stereo speakers to boot. As expected, there's no word on price just yet, and even though it's supposedly available to ship as of this month, we can't possibly urge you more to resist the temptation on this one. Click on through for a few more snickers.[Via JustAMP]
Keepin' it real fake, part XLV: Wowwee's illegitimate children
Most times, the fakers seem to stick with items that are relatively easy to replicate, making everyone's lives a good bit easier when it comes to choosing between the authentic and the knockoff, but JaiQi Toys has upped the copycat ante a bit with its full-fledged lineup of Wowwee rips. Dubbed the "Bo Series," these four bots sport the ability to walk and turn, move and grip with their arms, dozens of pre-programmed functions such as picking up objects, dancing, burping, whistling, and a kicking out a fair selection of "Kung Fu moves," not to mention the ability to dictate your new friend with an IR remote. Moreover, the creature is powered by four D-cell batteries in the main compartment, plus a pair of cells in each foot to keep the jive alive. So if you've been yearning for your very own Wowwee companion, but just don't have the coinage required to own the real deal, feel free to click on over and bring home the Robone, X-Robot, Robosaur, or Robodog now for just... well, nothing, considering even the "add to cart" function of the sketched-out website doesn't always work. Still, if you dig incredibly cheap looking renditions of popular items, and just need something to mock in order to brighten your day, JaiQi's just the medicine you ordered.[Thanks, Mutammim]
Keepin' it real fake, part XLIV: RAmos Q13 is not a nano
Apple's products certainly aren't strangers to our series of posts highlighting the tech industry's finest fakes, and although the RAmos Q13 isn't quite as absurd as previous examples -- see the Treo iPod -- the fact that the company had the cojones to release marketing shots of their device alongside the iPod it was very clearly intended to emulate assures the Q13 a place in the hall of tech infamy, and a Keepin' it real fake tag. Notably, the 1GB Q13 comes in five different colors, and is 0.1 millimeters thinner than the 2nd Generation nano: a fact that we feel RAmos is very unwise to trumpet.[Via The MP3 Players]
ZVUE 260 mimics iPod, sports built-in speaker
HandHeld Entertainment is keeping the streak alive, as its latest PMP features about as little innovation as possible, yet still manages to seem mildly attractive if you're interested in just the basics. Making a ripple a CES, the ZVUE 260 sports an unmistakably iPod-esque appearance, rechargeable Li-ion cell, built-in speaker, a pocket-friendly 4.16- X 2.4- X 0.5-inch enclosure, and a 2.5-inch backlit LCD screen. This device plays nice with WMA, WMV, and WMA-DRM, and can reportedly play back 320 x 240 video at 30fps without a hitch; moreover, the ZVUE isn't much of a burden, as the SD-based unit doesn't house any sort of internal hard drive to weigh it down. Possibly the best thing about the otherwise ho hum ZVUE 260 is the price, as it should fit in nearly anyone's budget when it lands in mid-2007 for just $99.[Via MobileWhack]
iOPS mimics the mini, showcases diminutive X11 PMP
You won't color us surprised to find that another Asian company has knocked off one of Apple's products, and we certainly aren't shocked that this time around it's iOPS (again). The firm's X11 is crafted from white or graphite aluminum, comes in at just 9-millimeters thick, and boasts a very, very familiar click wheel mechanism. Regardless, this PMP offers up 1/2/4GB capacities, and features a 1.3-inch color LCD, rechargeable Li-ion battery, JPEG / text viewer, FM radio tuner, built-in equalizer, USB 2.0 connectivity, and upgradeable firmware. On the audio front, it supports MP3, WMA, and OGG music files, while it plays nice with AVI, MPEG4, DivX, XviD, and WMV video files, and although we aren't certain of how much coinage this thing will require (if it actually makes it to market, that is), this looks like a very functional alternative to Apple's rendition if you get the itch to import.
China produces V191 all-in-one PMP / cellphone
While there are plenty of all-in-one DAP/PMP/gaming units out in the Chinese market, the V191 takes it to another level by tossing in phone functionality and a PSP-styled enclosure to boot. A very likely candidate for Keepin' it real fake, this handheld device comes in a tad shorter than the tried and true PSP, and replaces the unmistakable "PSP" logo with "FUN." While details on this dodgy unit are far and few between, it apparently accepts any SIM card for mobile use, sports a 1.3-megapixel camera, supports MP4 / MP3 playback, and even boasts a gaming function for a bit of 8-bit reminiscing while on the go. You can store your tunes, movies, and homebrew apps on the included 256MB microSD card, or toss in a larger one for those extra lengthy trips. Assuming you can find one, the V191 is reportedly going for a whopping HK$5400 ($695) overseas.[Via Akihabara News]
