News
Counterfeiters now cloning Fling iPad game controller
By Charles Starrett
Senior Editor, iLounge
Published: Tuesday, April 26, 2011
News Category: iPad Accessories
Knockoff iPod and iPhone products have been making their way across Asia for years, so perhaps it’s no surprise that counterfeiters are moving on to the latest low-hanging fruit: iPad accessories. Earlier today, a Chinese manufacturer sent out e-mails offering the “iPad Fling game controller”—the same Fling released in January as a transparent, flexible tactile screen add-on for the iPad by developer Ten One Design—on a wholesale basis. Ten One has confirmed that the accessories being offered by the Shenzhen-based manufacturer are counterfeits. “Sometimes I like to think of this as a disreputable compliment, but mostly it’s just a hassle to police on eBay,” Ten One’s Peter Skinner said in an e-mail to iLounge. Notably, the email from the manufacturer used not only the Fling name, but promotional images from Ten One showing the product in use. The original product sells for $20; the clone is offered with a seemingly duplicated carrying pouch for between $6 and $9.20, depending on quantity.
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1
My initial comments still stand: it’s $0.20 worth of materials and a lunchbreak’s R&D - even the cloners are ripping people off, just less so :D
Posted by Code Monkey in Midstate New York on April 26, 2011 at 11:05 AM (PDT)
2
If the product was more reasonably priced, there would probably be less counterfeiting.
Posted by rebo on April 26, 2011 at 7:32 PM (PDT)
3
These Asian knockoffs are despicable but the cost of the Flings are atrocious.
That being said I decided to check some of these counterfeit joysticks and found one on ebay for a few bucks shipped that also looks to be a better design overall, the fling looks flimsy in comparison.
I wouldn’t even have looked if the price of the Flings were a bit more reasonable and the build quality at least appeared a little more substantial and could handle some abuse. I’d hate to pay that crazy price only to have to replace it after a couple hours use.
Posted by Smith on June 8, 2011 at 9:35 PM (PDT)
4
That is what’s so great about capitalism. You think it’s overpriced? Don’t buy them. See how easy that was?
I’ve been using mine for about 9 months and they (I bought the pair) work just fine. No issues whatsoever. Now if someone would build a real game controller (similar to a console version) I would buy that in a heartbeat.
Posted by Boopie on December 27, 2011 at 5:21 AM (PDT)