The DIY "iPad3" from China

There are many ways to get an iPad. It can be as easy as walking into any Apple Store and shelling out at least $500, or as creative as building yourself one. Yes, it's possible, sort of.

Photo Source: http://www.geek.com

It took two weeks and a couple of laptop hardware for this Chinese guy (allegedly a hacker/geek/genius) to create his own replica of the coveted tablet which he named "iPad3". The device runs on Windows XP and is bulkier compared to the original one but apparently it works just fine! Reportedly, his device is able to run Google Earth, read an ebook and do a bit of web surfing. A carrying case with keyboard and an Apple logo were added to complete the "iPad3".

People have called this creation insane and genius. Yeah. Sure. But it's also an impending law suit for trademark infringement, or a cease and desist order from Apple at the very least. 

Trademark Infringement happens when an identical or similar trade mark for identical or similar goods and services to a registered trade mark creates a likelihood of confusion on the part of the public. This includes the case where because of the similarities between the marks the public are led to the mistaken belief that the trade marks, although different, identify the goods or services of one and the same trader. Where the registered mark has a significant reputation, infringement may also arise from the use of the same or a similar mark which, although not causing confusion, damages or takes unfair advantage of the reputation of the registered mark. This can occasionally arise from the use of the same or similar mark for goods or services which are dissimilar to those covered by the registration of the registered mark.
Source: http://www.ipo.gov.uk/t-infringe.htm

Trademark infringements are nothing new to Apple. Almost every product they have introduced into the market involved a Trademark Infringement suit over some other company holding the rights to a particular device. The iPad is just the latest dispute in the Trademark wars. In fact in 2010, Apple almost faced a lawsuit over the iPad trademark in China, which I think was "settled", since we never heard anything anymore after the iPad dominated the market last year. As the saying goes, if you can't beat them, buy them!

And in case anyone is interested to attempt making their own tablets, the guy made a 20-minute video to illustrate the process. Watch the actual video here, courtesy of Youku, the Chinese version of YouTube.

Or you can just wait for the official release of the (real) iPad3 in September :)


4th Entry
Soleil Flores