Bladeless fan no longer a Dyson exclusive
Except for the lack of a logo, this fan looks just like the Dyson AM01. (Credit: Reuben Lee/CNET Asia)
Aside from selling inexpensive Android tablets, little-known company Abiko had another interesting gadget at its booth at COMEX 2010--a bladeless fan. Yes, the electric fan trying to impersonate a lollipop from British company Dyson (read our hands-on coverage here) has been cloned.
Editors' note:
Dyson contacted us and gave the following statement:"The Dyson Air Multiplier fans were launched in 2009 after four years of research and development. A team of specialist Dyson engineers have refined and patented the technology: Illegal copies are of inferior quality. Dyson rigorously defends its intellectual property and treats any infringement very seriously. Dyson is taking legal action against anyone who copies its technology."
Abiko doesn't use the fancy "Air Multiplier" moniker, but that doesn't matter since its version is indistinguishable from the original. The fan turns and tilts the same way, and the feel and position of the buttons all mimic Dyson's expensive table fan exactly.
The company is selling it at S$300 (US$223), S$99 cheaper than Dyson's 25cm AM01 table fan. We did a quick Google search and found out that you can buy it wholesale from Alibaba.com from as low as US$50 a piece. As far as we can tell, it works just as well as the original. Of course, with Dyson, you get the assurance of buying from an established brand and get proper after-sales support. But if you don't want to pay the high price for an original, it seems there are now other options.
About the author
Editor John Chan's love for gadgets can be traced back to the days when he disassembled his toys and couldn't put them back together again. He practices great restraint in not opening up every review product that comes through the CNET Asia Labs, and before that, in his previous job at HardwareZone. He has reviewed items big and small, from mobile phones to projectors and feels everyone should carry a multitool at all times in case of MacGyver situations.
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