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SARS Technica: A China Tech Blog

In China, factory workers build the products that you use every day. In China, an environmental crisis and skyrocking population demand innovative solutions in a hurry. In China, web 2.0 has given citizens a voice where government censorship ensured they had no voice before. In China, viral videos are not what you'd expect.

In China, you can copy an iPhone if you put a H in front and call it a HiPhone. That makes it an original right?

So with that spirit in mind, I welcome you to SARS Technica: A blog about how this new China is changing the world while you sleep.

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Human-Powered Washing Machine

by Rick Martin
Human-powered washing machine
What do you get when you cross a treadmill with a washing machine? Give up? Something that looks a little like this, actually. A kid by the name of Zhang Jiayu from the northeastern Liaoning province thought that conventional washing machines wasted far too much electricity. He then had the bright idea of creating one that was powered by a man running on top.
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China Says Goodbye to Google With Cartoons

by Rick Martin

Since Google announced that they would no longer continue to censor in China, pretty much everybody has assumed that they won't be able to remain in the country. That may turn out to be the case. I'm not going to speculate too much on the issue, because there's way more than enough being said already. 

In the midst of all that headache, I do want to point out a few humorous tributes to Google that some Chinese netizens have published online.

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China ice sculpture tragically made entirely from beer

by Rick Martin
The city of Harbin in northern China is widely known for it's freeze-your-snowballs-off temperatures and it's annual ice festival. Domestically, the city is also known for it's beer. Sadly, some wiseguy decided to combine the two to create a ginormous ice sculpture with nothing more than copious amounts of frozen beer. Such a waste...
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China has system to detect vulgar Karaoke

by Rick Martin
Chinahush has a great write-up about a controversial new karaoke content management system being rolled out in Zhengzhou. The 'Black Box' (as it has been nicknamed) will flash red lights and alert the police when someone selects a vulgar song. Naturally, many netizens in China are voicing questions about such a system:
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China's xpPhone to be upgraded to Win7Phone?

by Rick Martin
The Chinese xpPhone was itself thought to be a rumor until engadget China reported on it last month. Sadly, it looks like this monstrosity does indeed exist. And what's more, it looks like it might soon be upgrading to Windows 7. Nevermind that the real Windows 7 Mobile won't be coming out until late next year. As usual, China has us covered with this magnificent (read 'ridonkulous') piece of work.
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Best Chinese Knockoff Ever? Sony VAIC TT

by Rick Martin
Sony Viao knockoff
There's something ingenius about taking an 'O' and making it a 'C.'  It's so subtle. So clever. It boggles the mind with possibilities: Orec cookies anyone? Maybe a little Cvaltine to wash it down?  Ok, maybe not. But that's generally the idea behind this 'Viac' 'Vaic,' a shanzhai version of the tiny Sony Viao.
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More Chinese Farmer Innovations: Baby Buddha Pears!

by Rick Martin

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you're likely familiar with the unusual phenomenon of inventive Chinese farmers. For some reason, these rural inventors are grabbing more headlines than most Chinese tech companies. Well, here's another distinguished farmer to follow in that tradition.

This particular pear producer isn't going to let any economic downturn get the best of his crop sales. His baby buddha pears are selling like hotcakes, and he's doing so well that he now hopes to take them overseas. Check the photos:
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Replica Tian'anmen Gate Crafted from Human Hair

by Rick Martin
Hairy Forbidden City
What's hairy, forbidden, and red all over?  Why, it's this replica Tian'anmen Gate built entirely out of leftover hair clippings! (Sorry, I hope I didn't disappoint any Anne of Green Gables fanboys out there.)

'Phoney' Marriage Proposal in China

by Rick Martin
I Love You displayed on an array of cell phones
The latest viral video to come out of China features a young man's unique marriage proposal, created by making a sort of LED screen out of hundreds of cell phones. The display was then programmed to display a surprise romantic message to the unsuspecting girlfriend. Check out the video and see for yourself:

Chinese Netizen Arrested, Sends SOS on Twitter

by Rick Martin

Many of you are likely familiar with the case of the American student from Berkley back in April of 2008 who when he was taken into custody by Egyptian police managed to send out a short tweet via SMS saying "Arrested." Subsequently his embassy and the press were notified and he was eventually released (see CNN story) thanks to his twitter distress call.

Yesterday in China there was a very similar situation, where blogger Peter Guo, who goes by the twitter handles amoiist, sent out the following plea for help:
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