This 2.2-inch clamshell aberration – technically the Apple Q300 Ultra – costs around $US70, which is $US70 too much. [Shanzai]

If for whatever reason this piece of junk appeals to you, you can order it straight from China Grabber’s vaguely shady-looking website, but I would suggest that you use the money to get your head examined instead. [ChinaGrabber via PMP via Uber Gizmo via Device]

Tipster Marcus was in Bali last week and spotted these two bargain phones. While they might look similar, they have a few subtle differences, like one being Bleck Berry, the other being a BackBerry. Both work on the Vodaphone network apparently, as well as running off AA batteries.

I know it’s wrong, but I want one.

[Thanks Marcus]

Strangely, this is the second E81 phone that the knockoff artists at Nokla have put out. The first was a candybar phone that Nokla released to take advantage of the current lack of a legitimate Nokia “E81″ phone in that company’s ever-expanding product lineup.

The features are actually rather modest, but end up being completely overshadowed by the included mirror that graces the phone’s swiveling backside. Shades of the Sony Ericsson “woman’s mobile phone” playbook, no doubt. [Justamp via Engadget via BBG]

Going for just $500, the “dead ringer” clone phones were uncovered at Dandenong markets with fake Apple headphones, plus a heap of sports related clothing. According to the Carl Donadio from Global Brand Protection, the only thing that gave away the fact it was a clone was “that it had a Nokia charger point and several other key security features not present on the original model”. Although I’d highly doubt that it would run OSX, either.

In all seriousness though, if you’re buying any gadgets at the local markets and the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is…

[Herald Sun]

Coverage of Chinese “shanzhai” knockoff phones tends to be dismissive at best, but the NYT, in a fit of earnestness, has done a full-on, iSuppli-style cost analysis of your typical iFauxne. Spoiler: They’re extremely profitable!

Inspiring a knockoff is something like a rite of passage for any new handset, and virtually no desirable phones go uncopied. This article is a decent primer on the industry in general, but its material cost breakdown—the likes of which we regularly see for desirable, legitimate handets—is particularly revealing. These knockoff houses feed from the same supply chains as their mainstream counterparts, and a meaningful proportion of their build costs—for basic parts like mics, vibration motors and speakers—are therefore identical.

The major cost savings come from in the most expensive—and generally, important—components. Judged against, say, a G1 (which carries a build cost of $US140), a $US40 knockoff will have a significantly cheaper screen, baseband, and camera module. Software, design and marketing costs are almost nothing, so the customary 100%-200% markup, which is roughly inline with—if not a bit lower than—the expected markup for no-contract mainstream handsets, is pure profit. The take-home message: these companies aren’t just doing this to be funny. [NYT]

Sure it’s not perfect and it lacks the finesse of Apple’s designs—and I shiver thinking about the software this thing packs—but look at it. There are MacBooks in there. And iPod nanos and even part of the old iPod shuffle in that internal ring—not the one Heather tried to swallow.

HiPhone Nano N3+
2.8″ TouchScreen Tri-band Flip Phone w/ Dual Standby, Shake Control, Camera – HiPhone Nano N3+

• Clamshell iPod Nano design
• 2.8-inch (3.0-inch) touchscreen QVGA + stylus
• Triband GSM, GPRS
• Dual SIM with dual stand-by
• TouchWiz control
• Shake control
• Magical Voice
• Bluetooth
• Video and music support
• FM tuner
• 1.3 megapixel camera
• TF card slot (1GB TF comes with the phone)
• 2800mAh battery

This clone of hardware from an alternative Earth can be yours for $US190. [China Grabber via PMP Today]

This is Cady, who died at age 10 in a car accident. More recently, Dr. Panayiotis Zavos infused her DNA into a cow’s egg to study human cloning.

Dr Zavos assures the public that this human/cow hybrid model for study only—he’d never implant anything but human to human tissue, even though Cady’s mother would allow it. But according to a documentary filmmaker who witnessed these procedures, Zavos has implanted 11 other cloned 100% human embryos into four women prepared to give birth to the first human clone.

None of the pregnancies took.

Regarded as a quack in 2004 when he claimed to have implanted the first human cloned embryo into a woman, Dr. Zavos has returned to the media spotlight through film documentation. Read lots more on the story over at The Independent, and apparently there will be a Discovery Channel special airing tonight (though we haven’t spotted its listing in US broadcast). If you have scheduling info, let us know in the comments. [The Independent]

I’d guess that most smartphones get whipped out when the conversation starts to get so stale. In my case, when a conversation takes up less than 10% of my clock cycles. Mr luddite, I don’t care about the weather; you could just provide more interesting conversation and I’d snap back to attention. Look! Someone’s talking about pork rinds on twitter! What were you saying? [i-wood via bbg]

From the same people who brought you the Chinese iPhone-wannabe, the HiPhone, the HiPhone Nano is currently being sold in China for $US125, which is an immediate discount from its $US400 price tag. However, calling it a clone would be a misnomer as it doesn’t use the same user interface as the OS. With a 2.4-inch screen, the Tri-band HiPhone Nano supports dual-SIM cards, has a camera and bluetooth, and is apparently also a flip phone. Really, a flip phone? Apple fangirl does not approve. [Product Page via Wired]