Monday 23 March 2009
New Digs
The Authentics Foundation is proud to report that it has upscaled its online home. Check us out at myauthentics.com. And while you're there, check out our new blog. We'll be posting there from now on, but will leave this site up as an archive of our online anticounterfeiting efforts.
Sunday 20 July 2008
At least they are honest
Nothing like a little honesty at a souvenir shop. But does anyone really expect to pay $20 for designer sunglasses?
Friday 18 July 2008
More eBay News
Remember the French ruling last month saying ebay had to pay up to LVMH (Louis Vuitton) to the tune of $61 million? Well this time Tiffany & Co decided to try to protect their brand but lost. On July 14th a U.S. judge told Tiffany they would need to police eBay themselves and Ebay had no responsibility to try to weed out the fakes.
I recommend everyone read how to spot a fake on craigslist and ebay.
Article via Business Week and Consumerists.
I recommend everyone read how to spot a fake on craigslist and ebay.
Article via Business Week and Consumerists.
Sunday 13 July 2008
WowWEE FlyTech BladeStar takes Flight
Every holiday season we see a new toy that flies, but this might be the first one i want to buy. Besides the usual list of features such as built in rechargeable batteries, 10 minute flying time on a 5 minute charge, and IR Remote this little guy has a new trick, autopilot. Thanks to its built in IR sensors you can control it by waving your hand near it. The sensors will detect the nearby heat source and will react. Place you hand underneath it and the copter will rise. There is also a combat mode for 2 or more helicopters. The BladeStar comes with several replacement parts to keep the kids happy if something does break.
http://www.bladestaronline.com/
http://www.bladestaronline.com/
AOC 2218Ph takes aim at Apple's style
Last night we got to take a look at AOC's newest lineup of displays. Out of the three they were announcing their 2218Ph 22" computer monitor and the 2230Fm 22" display that pulls triple duty as a monitor, TV, and media player. The 2230 distinguishes itself apart by including the ability to playback media files directly off USB or flash card storage. I felt the real star of their booth was the 2218Ph monitor. Besides its very respectable specs, the stand was one of the best I have ever seen. It not only allowed for height and rotational adjustments but was so flexible you would lay the monitor parallel to your table top. It was able to do all of this without feeling like it was going to topple over at any given moment. Along with its well design stand the 2218Ph is shooting directly at consumers who demand their consumer electronics to have a sense of style. The bezel is a handsome piano black with hidden touch keys that bland right into the bezel. It would make a fine addition to a mac mini or even a extra monitor for an iMac. The final feature of this monitor I really enjoy is the inclusion of HDMI. With a simple HDMI switch you could easily use the monitor has a TV or gaming monitor. Just note that you will need to still hook up external speakers. The monitor has a MSRP of $429.99 and should be available at most electronics and office supply stores nationwide very soon.
Thursday 26 June 2008
Angering the Wrong Party - Operation "Cisco Raider"
Here is an interesting chat with Mike Sheldon, CEO of Network Hardware Resale and President of UNEDA.
Sheldon makes several interesting points regarding the sale of counterfeit networking product, and specifically, Cisco networking equipment. With Cisco the market leader in an industry where components can easily cost thousands of dollars and counterfeits are difficult to spot, counterfeiting has proven to be a big problem for Cisco.
The problem of counterfeit Cisco equipment attracted the attention of the FBI and other government agencies after Cisco counterfeiters sold fake Cisco equipment to GSA-approved vendors, who then turned around and sold the counterfeit equipment to the government. Big mistake. The government started an investigation dubbed "Operation Cisco Raider", leading to over 400 seizures of equipment valued at over $76 million. And considering some of the implications of counterfeit equipment in government computers, including embedded hardware in sensitive military equipment, one can understand the concern.
The initial transaction came thru eBay, and Sheldon discusses why the secondary market for Cisco equipment is so attractive - for example, vastly lower prices and quicker turnaround. Cisco is aware of its counterfeiting challenge, and has taken a variety of steps to combat this problem, primarily through its used equipment operation.
In a time of uncertain economic prospects, IT purchasing managers can be tempted to purchase gray market Cisco and other OED equipment through non-authorized channels. And as Cisco Raider has shown, the opportunity to "flip" the gray market purchases and essentially launder the equipment for profit can be lucrative. However, the US government has taken notice. While certainly having his own motivations for doing so, people like Sheldon do a good job in sounding an alarm over the risks of purchasing out-of-channel equipment.
Sheldon makes several interesting points regarding the sale of counterfeit networking product, and specifically, Cisco networking equipment. With Cisco the market leader in an industry where components can easily cost thousands of dollars and counterfeits are difficult to spot, counterfeiting has proven to be a big problem for Cisco.
The problem of counterfeit Cisco equipment attracted the attention of the FBI and other government agencies after Cisco counterfeiters sold fake Cisco equipment to GSA-approved vendors, who then turned around and sold the counterfeit equipment to the government. Big mistake. The government started an investigation dubbed "Operation Cisco Raider", leading to over 400 seizures of equipment valued at over $76 million. And considering some of the implications of counterfeit equipment in government computers, including embedded hardware in sensitive military equipment, one can understand the concern.
The initial transaction came thru eBay, and Sheldon discusses why the secondary market for Cisco equipment is so attractive - for example, vastly lower prices and quicker turnaround. Cisco is aware of its counterfeiting challenge, and has taken a variety of steps to combat this problem, primarily through its used equipment operation.
In a time of uncertain economic prospects, IT purchasing managers can be tempted to purchase gray market Cisco and other OED equipment through non-authorized channels. And as Cisco Raider has shown, the opportunity to "flip" the gray market purchases and essentially launder the equipment for profit can be lucrative. However, the US government has taken notice. While certainly having his own motivations for doing so, people like Sheldon do a good job in sounding an alarm over the risks of purchasing out-of-channel equipment.
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