This brings a whole new meaning to “Good Morning, Vietnam.” Josep sent me a link to an article on VietnameNet that really shocked me. I know there are knockoff iPhones, iPods, and others but I had yet to hear of a real knockoff BlackBerry.
It looks like BlackBerrys are getting their own knockoffs in Vietnam. A VietnamNet reporter followed a technician who assembled a 8320 out of $110 in parts. The device supposedly looks authentic except for a few case differences. They are planning on importing the components in bigger orders to lower the amount even more.
They are selling the devices for about $180-$225 with a 6 or 12 month warranty. The devices are sold as if they are grey market meaning they were not officially imported…
So now I am just hoping that the next BlackBerry I happen to pick up off eBay is actually made by RIM. I would be curious to know if the device actually loads the BlackBerry OS… Does it have a PIN# & IMEI? I guess they are just assembling the devices from spare parts so it is possible.
via VietnamNet
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