Apple picker Probably many of us sometimes wonder if it is worth paying full price for branded products (and not necessarily only for the Apple brand) when cheaper non-branded alternatives are offered. In this short reflection I will show that the adage that I am not rich enough to afford to buy cheap things still holds true.
Everyone sometimes says that it's hell when we have to pay hundreds of crowns for a piece of pressed plastic, when the production price will certainly be an order of magnitude lower. And every now and then it occurs to everyone that non-original (meaning "stolen") accessories could be cheaper. My last attempt at this topic did not turn out very well.
I wanted a second cable for the iPhone - classic USB-Lightning. It is available at the Czech Apple Store for CZK 499. But I found another one - unoriginal – a hundred cheaper (which is 20% of the price). In addition, in a "spectacular" flat design and color. You will probably say that the hundred was not worth it. And you are right. She didn't stand. When I unpacked the cable, I freaked out. The connector looked like this:
It probably won't surprise you that the cable can't even be inserted into the phone (it's just that Apple's manufacturing tolerances don't allow such scumbags) and honestly, I didn't even want to force it into the connector.
When two do the same thing, it's just not always the same. It is known that Apple's production tolerance is very strict (see e.g. the recent protests at Foxconn), but this is far beyond any tolerance in my opinion. In short, it's not worth saving on quality, because often in the end we save only seemingly during the first purchase, but in the long run we rather lose. Honor exceptions.
Do you also have similar experiences? If so, share them with us in the discussion.
I myself sold in the "mentioned" e-shop for a few months and I was honestly sometimes ashamed to give people such quality goods for their money as you describe in the article. And it doesn't only apply to the cable, but also to the packaging, the dock, the stylus that lasts a week, the display film that completely changes the colors of the iPhone, etc. No more.
Honestly, I can't imagine stuffing an iPhone 5 for 17k or more with a charging cable that, as we know, is supposed to contain a chip controlling the charging current, if I knew that someone "made" it on their knees at a noodle stand.. That risk (even if the cable after unpacking it didn't look like yours) it might not be worth it.
I agree with you, but once I also bought a non-original iPhone 2 (already used for 4 years, which had a newly installed original battery) and I felt a rapid decrease in battery capacity after a long period of daily use, after a few months after I noticed this, I started screw up the power connector, so since then only the original. Now I bought 3 more cables for my XNUMX, and I'd rather spend more in the AppStore than have this happen again.
be careful, be careful, lightning does contain a chip, but a chip that switches the functions of individual pins - currently it is only used to insert lightning in both directions and should also be used to prevent non-original cables from Apple (broken), in In the future, I can probably expect other functionality - in my opinion, mainly the iPhone - Thunderbolt connection. Otherwise, 30-pin cables are just cables, they don't have electronics and it's stupid to destroy the battery. I bought cheap cables and 3 situations happened: 1. the cable ran like the original 2. the cable ran, but the data copied slower (unshielded and untwisted cable needed for USB) 3. the cable did not work at all.
But I don't want to believe that the cable would destroy the battery, especially when EVERY iPhone has a power management chip in it.
Ah, I guess I misunderstood. My mistake. But even so, I wouldn't want to risk it - at least mechanical damage. Ps: thanks for the correction and bringing it to the right limit.
I disagree about 3 years ago I bought 2 cables to power my iPod touch. non-original from aukra + car connector for charging, the whole thing cost me about 120,- the originals would have been 4 times more expensive at the time. and they work so far.. it just depends on what you buy.. and how "lucky" you are at it..:)
Well, I can assure you with 100% certainty that you didn't really buy the original for this price... (Just because the purchase is about 16$) and I doubt that the guy would want to spend money on it... that is, if it wasn't some big scratch :)
the headphones are original, or it is such an incredible copy, both in terms of design and sound, that I'm not sure if it would even be worth making such a high-quality copy. And for the price of 2 USD, I used to buy original 30-pin iPhone cables (they were really original - you could tell by the materials)
but as i say lightning hasn't arrived yet so i can't compare
They are not original. A couple of years ago, my sister lost her headphones that were for the iPhone 4. I had the original one, and I couldn't find hers. we didn't recognize it under the microscope at all. It was only when we played proper quality music that we could hear it. We are musically oriented, so we like quality, if you don't mind listening to music on shunts, then that's different. However, I also judge that it is not original from ebay.
I don't know how else to put it, these headphones play absolutely identically and are made of the same materials and the same way. I know something about it and I'm an audiophile. Of course, there's a chance it's a hyper-cool copy, but I'm not betting on it. You know, the way it works is that someone steals headphones from the factory and sells them on ebay, but don't look for such science in it.
