Just when we thought NAND flash memory counterfeiting was bad enough, Apple's infamous iPods are now being counterfeited as well. Apple's tiny flash memory MP3 players, the iPod Nano and the iPod Shuffle, are on the top of the list for counterfeiters. Both the new units are circulating and on sale.
Fake iPods
The counterfeit iPod Nano, when compared to the real iPod Nano seems like a very poor attempt at duplication. Where as Sony's Memory Sticks are counterfeited quite well -- appear identical to the real thing -- both the iPod Nano and the iPod Shuffle have more than enough differences to easily tell what's real from what's fake.
The screen of the counterfeit iPod Nano is very different from that of the real thing, being longer, and displaying a clearly different user interface. The quality of the counterfeit unit also bears little resemblance to the real thing. The controls are also different, with a Play/Pause symbol on the center click button that's missing on the real iPod Nano.
Also missing from the counterfeit iPod Nano is the connection for the iPod dock. On the iPod Shuffle, the actual shuffling function is entirely absent, and the battery life indicator is also absent. Cosmetically, none of the counterfeits hold a candle to the real things.
Fake Memory Sticks
Counterfeit technology saw took its first baby steps when less than reliable merchants began selling overclocked Pentium 2 processors as factory clocked CPUs. Of course, this went on and continued with Intel's Pentium 3, AMD's Athlon and virtually any other PC product manufactured since 2000.
Sony is currently facing a problem with memory, but not because it can't remember how to keep a firm schedule on its PlayStation 3's launch, but its popular Memory Stick products are now being counterfeited.
According to several reports in Canada, counterfeit Memory Sticks have made their way from China over to US and Canadian shores. A quick search on eBay will reveal numerous online auctions that claim to sell legitimate Memory Sticks, but we managed to get word from a popular online eBay merchant that most Memory Sticks being sold on eBay are manufactured in China and are not the genuine Sony.
Comparing the authentic Sony Memory Sticks to the counterfeit ones is not easy. Some customers are now reporting that even official Sony reps are being fooled and are unable to tell. Despite being fakes, the China-made Memory Sticks are nearly identical (English) to the real deal except for some very subtle details.
Spotting Fakes
On the outside, genuine Memory Sticks Duos have laser-etched information on the back of the cards compared to the printed information on the counterfeits. The authentic modules are etched into the plastic shell, so the words don't rub off like they do on the counterfeits. The dimensions between the two will also be very slightly different. Some users reported having difficulties inserting and removing their MS Duo products from devices such as the PSP.
On the inside, the counterfeit sticks also do not use the same Sony-marked PCB and are actually unmarked. The real sticks also use Ball Grid Array (BGA) memory chips where as the counterfeit ones use TSOP (Thin Small Outline Package) chips. The chips inside the counterfeit products are also unmarked and perform unreliably. Users who've purchased these sticks tell DailyTech that they are also experiencing differences between usable capacities when compared to genuine Memory Sticks -- the counterfeit products show a smaller capacity.
Some eBay merchants are also claiming that they will ship a "SanDisk Memory Stick Adapter", which is "factory sealed" along with the purchase of a Memory Stick Pro Duo. Unfortunately, Sony does not "factory seal" a memory product from its competitor along with its own memory products. Sony, in fact, has its own adapters.
Sony has not issued a warning or a statement in regards to the counterfeiting of its products, but it is advisable that buyers should be cautious of where they purchase their products from -- especially over eBay.
Fake iPods
The counterfeit iPod Nano, when compared to the real iPod Nano seems like a very poor attempt at duplication. Where as Sony's Memory Sticks are counterfeited quite well -- appear identical to the real thing -- both the iPod Nano and the iPod Shuffle have more than enough differences to easily tell what's real from what's fake.
The screen of the counterfeit iPod Nano is very different from that of the real thing, being longer, and displaying a clearly different user interface. The quality of the counterfeit unit also bears little resemblance to the real thing. The controls are also different, with a Play/Pause symbol on the center click button that's missing on the real iPod Nano.
Also missing from the counterfeit iPod Nano is the connection for the iPod dock. On the iPod Shuffle, the actual shuffling function is entirely absent, and the battery life indicator is also absent. Cosmetically, none of the counterfeits hold a candle to the real things.
Fake Memory Sticks
Counterfeit technology saw took its first baby steps when less than reliable merchants began selling overclocked Pentium 2 processors as factory clocked CPUs. Of course, this went on and continued with Intel's Pentium 3, AMD's Athlon and virtually any other PC product manufactured since 2000.
Sony is currently facing a problem with memory, but not because it can't remember how to keep a firm schedule on its PlayStation 3's launch, but its popular Memory Stick products are now being counterfeited.
According to several reports in Canada, counterfeit Memory Sticks have made their way from China over to US and Canadian shores. A quick search on eBay will reveal numerous online auctions that claim to sell legitimate Memory Sticks, but we managed to get word from a popular online eBay merchant that most Memory Sticks being sold on eBay are manufactured in China and are not the genuine Sony.
Comparing the authentic Sony Memory Sticks to the counterfeit ones is not easy. Some customers are now reporting that even official Sony reps are being fooled and are unable to tell. Despite being fakes, the China-made Memory Sticks are nearly identical (English) to the real deal except for some very subtle details.
Spotting Fakes
On the outside, genuine Memory Sticks Duos have laser-etched information on the back of the cards compared to the printed information on the counterfeits. The authentic modules are etched into the plastic shell, so the words don't rub off like they do on the counterfeits. The dimensions between the two will also be very slightly different. Some users reported having difficulties inserting and removing their MS Duo products from devices such as the PSP.
On the inside, the counterfeit sticks also do not use the same Sony-marked PCB and are actually unmarked. The real sticks also use Ball Grid Array (BGA) memory chips where as the counterfeit ones use TSOP (Thin Small Outline Package) chips. The chips inside the counterfeit products are also unmarked and perform unreliably. Users who've purchased these sticks tell DailyTech that they are also experiencing differences between usable capacities when compared to genuine Memory Sticks -- the counterfeit products show a smaller capacity.
Some eBay merchants are also claiming that they will ship a "SanDisk Memory Stick Adapter", which is "factory sealed" along with the purchase of a Memory Stick Pro Duo. Unfortunately, Sony does not "factory seal" a memory product from its competitor along with its own memory products. Sony, in fact, has its own adapters.
Sony has not issued a warning or a statement in regards to the counterfeiting of its products, but it is advisable that buyers should be cautious of where they purchase their products from -- especially over eBay.
