Other What's on Taobao
- Thread starter IntoxicatedPuma
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Is that even possible to do as a North American / European?
I have not looked into the legalities at all, but seeing so many things get imitated with no recourse makes me believe that the Chinese government tries their best to prevent foreigners from leaving a mark in their country.
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Technically yes you can take out a patent in those countries, but there's pretty much no point as they're not going to be reasonably defensible. From everyone I've spoken to about the matter, really all you have to protect commercial products such as these is brand power.
Foreigners have very poor legal representation here and you will always lose a case against local chinese unless you bribe the government official (and then maybe still will lose because taking a foreign bribe looks like a traitor).
If you want to patent it, get a Chinese person you trust and has some power to do it in their name. Good luck finding that. Otherwise Chinese copy each other as much as foreigners.
In defense of China though, Intellectual property is a very abstract concept and only applied in certain cases even in the West, so it's reasonable that it's not really accepted or understood here. Besides, with so many people it's inevitable that people will end up copying each other.
If you want to patent it, get a Chinese person you trust and has some power to do it in their name. Good luck finding that. Otherwise Chinese copy each other as much as foreigners.
In defense of China though, Intellectual property is a very abstract concept and only applied in certain cases even in the West, so it's reasonable that it's not really accepted or understood here. Besides, with so many people it's inevitable that people will end up copying each other.
- Jul 19, 2015
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Bunny does a good job on the basics of IP in China in this Wired documentary. He has also done a great job covering it on his blog and in a few conference talks (that i dont have links to hand for). Im not really quallified to talk to the benefits and disadvantages of western vs eastern approaches to IP but i think the Chinese approach is well worth paying attention to, it seems to enable much more rapid innovation and development.
The biggest issue I personally have with this "copying" is that it all too often is counterfeiting instead of a 1:1 copy. Products with deliberate confusing names that seem like the original product and using their marketing and design is not copying a product but abusing its success.
I'm pretty sure that for instance an Ncase M1 can't be made substantially cheaper if the same design, quality and support is offered. But what's often the case is that corners are cut, severe ones at that too. This was very blatant with the first generation iPhone where there were a lot of look-a-like copies coming from Chinese companies that were just horribly bad devices, but were sold as "iPhones".
Some people are ignorant and just want something that looks like "the original product" but can't or won't pay the money for it. In a world with no competition, it may be possible to undercut the margins while offering a near-identical product, but in consumer electronics this is 99 times out of a 100 just a lower quality product, in more than one way.
I've never understood the reasoning for wanting something that you can't afford, but want something that looks like it, solely for the illusion you have the original product. I just can't lie to myself that way or live my life in function of other people's false image of myself.
I'm pretty sure that for instance an Ncase M1 can't be made substantially cheaper if the same design, quality and support is offered. But what's often the case is that corners are cut, severe ones at that too. This was very blatant with the first generation iPhone where there were a lot of look-a-like copies coming from Chinese companies that were just horribly bad devices, but were sold as "iPhones".
Some people are ignorant and just want something that looks like "the original product" but can't or won't pay the money for it. In a world with no competition, it may be possible to undercut the margins while offering a near-identical product, but in consumer electronics this is 99 times out of a 100 just a lower quality product, in more than one way.
I've never understood the reasoning for wanting something that you can't afford, but want something that looks like it, solely for the illusion you have the original product. I just can't lie to myself that way or live my life in function of other people's false image of myself.
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Image is everything in China. Substance behind the image only matters if it reinforces the image enough to justify the cost. The level to which this is taken can reach pure insanity here. It's probably the most frustrating part of living here. Fortunately not everyone is afflicted by this so you can find plenty of actual quality items under Chinese brands. If they all decide to follow this model, the West is doomed.
It was a joke. The C and the little h were supposed to look like a backwards D as in DAN A4. I thought it was obvious it was joke.
Oh now I'm disappointed... But I wouldn't put it pass them to play the name like that.
My 'rule of thumb' has been: if the device/product is designed to look like an existing product, in all likelihood it is pretty garbage internally/functionally. If it's a domestic design, then it's probably decent. Some of that is indicative of a philosophy change (eschewing form-over-function for form-follows-function) and some is down to trying to replicate an end product without replicating the manufacturing process too is going to result in a poor replica, while designing from scratch using your exisitng production capability will produce a product suited to that capability.
If it's a 1:1 replica, I think that is true. However if it's something where lets say they copy the "design philosophy", it's much less easier to guess. It could just be the person did a bad job of copying it, but it could also be a very enthusiastic person with a lot of money wanted to create his own version of the product. For example, the new YI M1 camera has very Leica-ish looks, and while its not on par with Leica performance or build quality, it does not appear to be a bad product, especially considering the price.
This may also extend to other products like phones, cars, etc... I know many Chinese who are very very smart, motivated, and knowledgeable about products. They are also huge fans of foreign products, and want to create their own. I hope in some years time they start creating new designs (they are already starting to do that) but until then, I think they copy ideas from others to help get their bearings.
I have a Xiaomi Mi5 phone, and while many things are not up to par with other phones - i would say even Huawei beats Xiaomi pretty bad on the software side, the hardware is strikes me as very original. It's a very beautiful phone and although very impractical to use!
