Despite the fact that they're basically useless, we are fascinated with knockoff stuff like the Neo Double Games system. What about you? Do you harbor a secret desire to own lousy DS-esque hardware?
Despite the fact that they're basically useless, we are fascinated with knockoff stuff like the Neo Double Games system. What about you? Do you harbor a secret desire to own lousy DS-esque hardware?
Reader Comments (18)
Posted: Dec 6th 2008 10:48AM Bowser Rogozhin said
Seems cool. I do have an affinity to bad knockoffs, just to compare to the legitimate article. Though, there are issues, such as workers' conditions, we should take into account.
Like, for example, near where I live a bunch of Chinese migrants were recently freed from DVD duplication slavery. They had to work in 40+ degree, tiny rooms, forever copying DVDs. That could possibly be the case for this Neo Double Games company. At least with Nintendo they'll uphold minimum levels of dignity for their workers. Hopefully.
Like, for example, near where I live a bunch of Chinese migrants were recently freed from DVD duplication slavery. They had to work in 40+ degree, tiny rooms, forever copying DVDs. That could possibly be the case for this Neo Double Games company. At least with Nintendo they'll uphold minimum levels of dignity for their workers. Hopefully.
Posted: Dec 6th 2008 5:08PM (Unverified) said
This may be off topic, but remember that this applies to ALL products. Next time you see the 15 year old girl with the fake designer handbag, that's child labour that fed the delusion.
(My wife yells at women on the bus all the time, sometimes they even cry.)
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(My wife yells at women on the bus all the time, sometimes they even cry.)
Posted: Dec 6th 2008 9:41PM JoshMilewski said
Wait, and "real" designer handbags *aren't* created with child labor (serious question here)?
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Posted: Dec 7th 2008 1:06AM (Unverified) said
Real designer anything is actually made by human hands. And usually the hands of someone who is quite good at making things. That's why the crap costs so much.
I'm not saying that people who spend multiple thousands of dollars on ANY piece of clothing aren't stupid, because they are, and should probably be dragged into the streets and killed by everyone who has ever had to decide between paying the rent or eating food, but that's what it is.
The biggest company to ever be found using child labour was Gap. And Gap isn't exactly high-end. So yeah, the 4,000 bags are made by well-paid experts. And if you've ever gotten up close to a 4,000 bag, you'd know why they are 4,000$ immediately. They are rather well made.
But again, it's a damned bag. Go read "The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists" instead of my rant.
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I'm not saying that people who spend multiple thousands of dollars on ANY piece of clothing aren't stupid, because they are, and should probably be dragged into the streets and killed by everyone who has ever had to decide between paying the rent or eating food, but that's what it is.
The biggest company to ever be found using child labour was Gap. And Gap isn't exactly high-end. So yeah, the 4,000 bags are made by well-paid experts. And if you've ever gotten up close to a 4,000 bag, you'd know why they are 4,000$ immediately. They are rather well made.
But again, it's a damned bag. Go read "The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists" instead of my rant.
Posted: Dec 6th 2008 10:50AM GewurztraminerX said
*looks confused* uhm... no.
Posted: Dec 6th 2008 12:25PM (Unverified) said
I really don't care for buying garbage.
Its not like a knock-off dvd or some nike shoes.
This is something that might actually cause a fire while in use.
That plus i really don't have the money or space to house both a DS, and a ripoff DS.
Its not like a knock-off dvd or some nike shoes.
This is something that might actually cause a fire while in use.
That plus i really don't have the money or space to house both a DS, and a ripoff DS.
Posted: Dec 6th 2008 5:11PM STiger said
You haven't heard? Those Nikes can spontaneously combust if you don't watch it.
I'm going to assume the sequel title to Dual Screens is going to be called Dual Screens: Lite, and the third movie will be Dual Screens: i? But the third one will be more of a Mission Impossible scenario?
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I'm going to assume the sequel title to Dual Screens is going to be called Dual Screens: Lite, and the third movie will be Dual Screens: i? But the third one will be more of a Mission Impossible scenario?
Posted: Dec 6th 2008 11:04AM Jacksons said
I don't need to own any, but I do enjoy watching the youtube videos of all the knockoff crap on ashens channel.
