back to article China's Goophone unveils US$99 Android iPad Mini clone

Apple’s Chinese nemesis Goophone is no slouch when it comes to launching fruity tech clones powered by Android – it’s just taken the covers off an iPad Mini lookalike running Jelly Bean which will sell for just $99. The infamous handset maker, which is already selling devices that bear more than a passing resemblance to the …

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  1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

    Howexactly is this an iPad clone?

    That's like saying my lenovo is a MacBook clone because it has an Intel processor, an Nvidia graphics card, a screen and runs a different OS

    1. Richard 81

      Re: Howexactly is this an iPad clone?

      Maybe, just maybe, it's because it is explicitly designed to look (nearly) identical. Not like Samsung daring to make something vaguely the same shape. We're talking identical.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Copying is ingrained in the chinese psyche and they are good at it. It doesn't always mean that what looks the same on the outside is the same on the inside.

      It must be condoned by the Chinese Government, yet they wonder why others get annoyed and ban the sale of some products.

      1. Richard 81

        Top Gear (yes I'm both geek and lowest common denominator) did a good analysis of their car industry a while back. They seem to have same approach to other products.

    3. DMH
      FAIL

      Re: Howexactly is this an iPad clone?

      Only if your Lenovo is absolutely identical to a MacBook except for the logo.

      http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ma4codHPTG1r34swho1_400.jpg

    4. DrXym

      Re: Howexactly is this an iPad clone?

      Look at some of the vids on YouTube of the Goophone. Not only do the phones look virtually identical but they run reskinned Android firmware which looks almost identical to iOS too. It's actually amazing to see them running side by side since the behaviour and major apps are almost identical between them even though one is just a knock off and is running on a different OS.

      It's easy to see why people would inadvertently buy a Goophone, or on purpose for that matter. They sell for about 1/4 the price of the real thing and I expect for Chinese consumers the price disparity is even more pronounced.

      1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

        Re: Howexactly is this an iPad clone?

        I might buy one then !

        Looks like an iPad, works like an iPad but cheaper and I don't have to dedicate my life to the iCult

    5. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Howexactly is this an iPad clone?

      If you can't understand why this is an iPad clone you probably need to increase the resolution on your tactile display for the blind.

      1. Kay Burley ate my hamster
        Stop

        Re: Howexactly is this an iPad clone?

        It's a clone because the specs are way behind the competition, the lowres screen seen in this and the ipadmini would be laughed at by the likes of HTC, Motorola and Samsung.

        On the other hand it's not a clone because the price actually matches the specs.

  2. Michael Habel
    Linux

    And why

    do I suspect that this Goophone knock-off is actually better (i.e. FAR SUPERIOR), to anything Apple are trying to flog?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: And why

      What a pointless comment. Yes my Swatch is of course far better than your Breitling because... err... err... well it's plastic innit.

      1. Mage Silver badge
        Pirate

        Re: And why

        Of course if you just want to know the time and not show off you might even buy a cheaper watch than a Swatch. But point well made.

        I'd wonder about the quality at that price, and for a very portable tablet I'd like a 3:1 or 4:1 aspect ratio to make the screen enormous but width low enough for pocket.

      2. Silverburn

        Re: AC re: Breitling

        A Brietling? Pfft. What you want is an Aeternitas. Unreadable and unuseable, but reassuringly expensive. Because to some, that's all that matters.

        1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

          Re: AC re: Breitling

          I wonder if there is a market for a watch that is just a slug of platinum, with no hands or watch - just as big bit of expensive shiny metal on a strap

          1. Captain DaFt

            Re: AC re: Breitling

            Actually, yes. They even have a name for them.

            They're called 'Bracelets'.

          2. BorkedAgain

            Re: AC re: Breitling

            You could engrave it with the words "Too Late" so it's always accurate...

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: And why

      Because you were droped on the head as a baby?

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: And why

      Sure makes Googles Nexus tabet at twice the price seem like a rip off.

    4. wowfood

      Re: And why

      Because the goopad has a working maps app?

    5. Mike Judge
      Thumb Up

      its not

      It only needs to add GPS to instantly make it better specs than the 3x the price ipad mini....

      I know apple maps is really poor, but leaving out GPS and having a rubbish bluetooth stack that can't even share files is ultimate cheap skating on apples part...

      1. Steve Todd
        Stop

        Re: its not

        GPS comes with the 3G/LTE option for the Mini. Just like the full sized iPad.

        You honestly think that they'll throw it in to a $99 WiFi only clone?

