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Keepin' it real fake, part CCLIX: X-Slim X340 KIRFed, MacBook Air empathizes
The secret to a great KIRF is that it represents not just a knock-off but an homage to a beloved product (at least, that's what we tell ourselves when we sit in our workshop, trying to build the first ever shanzhai Grippity). Recently spotted in the stalls of Shenzhen, the above device is reminiscent of the MacBook Air, yes, but more tellingly, the MSI X-Slim X340. This 13-inch (1366 x 768) bad boy features a 1.2GHz Intel ULV processor, 1GB of RAM, up to 250GB of HDD, WiFi and Bluetooth, an SD card slot, three (count 'em!) USB ports, and HDMI out. You can expect to spend about $350 if you ever manage to track 'er down -- or you can just say the hell with it and go back to reading Garfield Minus Garfield. Either way, we support you. Get a closer look after the break.
Keepin' it real fake, part CCLVII: iPad meets Windows 7, sparks fly
It would seem like we've recalled our editor from Shenzhen a little prematurely. The land of Yao has gone and answered all the iPad's critics in resounding style: TESO's 10-inch clone tablet features a full-blown Windows 7 install (check), 1024x600 capacitive touchscreen display (check), HDMI output (check), a 1.66GHz Atom N450 (vroom vroom!), 1GB of DDR2 RAM, GPS, 3G, and a 3,000mAh battery. Yep, it's a netbook sans the keyboard, and it might weigh 1.2kg while stretching to a portly 2cm thickness, but are you really gonna let a few well-rounded edges get in the way of experiencing a grown-up desktop OS on that tablet you so desperately need? Couple more pics await after the break. Update: 9to5Mac has alerted us to the fact that this clone seems to be sporting the same front plate as the one purported to belong to the iPad in the days before its release. Good to know all the engineering that went into inflating the iPhone's bezel up to 10 inches didn't go to waste.
Dell 'Mini 5' tablet prototype shows up as M01M in Shenzhen black market
Who's got some love for prototype gadgets, eh? Apparently someone does in Shenzhen (surprise of the day?). PC Online managed to cuddle up with a black Dell Streak / Mini 5 prototype, which has "Model M01M" marked under the battery cover -- something not seen in the earlier teardown, and is probably the most official name to date. Spec-wise the M01M sums up what's been speculated all along -- 5-inch 800x480 touchscreen, Android 1.6, 1GHz CPU (presumably Snapdragon, as revealed by the teardown), WiFi, Bluetooth, 3G of some sort, 5 megapixel camera with dual-LED flash, front-facing camera, and the same 1530mAh battery as the one in the teardown. The price? ¥7,500, which converts to a whopping $1,098 in US cash, but bear in mind that this doesn't reflect the M01M's actual retail price for whenever it might launch. [Thanks, Shaun Wu]%Gallery-84143%
Sheng T108 brushed aluminum netbook appears
Hey, now this isn't your average, everyday, boring netbook now is it? Well, at least not in looks, anyway. The Sheng T108, which has recently been spotted in Shenzhen, China, has a brushed aluminum chassis that makes it stand out from the crowd, to be sure. Internally, you'll find this 10.1-incher boasting an Intel Atom N280 CPU, 2GB of DDR2 memory, and a 250GB hard drive -- nothing volcanically surprising, but not too shabby either. It's also got a 3-cell battery, a VGA port, 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi support, a built in webcam, and a SIM card slot for 3G connectivity. The pricing is said to be somewhere in the realm of $300, and while there's no word on availability of this puppy outside of China, we'll certainly keep our eyes peeled for you. One more shot after the break.
HT560 5.6-inch UMPC spotted in Shenzhen running Windows XP
Sure, an Android MID featuring some sort of contrived "net gen" functionality might promise inspirational moments, but will it get the job done? A company called Shenzhen Seed Industrial, located in the Chegongmiao Futian Distict (we hear it's lovely in the spring) is offering retailers and e-tailers a Windows XP-powered workhorse in the form of the HT560 5.6-inch UMPC/MID. Built on the VIA C7 (1GHz) processor, this guy sports 1GB RAM, 16GB SDD, two USB 2.0 ports, and both front and rear-facing 1.3 megapixel webcams. For connectivity, you get the usual assortment of WiFi and Bluetooth, with a GPS thrown in for good measure. If you're looking to pick up a handful of these things, hit up the Tradekey link where it's available in lots of ten. Otherwise, Wirelession appears to have rebranded this the W1030 and have priced it at $421. Want a closer look? You can get one after the break.
