
The $12 “Gongkai” Phone (2013) - msvan
https://www.bunniestudios.com/blog/?page_id=3107
======
lucasgonze
I'm less interested by the phone and more by the idea of "a unique innovation
ecosystem evolved with little western influence, thanks to political,
language, and cultural isolation." ... "gongkai isn’t a totally lawless free-
for-all. It’s a network of ideas, spread peer-to-peer, with certain rules to
enforce sharing and to prevent leeching. It’s very different from Western IP
concepts, but I’m trying to have an open mind about it."

Any suggestions WRT other writing about this sphere?

~~~
Waterluvian
I'm fascinated by it too. Though it does seem to conveniently ignore that this
is probably made possible by stealing IP to get started.

Nevertheless, it's interesting to consider other mechanisms for technological
evolution.

~~~
chillacy
Infringe is a more suitable word for IP than steal, since nothing is
physically taken. The real question (and the thing which should force self
reflection on western ip laws) is if companies are incentivized to invest in
developing new ip without laws to create monopolies for the new tech. Maybe
open source software is a similar model (copyright vs patents).

~~~
mbreese
You could physically steal plans, drawings, or documentation describing
inventions or technology. Infringe isn’t necessarily the best term here when
the technology in question isn’t necessarily covered by copyright, but likely
a mixture of patents or trade secrets.

In these areas of, shall we say, ‘loose’ IP enforcement, I don’t think you’ve
seen any instances of really transformational increases in technology, but
rather incremental improvements. Evolution rather than revolution, if you
will. I don’t think you’d see major changes without strong IP law enforcement.
While there can be some rapid improvements in existing tech, with lax IP
enforcement, how much new tech could you really expect? We’d end up stuck in a
local minima.

~~~
chillacy
Steal implies a loss of the physical good: if I steal your car, I get a car
and you lose your car. If I steal your money you lose that quantity of cash.
If I steal your idea... what have you lost? The opportunity to make money? But
it's not like I took your idea and wiped the memory from your brain.

So steal I don't think is the right word.

As far as technology, software is relatively IP lax and innovative, which lets
us mix and remix from a common knowledge pool. Imagine how much slower
software development would be if we all had to pay royalties to knuth for
using an if statement, royalties for using any encryption, or any algorithm
which was, after all, non-obvious before it was invented.

------
class4behavior
From 2014:
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8646781](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8646781)

~~~
ezequiel-garzon
Thanks! In turn, from 2013:
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5703946](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5703946)

------
elil17
The downside this approach to IP that is community based as opposed to
legalistic is the culture of hazing it comes with. To learn about this I
recommend listening to “Business and Fucking in China” by Sinica.

[https://m.soundcloud.com/chinafile/sinica-podcast-
business-a...](https://m.soundcloud.com/chinafile/sinica-podcast-business-and-
fcking-in-china)

------
desireco42
Since this was 5 yrs ago, now there are regular phones that are similar if not
a little more polished concepts.

[https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Uniwa-AEKU-C6-Mobile-
Phone-G...](https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Uniwa-AEKU-C6-Mobile-Phone-GSM-
Bluetooth-Kid-Pocket-Vibration-Card-Small-Mini-Button-Russian-
Keyboard/32918800489.html)

I think this makes a lot of sense for some uses, kids, when you want to be
tech-less.

------
browsercoin
ah, blast from the past! this has to be one of my top favorite HN submissions
of all time, I recall 5 years ago when I first saw it posted here I was
amazed. It'd be interesting to see a 2018 "Gonkai" phone.

~~~
userbinator
If you search AliExpress for "mini phone" you'll find plenty. Looks like the
price hasn't changed much:

[https://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-Arrival-Ultra-Thin-
AIEK-...](https://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-Arrival-Ultra-Thin-AIEK-
AEKU-C6-1-0-Card-Phone-Bluetooth-2-0-Calender-Alarm/32702911721.html)

It's amusing to see some of them advertised as being "low radiation",
presumably to appeal to the health quacks, but all that phrase connotes in my
mind is "bad reception".

Edit: a look inside reveals not much has changed from the one in the article,
only the casing: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h8Ca-
yzKuc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h8Ca-yzKuc)

~~~
da02
Have you used these? Any good for receiving and making phone calls?

~~~
sm64
I wouldn't trust the battery

------
amiga-workbench
I bought a slightly fancier one of these earlier this year, if I could get rid
of the rancid boot sound it would be perfect.
[http://mos6581.com/pictures/vaio/nanophone.jpg](http://mos6581.com/pictures/vaio/nanophone.jpg)

~~~
lifeformed
Does it do sms? How's the battery life? I might get one...

~~~
amiga-workbench
Yeah, it does SMS just fine. I had to charge it up every 2-3 days though and
I'm not a heavy user at all. I call for the odd taxi a few times a week and
that's it.

Be warned, it charges via its 3.5mm jack. It comes with two USB adapters for
you to charge and read its internal storage.

~~~
lifeformed
Woah. Charging through the headphone jack? That's pretty weird (and cool).

~~~
maxerickson
The iPod shuffle did it:

[https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MC003AM/A/apple-ipod-
shuf...](https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MC003AM/A/apple-ipod-shuffle-usb-
cable)

I used non-Apple headphones with one and ended up with a nice black scorch
mark and broken iPod, I guess because a bit of sweat got in there.

------
reaperducer
A few weeks ago I tried to find the cheapest phone I could on amazon. I think
it was $14, including shipping.

I can only assume the battery life and reception are terrible. It got bad
reviews. But if you’re someone who burns through burner phones, or might do in
a pinch.

~~~
ahofmann
In Europe you can buy a mobile phone on Amazon for about 10,- € where the
battery lasts for about two weeks and making calls works well. The
manufacturer is called Wiko. Very convenient for children who constantly lose
their mobile phones...

~~~
atlet
Do you have any link?

~~~
cf498
I assume he is talking about the Wiko Lubi 5

Here for example on Amazon Germany

[https://www.amazon.de/Wiko-Lubi5-Telefono-Movil-Blanco-
wei%C...](https://www.amazon.de/Wiko-Lubi5-Telefono-Movil-Blanco-
wei%C3%9F/dp/B07CDM6QXR)

------
nielsbot
Need an update for 2018...

~~~
utopcell
there you go:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BlfAMitMf4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BlfAMitMf4)

~~~
nielsbot
credit card phones. $15! wild.

~~~
utopcell
Indeed!