I highly doubt that anyone who deserves the label "audiophile" listens to music on earpods.. (groove grouch) :)
hehe, you're right, they don't have such an extreme sound quality, but for wearing outside while walking or running, they are still better for me than spark plugs or other budget gems in the price range of around 1000,- and less that I used to have before. I have very high-quality sennheisers at home, although it's true that I still run through the sound box in my laptop... Otherwise, if you know of some gems (or channel headphones) that would play better, have a microphone and controls in the price range of ~1000, then I'll go with them. I still want to try a-jay-s four in time
the problem with me is that I need cheap headphones to go out, because I wear them quite often (problem between the cable and the connector, the earpods last the longest so far.)
Consent Xenon, headphones and cables are definitely not original. I also once bought earphones from Shure at a suspiciously cheap price, and although I didn't recognize the difference in processing, the converter was simply different. The truth is, if you can't compare it to the quality of the original, it's hard to tell.
in that case, I don't understand who can make a copy that is really of such high quality both in terms of sound and production. I think I came across headphones that someone stole, or maybe they are sold by a company that bought iPhones for employees and doesn't give them headphones...
if you like quality, I don't understand why you listen to it on headphones, what do you put it on :D
100% sure they are not original... (just buying earpods is about 16$) and I doubt that the guy would want to make money on it...
I don't know I don't know Did the author of this article look at the cable rating directly on apple.com?
see link http://store.apple.com/us/reviews/MD818ZM/A/lightning-to-usb-cable?fnode=3a
Still think those cables are awesome?
So far I from websites like dx.com and so on. he only ordered a reduction from 30pin to 8pin and the processing for the 60 CZK is absolutely no problem - I will send a photo. The second thing is that I only use it to charge the iPad, so I can't say if the inside is well made to carry audio and other data. In this respect, only apple has the upper hand. However, if you want a cable / adapter just for charging, I think that if you search a little and read a few reviews, even a cable for 60 CZK can be used well.
Could you post the e-bay link please? :)
headphones here: http://goo.gl/zKr0R it doesn't say about authenticity, but the lightning cables are really copies (as I say, they haven't arrived yet, so I don't know what the quality is) link here: http://goo.gl/VVyUr
Thank you. I will try to buy headphones, a hundred is not a lot of money and maybe they will be really good. But it probably won't be the original for the money...
try it, despite the fact that these are headphones for a hundred, whether original or not, they play indistinguishable from the original ones
How long can it take for it to arrive here from China? :)
I bought them there yesterday and it was already shipped this morning. On the way to the Czech Rep. is goods ordered via e-bay from China 14 days to 3 weeks.
it takes me about 10 days, my record is 4 days, and at Christmas one thing came to me after two months
so I couldn't do it and I took them apart and compared them inside with the Appláckej I have at work. Yeah, it's not the original, it's a copy, at least according to the points:
– I think the sound is the same and just as loud
– same weight, same cable length
– the copy has a slightly narrower lead from the “splitter” to the individual headphones – this may be due to the fact that the material is new and unworn.
– the packaging is the same, even the same packaging, the apple from the back too.
- the control buttons are easier to press on the copy, probably a novelty, but it gives a better "unsqueezed" impression
– the copy has more visible joint outlines on the plastic parts – not by much
– the copy has a lighter case and the text designed in california is not on it,...blablabla
I have a similar experience. I didn't want to put the manufacturer's recommended oil in the car, so I put a branded analogue about 20% cheaper. After the replacement (plus filter plus work) they told me that the interval for the next replacement is 15 thousand. km. Original from the manufacturer has 20 thousand. If it was only about the oil, it's OK But we add the filter and the work... and so it is with Apple products. They are more expensive. But in the end it's fine, because I know that I will buy something that will last significantly longer than the "competition". My MacBook Pro is five years old. When I had the ones with OS from Okien, they lasted three, four years at most. And mine is definitely not about to "retire" yet
If you can't shop smart, be a fool and shop expensive.
The original charger for the iPhone 4s charges in 2 hours, but the non-original one costs a hundred for two and a half, but it is ideal as a spare for work
Ad AppleMix: My brother and I bought an EU-fork for a Macbook. such as the slide-in corner of the cubes from the adapter, or airportexpress. And that's from AppleMix, which advertises directly on this page! A completely sloppy, inaccurate piece of plastic, which of course could not be slid onto the adapter rail. My brother had exactly the same smile, although slightly deformed. so it's probably stable product quality. Guess it's plastic. We had to take a fine file each and just sand the flats that didn't fit. :-D It works but it sucks. I also bought a MiniDVI->VGA adapter (for a projector) from AppleMix. Also unoriginal. It's true that I carry it in the cable and disconnect it all the time, but after a year it started going crazy and fell into the scythe. Orig adapters are ridiculously overpriced by tens, maybe hundreds of percent on the margin, as if HP would never allow it, but at least someone is watching the quality of the product. So it is necessary to come to terms with the fact that it is apple and I will pay a ridiculous margin, rather than buying completely noname rubbish.
