China selling the Oculus Rift!!!! (Officially or Illegally?)

[Hannibalj2]

Hello everyone,

Like many of you I waited many months to get my Oculus Rift. Well, it seems that in China there are some manufacturers selling the Rift. Literary the Rift that I officially purchased and many others on this forum. What intrigues me is if they are affiliated withe Oculus, or have been granted the permission to make and sell the units?

You can see this links:

http://www.alibaba.com/trade/search?fsb ... culus+rift

http://microlink.en.alibaba.com/search/ ... ext=oculus

If this is just an infringement, what would Oculus response should be?

[anon84]

I remember this site from a reddit thread a couple months back, the 'mr jones goodman' was selling bulk, it was pretty much decided it was a scam.

this single unit one is new, from 'ms ocean chen' , another strange name, also their website does not work (bad hostname) and clicking their alibaba site link the name 'rambo ma' pops up, it's quite hard to take it all seriously, add to that you cant get a price without contacting them, does someone want to have a go?

why are they all turning up on this alibaba site, why not just use ebay, chinese sell there all the time.
I suspect the alibaba site has lower consumer protection standards thats why

[cybereality]

This is certainly unofficial, but it's hard to say if they are selling knock-off Rifts or if its some scam or something.

I might just order one to see what happens.

[Libertine]

I wish China sold pirated Lamborghinis.

[colocolo]

I wish China sold pirated Lamborghinis.

they already do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWd7Pv8ew5c

[Likay]

Wow! I'm goin to build an SR71 blackbird using the very same concept!
Cya later guys!!!

[Hannibalj2]

Do to business, I go to that region of china. Maybe I could try get a one as well.

But "if" they are the original knockoffs then what? Should they be allow to just pirate this units?

[Hannibalj2]

I remember this site from a reddit thread a couple months back, the 'mr jones goodman' was selling bulk, it was pretty much decided it was a scam.

this single unit one is new, from 'ms ocean chen' , another strange name, also their website does not work (bad hostname) and clicking their alibaba site link the name 'rambo ma' pops up, it's quite hard to take it all seriously, add to that you cant get a price without contacting them, does someone want to have a go?

why are they all turning up on this alibaba site, why not just use ebay, chinese sell there all the time.
I suspect the alibaba site has lower consumer protection standards thats why

Actually, Alibaba is a very popular site if you want to order in bulk. Well, I think I will try make a call and or ask about this since I can physically visit those places.

[Falan]

Can you ask them when the knock-off version 2 is coming out when you're there?

[Hannibalj2]

Can you ask them when the knock-off version 2 is coming out when you're there?

Lol, im not interested on buying one but to see how low they are willing to go about making a buck at the expense of the hard work of others. I suppose a knock off is one thing but to literary copy every aspect of the Rift product and make profit from it, just makes my blood boil.

[geekmaster]

It is all too common for the same Chinese factories that make official products to also make a lot of extras (unofficially) for sale on their local market. These unofficial products often use substandard parts rejected from the official product line, which can give the real product a bad name.

In the case of the Rift, chances are that the knock-offs will all have the same serial number, so that could be one way to tell them from the real deal.

Also, considering that one of those "Oculus Rift" ads lists it as "air purifier parts", I am curious what you might find in your Oculus Rift box.

[Libertine]

Lol, im not interested on buying one but to see how low they are willing to go about making a buck at the expense of the hard work of others. I suppose a knock off is one thing but to literary copy every aspect of the Rift product and make profit from it, just makes my blood boil.

You would do it if you were them, having lived in their shoes for your entire life, possibly impoverished, with your only idea of America coming from flashy advertisements on Tv or movies. The idea that copying someone is so wrong is a human made concept. They MIGHT be able to teach us a thing or two about hard work btw.

[MSat]

It is all too common for the same Chinese factories that make official products to also make a lot of extras (unofficially) for sale on their local market. These unofficial products often use substandard parts rejected from the official product line, which can give the real product a bad name.

In the case of the Rift, chances are that the knock-offs will all have the same serial number, so that could be one way to tell them from the real deal.

Also, considering that one of those "Oculus Rift" ads lists it as "air purifier parts", I am curious what you might find in your Oculus Rift box.

Unless the products being sold is different than what we see in some of the pics, then I agree with geekmaster that they're likely coming from the same factory that officially makes the Rift. I don't think a different factory would go through the effort of faithfully recreating every part such as the case.

[Hannibalj2]

Lol, im not interested on buying one but to see how low they are willing to go about making a buck at the expense of the hard work of others. I suppose a knock off is one thing but to literary copy every aspect of the Rift product and make profit from it, just makes my blood boil.

You would do it if you were them, having lived in their shoes for your entire life, possibly impoverished, with your only idea of America coming from flashy advertisements on Tv or movies. The idea that copying someone is so wrong is a human made concept. They MIGHT be able to teach us a thing or two about hard work btw.

Would I? ...well, that is somewhat of a judgmental comment. Integrity , Ethics and Morality varies from individual to individual, and we must be careful when generalizing others.

In any case I am well verse on the history of how Mao's regime had affected generations of this country since 1949 affecting the population up to this point. That aside, the location area in which the manufacturer is apparently based is a relative middle class region in China (Shenzhen). I would know since I travel there often for business.

Is not up to me to challenge what this companies do with the Rift. That is Oculus responsibility to make sure their product is not carbon copied and the sold. But I am concern in the sense that I DO want Oculus to do well and not see leechers to vampire and make a profit from a product at Oculus expense.

[Hannibalj2]

I had a co-worker of mine call their phone number just now. Nobody answered their phone...yet. Will try later.

Digging closer to their location and it seems to be at an apartment on this building.

http://shenzhen.anjuke.com/community/view/97640

This is located where the big electronic center is at (close enough for me to visit). In there you can purchase any type of electronic components so very fitting. Probably is like a few guys in a room selling them in conjunction with others stuff.

I'd like to take video of the unit, but not sure if it would look too suspicious. If there are indeed copies of the original then perhaps I should get the serial numbers to verify it's authenticity?

[Libertine]

Would I? ...well, that is somewhat of a judgmental comment.

No, I didn't mean it as a judgmental comment at all, not in the way i think you assumed. I meant just simply that I think it is a fact that if you or I = them, or, if we had grown up exactly as they had, following every footstep, lived their every experience, we would be doing the same thing.

[Hannibalj2]

Would I? ...well, that is somewhat of a judgmental comment.

No, I didn't mean it as a judgmental comment at all, not in the way i think you assumed. I meant just simply that I think it is a fact that if you or I = them, or, if we had grown up exactly as they had, following every footstep, lived their every experience, we would be doing the same thing.

Hello Libertine, Ok I get it.

[KBK]

But I'm miles way now, and I have his shoes.