Posted: Dec 6th 2008 12:05PM BobTheElephant said
when's this DS action kung-fu movie coming out? I'm definitely interested.
Posted: Dec 6th 2008 12:44PM pohatu771 said
I don't normally like to defend people who use others' trademarks illegally, but I will say this - I don't think that the fake DS has caused any fires, I believe the UK government has issued a warning simply because it hasn't been tested to meet the safety standards.
It's not that it failed the test, it just was never submitted.
It's not that it failed the test, it just was never submitted.
Posted: Dec 6th 2008 1:12PM (Unverified) said
I don't know about that... A friend of mine bought DSes for her kids, and they came with some really crappy adapters that broke apart when you tried to pull them out of the wall, leaving exposed metal.
I don't think those DSes were fake, so much as reboxed overseas limited edition colours, with 3rd party adapters swapped in. The adapters were really crappy though, and it wouldn't surprise me at all to hear about that kind of thing being boxed in with counterfeits.
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I don't think those DSes were fake, so much as reboxed overseas limited edition colours, with 3rd party adapters swapped in. The adapters were really crappy though, and it wouldn't surprise me at all to hear about that kind of thing being boxed in with counterfeits.
Posted: Dec 7th 2008 3:49AM (Unverified) said
Pull the casing, the casing comes off, leaving the exposed innards plugged into a live socket.
The kids weren't even allowed to handle the adapters or plug anything in themselves (seriously overprotective risk-averse parents.)
These things came apart on second or third use, by adults who don't generally break everything they touch.
I'll say again, though, that the adapters were crappy and unsafe, but the DSes are real DSes. Which leaves me to wonder how many of these "counterfeit" DSes the customs people are seizing are real overseas DSes repacked with UK adapters. I'm very sceptical that there's a cartel of electronics counterfeiters out there that's making working DS Lites.
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The kids weren't even allowed to handle the adapters or plug anything in themselves (seriously overprotective risk-averse parents.)
These things came apart on second or third use, by adults who don't generally break everything they touch.
I'll say again, though, that the adapters were crappy and unsafe, but the DSes are real DSes. Which leaves me to wonder how many of these "counterfeit" DSes the customs people are seizing are real overseas DSes repacked with UK adapters. I'm very sceptical that there's a cartel of electronics counterfeiters out there that's making working DS Lites.
Posted: Dec 6th 2008 3:39PM (Unverified) said
I have a fascination with counterfeit electronics. Copying a t-shirt design, that doesn't really take any skill, but an entire electronic gadget?
I almost bought the "iPhone Mini" from a store in Hong Kong. It had a touch screen and iPhone-esque menu and overall construction seemed alright.
It just wasn't as user friendly and the thought of texting using the tiny touch screen scared me off. I was ACTUALLY shopping for a new phone, not a novelty, you see.
I almost bought the "iPhone Mini" from a store in Hong Kong. It had a touch screen and iPhone-esque menu and overall construction seemed alright.
It just wasn't as user friendly and the thought of texting using the tiny touch screen scared me off. I was ACTUALLY shopping for a new phone, not a novelty, you see.
Posted: Dec 6th 2008 5:11PM (Unverified) said
I like buying knockoff stuff to take apart and play with.
Life just hasn't been the same since Radio Shack stopped selling electronics components and engineer's notebooks.
But...er....no. I much prefer to buy the thing that comes with a warranty, that if it burns my house down can also let me sue the crap out of the manufacturer so I can not be homeless afterwards.
Life just hasn't been the same since Radio Shack stopped selling electronics components and engineer's notebooks.
But...er....no. I much prefer to buy the thing that comes with a warranty, that if it burns my house down can also let me sue the crap out of the manufacturer so I can not be homeless afterwards.
Posted: Dec 6th 2008 7:51PM (Unverified) said
I get a great kick out of counterfeit merchandise, but not so much electronics because the cost still usually outweighs the amusement. There was a Vii-like device at my local Dollar General that I sorely wanted to try out for a day, but I didn't want to risk $50 in case their return policy excluded opened goods. I go for things that are cheap and loaded with Engrish that you can find at shady flea market stalls, like fake Yu-Gi-Oh cards and domestic products with unreadable instructions.
