Microsoft will go nutters over this piece of news. The Zune 8 (8GB) has been cloned and the fake has been sold on eBay. For the year that we have been covering PMP news, this is the first time we’ve come across an real Zune knockoff. In fact, though we searched high and low, this is the closest thing we’ve come to an imitation Zune. Even looking at the fake could fool you since they used very high-quality material. The only way of knowing for sure your Zune 8 is authentic is by opening up the GUI… but, then again, what if the firmware has been perfectly copied as well?

So who was the unlucky guy who bought this imitation Black Zune 8? Here is what he has to say:

just received my 8GB Zune from Ebay.
When I saw the box first I was kind of shocked. Text and Printing not aligned to the center of the packaging, no sticker with serial number and Barcode. As well there were no manuals and the earphones and synch cable were not in separate boxes.
Then I thought “wonderful you’ve bought a fake Zune” but the Device looks fine (ok it looks like second quality, dented screw cover (or whatever the chrome cover covers Smiley and some errors in the laser engraving at the back) When I plugged it into my PC it started charging and a few minutes later it started up and shows correct firmware as well.
So how can this be? Has someone embezzled second quality devices and made a new Packaging for them?
Has anyone else the same experience?

Update: Guy (bastix0815) who bought it found some slight defects in the laser engraving (the lines aren’t perfectly straight) and the 200 pre-installed Chinese songs. He had paid 135 $US for it. Apparently, the box tipped him off though the software works.

[zunerama via gmp3 and itrafik]