Chinese Pirates Copy iPhone, Make Improvements

An anonymous reader writes "Popular Science notes that manufacturers in China duplicate many well-know products. This includes the Apple iPhone, imitations of which are rolling off the assembly line already. That might actually be a good thing for some users, who might enjoy the user experience of China's own miniOne. 'It ran popular mobile software that the iPhone wouldn't. It worked with nearly every worldwide cellphone carrier, not just AT&T, and not only in the U.S. It promised to cost half as much as the iPhone and be available to 10 times as many consumers.' The cloned iPhone uses a Linux-based system. 'The cloners hire a team of between 20 and 40 engineers to begin decoding the circuit boards. At the same time, coders start to develop an operating system for the phone with a similar feature set. (The typical cloner either uses off-the-shelf code, writes something entirely new, or modifies a publicly available Linux-based system.)' Using the iPhone as an example, the PopSci site walks through the process of making imitation technology."

As with all knockoffs

[Joebert]

iGroan.

Cool!

[FatSean]

Capitalism puts the smack down on the hippy dippy Apple company once again!

Yes, but..

[Sandbox Conspiracy]

Will it kill my cat?

Damn those Communist Chinese!

[erroneus]

They are using "free market" ideals against us! What are they trying to do to us by making things we want, less expensive and less restrictive? But there's one thing the Chinese can't duplicate! That "Apple Logo" (tm) that makes me feel smart, warm and cozy every time I buy one of their products. At first, I found myself wanting to buy anything with an "i" in front of the name, but then I realized I was just being an iDiot (tm). Now I look for the Apple mark on it before I buy because then I know I will be happy... just look at all those happy people dancing! It's because of Apple right?

yes, but...

[accessdeniednsp]

Yes, this is truly wondrous and all that jazz, but... will it blend?

Re:Yes, but..

[Anonymous Coward]

Will it blend?

Inevitable conclusion...

[aapold]

They will eventually just clone Steve Jobs. I mean its an essential part of the i-brand experience, no?

Oh, sure the first versions will be of low quality - arrogant, angry, prone to bouts of outrage, hubris, violence.... posing a danger to all those around him..... but in time they will improve and eventually make a better Steve Jobs than the original.

Re:Lots of cool products

[nurb432]

So dont eat your China-Iphone.

Re:As with all knockoffs

[porkThreeWays]

Pfft. I know a genuine Panaphonics when I see it. And look, there's Magnetbox and Sorny.

Listen, I'm not going to lie to you. Those are all superior machines. But if you like to watch your TV, and I mean _really_ watch it, you want the Carnivale'. It features two-pronged wall plug, pre-molded hand grip well, durable outer casing to prevent fallapart...

Re:Inevitable conclusion...

[Hanners1979]

Oh, sure the first versions will be of low quality - arrogant, angry, prone to bouts of outrage, hubris, violence.... posing a danger to all those around him.....

It's no big deal, they can just sell them as Steve Ballmer clones.

Re:As with all knockoffs

[lottameez]

chiPhone

Re:Not an improvement

[Threni]

No 3G..Battery soldered in...wait, that's the original iPhone!

Essence of Capitalism

[Ultra64]

The new fragrance from Calvin Klein.

Re:Essence of Capitalism

[hesiod]

Smells like $#!%, but I have to love it... It's too damn expensive NOT to!

But will it Blend?

[TheeBlueRoom]

and can I get a side of noodles?

Re:Cool!

[kestasjk]

Argh! Do I side with Linux and anti-patenting, or with Apple and anti-outsourcing? It's a slashdotter's nightmare choice.

Re:Cool!

[Sapphon]

So, you're saying, Fascism != Cubism? ^_^

They should call it the 'iClone'

[spiedrazer]

What... I'd buy one!