Keepin' it real fake, part CCXLIII: faux MacBook Air review (video)
Our good friends at Shanzai.com have recently got their hands on what they believe to be the king of all MacBook Air KIRFs, and put it through the ringer. Expecting a laugh riot? Not so fast -- what we have here is a pretty decent netbook, apparently. Features include an Intel Atom N280, 13-inch display, good build quality, a form factor similar in size and weight to Apple's original, a real chicklet keyboard, a remote control, and I/O options rivaling the original (including an Ethernet port, two USB ports, and HDMI). Not bad for $260. But don't take our word for it -- peep the video after the break for the whole sordid tale.
Eston's 7-inch Android MID believes it's an N97, can play full HD
We'll go out on a limb here and suggest that Nokia probably doesn't care about Shenzhen Eston's N97-branded device, but what really matters is whether you should care about it. Positioned slap bang in the middle between smartphones and netbooks, this Android-driven MID offers 7 inches of viewing real estate and 4 hours of battery, as well as integrated WiFi, 3G, Flash player, web browser, and ebook reader, plus the purported ability to play back full HD content. Don't ask us how anyone can squeeze that kind of processing power out of a Marvell PXA303 chip, but if you want to know more, the read link is your ever-loyal best friend. [Via Cloned in China]
Keepin' it real fake, part CCXXXIX: Genuine Android shipping on a counterfeit Storm
Looks like someone in Shenzhen had time to kill overnight at the Storm factory -- and they've put it to good use. Instead of giving us a faux-BlackBerry with a horribly mangled KIRFed-out UI (or at most WinMo) what we have here is a genuine clone with a trackball thrown in for good measure running honest-to-goodness Android 1.5. Dubbed the Broncho A1, this guy features a 600MHz CPU, 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen, 3.2 megapixel camera, WiFi, GPS, and an FM radio. That's the good news. The bad? 128MB RAM isn't going to do much for you, app-wise. Oh, well. Price and ship date to be announced at a later date. Get a closer look in the gallery below.%Gallery-75447%[Via Cloned In China]
Keepin' it real fake, part CCXXXVIII: Palm Pre knockoff doesn't know what it wants to be when it grows up
Yes, this was only a matter of time, and we're a little surprised we didn't see one earlier. Regardless, this is the Palm Pre knockoff we've been waiting for. Seemingly called just iPhone +QWERTY -- this KIRF is being marketed as just that -- a real business phone with a hybrid identity blending the BlackBerry and the iPhone. And really, that's not too bad of a description for this little dude, we guess. Boasting analog TV, Bluetooth, and an FM radio, it runs the much-loved OPhone operating system, and can be had for 600 RMP (about $88). There are two more shots after the break. Hit the read link for a full peek.[Via PMP Today]
China's KIRF marketplace captured on hidden camera
Love 'em, loathe 'em, or love to loathe 'em as you will, but the humble KIRF has a big place in our geek DNA -- that's why we were tickled when the gang over at Shanzhai.com paid the markets of Shenzhen, China, a 60 Minutes-esque visit complete with hidden camera. Although we've been hearing tales for years now about the legendary stalls deep in the heart of KIRFdom, Western visitors have rarely made the trip -- until now! And this clip has it all, including one of our all-time favorite head scratchers: the Buddha handset. But don't take our word for it -- grab yourself some popcorn and move on past the break to see it for yourself.