Unfortunately, I made a mistake with the car charger and bought a store that brutally overheats and recharges very slowly. I will definitely buy the quality!
I bought a non-original 30-pin adapter for Lightning for half and within two days it fell apart while driving in my car - expensive for free
Stupid article based on your nonsense... The classic Origo cable was sent to me after a month... I've had the Neorigo for 100 for about three months and it's working fine... I don't share my opinions with the last and it's "stolen"?! What the fuck, you don't mean it, do you?!
Prr, cool your head first, then talk. The author described his experience and warned others to be careful. There's nothing wrong with that, right? Or did you make the green cable yourself? :-)
Yep, I have a similar experience. For the then new iPad 2, I bought a slightly cheaper "Apple smart cover" on eBay, thinking I was buying an original. Not long after unpacking, the metal part broke into several pieces. At the time, APR confirmed that it was plagiarism. They succeeded, including the cover. Lesson learned: avoid buying on eBay if the item is also available elsewhere (amazon..). Nowadays, ofiko eshop is an ideal choice for Apple products, the prices are comparable to foreign (EU) ones.
So I never received anything of good quality from AppleMix either. One lighting stand for an iPhone/iPad mini for approx. 800 kc stopped charging after a week, the complaint went through without any problems and I have already replaced the stand, which arrived in a rather battered box (I mean the inside in which the product is already directly packed) and then it works (a month) , but here and there I only charge for a while and then it stops and in the morning I wonder why the iPhone is discharged or strange voices appear on the iPhone after connecting: something like the photo accessory can't play music, etc. Nonsense.
Well, another thing was the bluetooth keyboard/case for the iPhone 5, the only problem there was that the keyboard wrote completely different characters than it should and the system settings didn't help, it just wrote something different than what it had and HW keys, luckily returns within 14 days and no problem, but the quality of the goods from AppleMix is not very good overall, when I think about it...
I'm not surprised, they take goods from DX.com and sometimes choose really low-quality pieces, if only they were fair and said what is junk and what is cool. And they take at least tried-and-tested goods with which there is no problem... Applemix.cz is purely about making money.
Apparently it was through the e-shop.
Then return the product within 30 days without giving a reason. :-)
The seller should give you a refund including postage.
14 days
you can buy them on ebay without any problems for two dollars, they're free for free and like doesn't even know the difference.. the only difference is that the lightning connector is made of two parts, not one.. and it works even after updates.. I have them at home myself five.. one permanently in the charger, the other by the PC for synchronization, the other in my bag when I'm going somewhere, and one in the car, for charging.. of course, you've already proven to me the thing I carry in my wallet - org. apple reduction to microusb.. the system can be updated through it, so then any microusb cable will do, which everyone has more than enough of at home these days =P
that's right, I also have them from DX and they are unrecognizable...
That's one view, but the cable can be ordered, for example, from tin for $3 and it works absolutely perfectly, the difference is not even visible at a glance. And that already sounds completely different.
I don't know how it's possible, but I wanted a USB cable for the Iphone5 and T-mobile sold it to me in a box that looks (and probably is) original. I was surprised by the price of CZK 195. When I got home, I shook my head and compared it to the original in the box, I couldn't find any difference!
Only the cable - I repeat once more - ONLY the cable for CZK 499 is really excessive. There are min. equal quality alternatives at half the price.
That's an unfortunate comparison. I bought a non-genuine imitation cable from hong kong 2 years ago for $2.99 and so far it has lasted better than the original! And it looks almost the same. It depends on the manufacturer of those alternatives, of which there are hundreds.
So I read the rating of the cable directly on apple and I can see that there are so many dissatisfied people. Although... they don't write satisfied. But can someone explain to me why people write there that they have to keep buying new ones and that it's costing them money? Why if they have a warranty? They should get a new cable right away.
I guess it will be individual... I bought a lot of original and non-original 30-pin cables, the non-original ones mostly got damaged in the place where the cable goes to the terminal... but the fact is that I carried them around a lot and strained them. If it was lying on the table, they would probably last longer. In any case, I always noticed a different behavior with the non-original ones when I plugged the cable into the iPhone. It's just that it was usually not as easy as the original... but I believe that you can also buy cheap cables of acceptable quality, but I'm tired of finding out by trial and error :-(