Hasta La Gadget!

Don’t call it a KIRF — it’s a Yinlips “Android Smart Game Player.” Which is to say, it’s an Xperia Play-like experience wrapped in PS Vita clothing. So basically, yeah, it’s a KIRF. This form factor doppleganger hails from China and lacks the internal quad-core pizazz of the Sony next generation handheld it purports to be. Instead of standing on the precipice of portable gaming, this 5-inch pretender will net you a hum drum FroYo / Gingerbread-based (even its own website couldn’t decide) OS packed with a slew of old school gaming emulators (from NES to N64), an array of ports including HDMI, a single core 1.2GHz processor complemented by 512MB of DDR2 RAM and WiFi. It’s a must have device for, well, no one. But if you’re the type who likes to burn money and carry about a virtual collection of video games past, then by all means, import away.

P.S. it’s not a Vita: Yinlips’ Android-based YDPG18 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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.

Keepin’ it real fake: Chinese Nokia N9 makes but minor sacrifices originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 09:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There may be more than a few fake Apple Stores in China, but for the moment, Cupertino’s anti-KIRF crusade seems focused squarely on New York City. According to Reuters, Apple has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against two stores in Queens, alleging that they sold unauthorized cases, headphones and other accessories for the iPhone, iPad and iPod. In the complaint, the company claims that the products in question were all emblazoned with its familiar fruit logo, along with the phrase, “Designed by Apple in California. Assembled in China.” The suit also demands that one of the stores, called Apple Story (seriously), change its name to avoid confusion with the real retail outlet and that both vendors disclose full lists of people who both supplied and purchased the goods.

It all began when company representatives visited the Chinatown-area stores on “multiple occasions over several weeks,” where they bought and examined the items, described in court records as “exact duplicates” of their authentic counterparts. On July 27th, Apple executed a few ex parte seizure warrants, which allowed authorities to seize any goods bearing its logo. US District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto has already granted an injunction to stop the stores from selling the alleged knockoffs, but hasn’t yet decided whether Apple Story will have to change its name. The complaint also seeks undisclosed monetary damages and asks that all existing counterfeit goods be destroyed, though court documents suggest that both sides are close to reaching a deal. Neither Apple nor the defendants have commented on the accusations, but we’ll let you know as soon as we learn more.

In the meantime, check out this KIRF “iPhone 5” we found in Beijing — a Java-powered handset that’s slimmer than the Galaxy S II and a bit laggy, but boasts a multitouch capacitive screen. Asking price? ¥680, or about $106.

Apple cracks down on counterfeit products sold in NYC, files lawsuit against Queens vendors originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 04:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but that didn’t go down too well with the three KIRF Apple Stores in Kunming, China. In fact, after American expat BirdAbroad made her local stores famous last week, local officials have since been combing through the city’s 300-plus gadget shops on behalf of Apple China, and managed to dig up two more “Apple” stores. It’s not exactly clear if these new offenders are at the same severity as the ones spotted by BirdAbroad, but the authorities have confirmed that none of the five stores are Apple Authorised Resellers, let alone having its permission to use its logo on their store front.

Additionally, two out of the five stores have since been shut down due to unlicensed retail operation. The fate of the remaining three is still unknown — the officials have only concluded that no KIRF products have been found in the stores, though details such as the decor and staff uniform are certainly very similar to those of the real deal. Well, we’re glad they agree, but this is only just the beginning — BirdAbroad has since gathered photos of more sketchy Apple stores across the world, so go take a gander. Oh, and for those who have been out of the loop, there’s a hands-on video of one of the Kunming stores after the break.

Continue reading Two more fake Apple Stores spotted by officials in China, two get the smackdown

Two more fake Apple Stores spotted by officials in China, two get the smackdown originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Jul 2011 06:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Could this be a case of Baidu’s browser in Chrome’s clothing? The Wall Street Journal seems to think so and the Chinese company isn’t exactly dismissing the KIRF claims. Announced back in April, the recently beta-released Baidu Browser brings a “sleek, stripped-down interface” eerily reminiscent of Google’s web-surfing entry (or a likely fork of Chromium). The copycat similarities don’t just end in the looks department: there’s also an app store, fast-tab functionality and familiar menu icon placement. In its defense, the company claims its 30,000 plus free app offerings, in addition to China-specific entertainment features are enough to set it apart. Sure, this may seem like a case of the Asian search giant that doth protest too much, but it’s the company’s desire to drive traffic to its own engine that has us seeing Google.

[Thanks, Hardy]

Baidu Browser tips hat to old Steve Jobs quote, copies Chrome’s special sauce originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Jul 2011 19:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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