Keepin' it real fake, part CCXXV: Fashion A10 netbook strikes a pose, Acer-style
Sadly, plenty of folks just can't seem to shake the notion that "netbooks" and "high fashion" go hand in hand -- and clearly the KIRFmeisters of Shenzhen and environs are no exception. As if that couldn't be any clearer, the kids at Shanzai.com have clued us in on the JingWah Digital Fashion A10, a note-by-note replica of the Aspire One. Aside from the 1.6GHz VIA C7-M CPU, the similarities are striking, including: an 8.9-inch TFT display with a 1024 x 600 resolution, 160GB hard drive, and 1GB of RAM. Sure, it's no powerhouse, but if the price is right it'll make a pretty decent accessory. In fact, throw on your Momenta necklace and slap on a pair of 4GB Calvin Kleins and you'll be able to strut past any velvet rope your encounter (provided the line at the door leads to a LAN party or the BiMonSciFiCon). Theme music after the break.[Via Shanzai.com]
Keepin' It Real Fake, part CCXIX: Gemsta's Vaino knock-off
If the Vaino "ultraportable" seemed a little too... well, aspirational, the style mavens at Engadget have dug up a netbook that will certainly correlate with both your awesome sense of style and your self-identification as an OG (that's "original gemsta"). Dug up by some eagle-eyed KIRF-hunters at 2009's Shenzhen International Netbook Industry Fair & Forum, this guy sports an 8.9-inch display, an Intel Atom (Z515 / Z520 / Z530), 1GB RAM, up to 64GB storage, 3G, WiFi, SD card slot and more. We don't have a street date yet for you, but the price should be about 2000 yuan (that's about $294). And the best part? You won't have to worry about these guys stealing your thunder. One more pic after the break.[Via PMP Today]
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]
Giant keyboard art in Shenzhen metro station offers tech-friendly seating
If you're at the Shenzhen Metro station any time soon, you'll unlikely happen across the beautiful, beautiful sight above. The station -- which is in Shenzhen just north of Hong Kong -- has installed some keyboard art that really speaks to the typist in our souls -- we even type in our dreams occasionally. The keys function as seats to relax in while you wait for your train, though why they chose the keys they chose (Enter, M, <, L, P and ;) is anybody's guess. [Via Engadget Chinese]
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%
Shenzhen EM-2811 "Latte ICE" is actually kind of neat
These days, it's pretty wild and crazy if a PMP manufacturer manages to do anything different than what's already out there, so we've got a soft spot for Shenzhen's EM-2811, being sold as the "Latte ICE." Sure, nothing spectacular, and the 1GB-4GB capacity is seriously amature hour, but we like the look of the device, and the interface is pretty strong for a no-name DAP. There's a miniSD slot to overcome that capacity handicap, a 2.8-inch QVGA screen, FM radio, voice support, AVI / MPEG video playback, and a built-in speaker. Tetris is included, but with the button layout we're hoping they can finagle a couple emulators on there. Battery life of 4 hours video and 8 hours audio is painful, but overall the Latte ICE isn't at all bad for a $70 starting price. Video is after the break.[Via PMP Today]
China Mobile opens "experience shops" as TD-SCDMA softly launches
We knew good and well China Mobile was all geared up to launch its homegrown 3G standard in Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangzhou and Shenzhen (among other locales), and though China's government hasn't issued 3G licenses yet, TD-SCDMA has finally made its soft launch. In order to garner interest in the service, said carrier has also opened up "experience shops" in the aforementioned cities "to allow the public to experiment with TD-SCDMA handsets and gain confidence with TD-SCDMA's capabilities." During the initial launch, some 60,000 dual-mode TD-SCDMA / GSM handsets and 15,000 data cards will be on sale in these outlets, with most of the units being in the "mid- to high-end range" and costing between $286 and $572 (those are subsidized prices). Here is where we suppose China Mobile holds its breath and hopes for things to take off.[Via mocoNews]
Terrestrial HDTV programs coming to eight cities in China before Olympics
No doubt about it, the Olympics are spurning interest in HDTV programming in the Far East, and it looks like a handful of cities won't have to wait until summer to start enjoying the spoils of being this year's Olympic host. Apparently, a senior Chinese official has announced that "terrestrial high definition television (HDTV) programs will be broadcast in eight cities on the China Content Broadcasting Network in 2008 before the Olympic games commences in August." For those curious about specifics, citizens of Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Qinhuangdao, Shenyang, Qingdao, Guangzhou and Shenzhen will be able to catch HD programs on China Central Television (CCTV) in the not-too-distant future. So, how's about that flat-panel demand over there?[Image courtesy of BusinessWeek]
MP901 portable media player looks slapped together, probably is
Believe us, we've seen plenty of chintzy in our day, but Shenzhen Link-Create Technology's MP901 goes above and beyond the call of jankiness. This PMP -- which looks as if it were (and probably was) pieced together using whatever spare parts could be found around the plant -- sports a 2.4-inch LCD, a 1.3-megapixel camera, 128MB to 4GB of internal storage space, a T-Flash expansion slot, integrated microphone and an FM tuner. Additionally, you'll find a rechargeable Li-ion, support for NES emulation, built-in speaker and support for AVI, MPEG4, MP3, WMA, AAC and WAV file formats. Per usual, pricing remains a mystery, but considering that minimum order quantity of 500, we've no real interest in unearthing the truth.[Via PMPToday]
Janky V688 PMP does Skype, too?
Yeah, we've seen a Skype phone and a PMP awkwardly merged into one before, but this unit adds its own layer of sketchiness for good measure. The V688, supposedly offered up by Shenzhen Went Wide Shine Electron Company, claims to boast a 1.8-inch display, MP3 / video playback, USB connectivity, an FM radio, rechargeable Li-ion and an integrated Skype phone. Per usual, we wouldn't expect this piece to posses any signs of expert craftsmanship, but you can toss over an inquiry if you're really curious as to what it will run you.[Via PMPToday]