  3. Mikel
    Thumb Up

    A neat plan

    Get advance notice of the new product specs, build and patent it in a few days. Run it down to the patent office before the Apple units are ready. Get design patent protection ahead of Apple.

    If they cared they could probably express freight some prototypes to the US and Europe as well. These plants have the rapid design cycle down so well they can do things like this. Apple can't without revealing in advance what their new products are going to be.

  4. Richard 81

    Intrigued

    I must say I'm intrigued. I don't care that it looks like an iPad, but that's not a bad price for those specs. Assuming the build quality isn't absolute pants, of course.

    Is it even possible to buy these in the UK without knowing someone in China? I suppose eBay may be an option.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Intrigued

      Does no-one worry about 'quality' - I mean do you want a cheap lithium battery in your pocket or in a device your kids are using etc.

      1. Richard 81

        Re: Intrigued

        Eh hem "Assuming the build quality isn't absolute pants, of course."

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Mushroom

        Re: Intrigued

        It's ok. Exploding lithium batteries build character in children.

        1. BorkedAgain
          Facepalm

          Re: Intrigued

          Exactly. Character-building. And it isn't just the rip-offs that are susceptible either...

          http://techland.time.com/2011/11/29/up-in-smoke-iphone-glows-red-on-plane-melts/

          Now THAT's quality...

    2. Tim Parker

      @Richard 81 / Re: Intrigued

      "Is it even possible to buy these in the UK without knowing someone in China? I suppose eBay may be an option."

      I imagine they'll appear on eBay in due course, but if not they're bound to be available on places like Alibaba pretty quickly (or copies of the copies). You can generally find some places that will do single piece sales, e.g. for the Goophone a typical one might look like

      http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/656358360/GooPhone_Y5_Android_4_0_3G.html

      Things to notice would be the terms of shipment and whether they offer an escrow service (some do) - one of the common shipping arrangements is 'FOB' or Free On Board (generally, Google for more gritty details) at a named port. This means the vendor will pay for the goods to be placed on the transport at the named port, you pay for the rest - e.g. shipping to the destination port, clearance costs (if applicable to port/country), local taxes and import duties and delivery to you. There are people who will help you with all this, or you can do some or all of it yourself... or you can try and get someone who includes shipping with the price, far preferable but slightly lower choice in general.

      Escrow helps if your gadget goes walk-about on the way over.

      Be careful though, Alibaba is a dangerous place - much shinyness at silly prices, it's very easy to get side-tracked....

    3. Mark .

      Re: Intrigued

      In general, it's depressing that there's so little distribution (or coverage in the media) for the China Android tablets. Whilst the media are asking whether the likes of the Nexus 7 must be sold at a loss, companies like Ainol are delivering Android 4 tablets with decent specs at even lower costs.

      It might be nice if Apple did try to sue this company with the clone - the publicity would backfire, due to all the coverage it would give to decent tablets that are a fraction of price.

  5. TwistUrCapBack
    Thumb Up

    haha

    have a bit of that apple :)

  6. paul 97

    its all in the marketing

    There are plenty of rectangle shaped electronic devices that allow you to consume content.

    The only difference about this one is that the company selling it are using the competition as part of their marketing strategy. Judging by the responses from the fans of the competition and the fact the media are covering it on the other side of the world - its working for them.

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Meaning?

    Like the prices and the company's audacity in mocking Apple.. Where can i buy one in UK?

    By the way, Goo in Hindi means poo. Gooey in English nearly the same.

    Wonder what it means in Chinese?

    1. Chimp

      Re: Meaning?

      Goo in Chinese... tonal language, so depending on how you say it...

      drum, mushroom, ancient, guess

      Numerous other possibilities, though none particularly rude.

  8. Steve Todd
    Headmaster

    You keep on using that word

    "Nemesis", I do not think it means what you think it means.

    1. FunkyEric
      Joke

      Re: You keep on using that word

      Yes, everyone knows it's the name of a rollercoaster at Alton Towers, so whats that got to do with Apple?

  9. Schultz

    Generic

    This really drives home that smartphones and their relatives became a generic product class. Makes you wonder how quickly the profit margins of branded phones might melt away!

  10. Mike Brown

    tradmarks/patents

    Do the rules for patents and trademarks not mention having to fight and take action against any infringers? So if apple havnt tried to stop the copiers surely they lose there rights? Or am i wrong?

  11. JaitcH
    Happy

    Apple products won't sell well in China ...

    unless they reduce their profit margins.

    Here in VietNam there are some Android 'smartphones' which have resistive displays, games, audio playback and SD storage a.. for under USD$40. Good value for money, although they do look cheap. They are popular with school children.

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