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Wefound: Chinese company unveils Kindle knock-off
Following up on their amazingly apt forgery of the iPhone, the hardware alchemists of China have come up with their own knock-off of the Amazon Kindle. Named the Wefound (as in we found another good idea to rip-off) and created by Peking University Founder Group, the device looks nearly identical to the Kindle except for the tiny navigation jog wheel.
The unit will use E Ink Corp's electronic paper for the display and users will be able to input content via a SIM card. The Wefound is slated to be released in China later this year for about $209, with plans to follow up with a release in Japan. While such duplicates are never pretty, with no Kindle available in Asia, this might turn out to be the solution for some international customers until Amazon gets its global-Kindle act together.
Via TechOn
By Mihos at 7:22 AM ON 07/14/09
Good for them... the Kindle is too damn expensive, especially concidering you are basically buying a vending machine you have to plug more money into DRM locked content after you own it.... wait, was I talking about he Kindle or the iPhone?
By Mr. Gumsandals at 8:05 AM ON 07/14/09
As much as I'd like to see a less expensive Kindle, congratulating the Chinese for another rip off of another patent isn't the answer.
By Giggity at 10:31 AM ON 07/14/09
@Mihos....careful, you sound like me...and that can elicit severe criticism and a solid flame on your character. :-)
@Mr. Gumsandals... although I agree, I am curious to know if the patent for Kindle was filed in Asia. From what I understand, a US patent isnt global.
I suppose that this is what happens when your entire product is manufactured in China.
By Red Adept at 12:54 PM ON 07/14/09
I think it's great. I often pretend to read Kindle books and then give them crappy reviews to get attention for myself. I'm a pretty ugly and lonely old hag and this is the only way anyone pays me any attention..
By Al at 2:37 PM ON 07/14/09
I'm sure duplicating the kindle was much easier than the iphone. At least it looks like they got it (almost) exactly right.
The iPhone dupe was barely any better than the i-wannabees in the states.
By Zhong at 5:34 PM ON 07/14/09
Does it come with (or at least have available) a kindle-like - popup - embedded-in-page dictionary? (for the hanzi of course) I have been working tirelessly for a while now to get a Chinese-Eng or Chi2Chi dictionary to work in the same way on the original kindle. Admittedly not getting further than a full dictionary ebook-dictionary file that can be read like a book and 'searched' minus the fact that you can't input chinese so it is useless.
If this thing is even remotely usable like that I know a sizable group of people who will be buying these all around the world.
By Red Fan at 7:24 PM ON 07/14/09
Red Adept rocks. She's not ugly at all. She's the world's best reader and reviewer. She makes having a Kindle worthwhile. I give her five stars.
By hipquest at 10:30 PM ON 07/14/09
Best wishes on getting eBooks from Amazon.
And, Red's reviews are great!
By Thomas B. at 2:01 AM ON 07/15/09
Does China ever look at the international agreements they sign? Whatever happen to IP rights?
By ben at 4:56 AM ON 07/15/09
It's real chitty not being able to buy a kindle here in south korea, given I have to go to Seoul to find a suitable selection of books... which is a 4 hour bullet train ride northwest. Not that I couldn't acquire a kindle, just wouldn't be able to download books from amazons website because of e-tariffs or some other sort of complete malarky.
By TroubleBoy at 10:19 AM ON 11/22/09
especially considering you are basically buying a vending machine you have to plug more money into DRM locked content after you own it....
Well, that's not a problem (on a Mac) with this:
on your cellphone!
Text DVICE to 72434
editor@dvice.com
TroubleBoy:
especially considering you are basically buying a vending machine you have to plug more money into DRM locked conte...More »