This may also extend to other products like phones, cars, etc... I know many Chinese who are very very smart, motivated, and knowledgeable about products. They are also huge fans of foreign products, and want to create their own. I hope in some years time they start creating new designs (they are already starting to do that) but until then, I think they copy ideas from others to help get their bearings.
I have a Xiaomi Mi5 phone, and while many things are not up to par with other phones - i would say even Huawei beats Xiaomi pretty bad on the software side, the hardware is strikes me as very original. It's a very beautiful phone and although very impractical to use!
Yep, software design in general seems to lag behind for all the ODM-turned-OEM manufacturers.
I was actually going to cite Yi as an example! Their more recent cameras are not direct replicas of existing designs (e.g. GoPro), but while they resemble them they are designed around different techniques (e.g. with the M1, the casing is multipart rather than milled from a single billet and takes advantage of this by adding a PU handgrip, the battery inserts through a side-door rather than forming part of the bottom casing making it a cheaper replacement, etc).
I was actually going to cite Yi as an example! Their more recent cameras are not direct replicas of existing designs (e.g. GoPro), but while they resemble them they are designed around different techniques (e.g. with the M1, the casing is multipart rather than milled from a single billet and takes advantage of this by adding a PU handgrip, the battery inserts through a side-door rather than forming part of the bottom casing making it a cheaper replacement, etc).
One more to add for October: This one I think may be local to Chengdu, can't tell if company or just the case is called "Buffoon"
Comes in m-ATX and ATX version, seem's pretty large.
Comes in m-ATX and ATX version, seem's pretty large.
As in that Buffoon belongs in the space inefficiency thread?
I’m using the 904 ATX now. The exterior design is contracted and low-key and the interior structure is unique and creative. I like it so much.
I’m using the 904 ATX now. The exterior design is contracted and low-key and the interior structure is unique and creative. I like it so much.
You might want to post it here.
Hey All, I regularly get cases from taobao and thought I'd share some info as well.
The Jonsbo QT03 has been licesened by Rosewill in NA and is going by the name of Cullinan. The Rosewill branding is kept to bare minimums, which is really nice. I have one and think it's a great case.
Jonsbo VR1 and VR2 came out roughly same time. I bought one the VR1's and love it as well. Gave it to the Mr's since she needed a new comp. The VR2 I would imagine to be a great case if you wanted the VR1 and Crossfire/SLI.
I also have a PI2. The translation for the full name is the White Knight Pi 2. As the name suggests, there is a PI 1, which is terrible. I think the WKPI2 could be a better case, it still only supports low-profile GPU's, so that's a bummer to say the least.
I'm happy to answer questions about the cases I have.
I'll post a few other cases that I've found on taobao, that look interesting.
The Jonsbo QT03 has been licesened by Rosewill in NA and is going by the name of Cullinan. The Rosewill branding is kept to bare minimums, which is really nice. I have one and think it's a great case.
Jonsbo VR1 and VR2 came out roughly same time. I bought one the VR1's and love it as well. Gave it to the Mr's since she needed a new comp. The VR2 I would imagine to be a great case if you wanted the VR1 and Crossfire/SLI.
I also have a PI2. The translation for the full name is the White Knight Pi 2. As the name suggests, there is a PI 1, which is terrible. I think the WKPI2 could be a better case, it still only supports low-profile GPU's, so that's a bummer to say the least.
I'm happy to answer questions about the cases I have.
I'll post a few other cases that I've found on taobao, that look interesting.
Time for another edition of "What's On Taobao?" - October 2016!
I'm going to start with Jonsbo. Last time they had just released the VR1 vertical ITX case and RM4 (full atx version of RM3). They've been pretty busy since then with several more new products:
QT03 with glass panel (seems to be an updated QT01 with more style)
VR2 vertical m-ATX case. Different from the FT03, more like a mini FT05.
U4 - an ATX case similar to the m-ATX U3.
They've also got a new fan series, which is not a direct replacement for their older Eclipse series which came out last year. But they do have just as many LED lights!
I think in another thread I mentioned a case called the Limit Cube. Now they have a new one with flashier PCB design called Limit Cube 2.
Sunmilo may have a competitor in H'z - with their mk3s case:
Sunmilo wasn't idle however and released an updated BG3-e m-ATX case.
I ran into some new budget cases as well, one called the Spark Air Cube. I couldn't find that the company makes anything else and the case looks like its the same as another one, just cant remember what it is called.
Segotep has a couple nicer looking cases at low prices out too:
First is the Lux, which looks a bit like the PCCooler case i posted in August.
2nd is the EOS, not sure where they got the name, maybe they like Canon. It's got a bit of an In-Win thing going I think.
Another major maker, Bubalus, has a similar case to the EOS out called Farseer.
Aigo has a couple In-Win 805/809 copies.
https://item.jd.com/2891706.html
https://item.jd.com/3303012.html
Sahara and Sama didn't release much interesting recently.
Smaller maker ForGame has some new stuff:
A DeepCool SteamCastle looking cube.
Another transparent case that is quite popular these days.
Something that looks like maybe a Fractal Nano copy
Another maker called HuntKey has some cases listed under that brand that I was not aware were part of HuntKey.
One is the Pi2, a followup to the sort of Mac Pro trashcan case that came out last year.
MVPLAND case which looks like an In Win D Frame copy.
And while its not new I still like Alyibai, so here is their F6 triangle case:
That's all for now but I may update again if I see new things of interest!
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