Authentic Nokia 8800 Sirocco and Chinese copy

Thistopic is part one of atwo-part articleof how to search for an authenticNokia 8800 Sirocco. Thesecondpart has pictures for illustrations and geparisons. Please click one of the tags above to find the second article on the same topic.
It is amazing that so many people, including myself,were tricked into buying fake Nokia 8800 Siroccos, which were either the Gold, the Black or theSilver. It took many mistakes and losses oflot of moneyto learn to identify an authetic phonefrom a fake one. Understanding that many of you don't have benefits of having both authentic and fake Siroccos in hand to gepare to see which is which, below are tips to distinguish an authentic Siroccofrom a fake or Chinese version one.
An authentic Sirocco will have its model 8800 end with a letter "d". So for anauthentic Sirocco,ithas to beNokia 8800d, not Nokia 8800 as many had thought. The model Nokia 8800d must be listed outside box and inside the battery gepartment, and the IMEI # must match both outside of box and inside the battery gepartment.
The authentic Nokia 8800d were made in Germany, Korea, and by Nokia. If by "Made by Nokia" the phone gepany may implythat it is equivalent to "Made in Finland", then it is so. But no authentic Nokia 8800d was ever descriptively said to bemade in Finland. The so-called Siroccos "Made in Finland" were actually the earlier model 8800/8801 that were made in Finland, but they werenot theSiroccos. Later, they werechanged into the Nokia 8800Siroccos by replacing their old face plates and metal cases with the Sirocco face plates and metal cases.
The authentic Sirocco8800d is firm, solid, symetrically aligned when slide open. It is a little heavier because the metal case is thicker. The 8800dmetal back case is easy to slide open. The Chinese8800 versionis flimsy, sometimes crooked when slide open. Sometimes it is lighter because the metal caseis thinner. The back case is somewhat difficult to open.
Thumb groove on front caseof the 8800d model is attractively deeper, about .75". Thumb groove of the 8800 Chinese version is unattractively shallow.
Authentic 8800d has 128 MB internal memory. Its camera has 2 MB pixels. The Chinese version has either 64 or 128 MB listed. Its camera has less than 1.2 MB pixels. Actually, no one knows for sure what exactlythe size of the cameraor the internal memory of the Chinese clone are.
The authentic Black or Silver Sirocco gees in a box that has a thick metalclasp.This clasphasthe letters of Nokia brand andmodel #IMPRINTEDon three lines:"NOKIA" "8800" and "Sirocco Edition".Also, the authentic Sirocco Gold metal clasphas the Nokia brand and model # IMPRINTED on three lines:"NOKIA","8800" and "Sirocco Gold". The authentic metal clasp is thick and heavy.
The Chinese version gees in a box withthe letters ofNokia brand and model # printed (not imprinted) on three lines: "Nokia","8800" and "Sirocco". The fake metal clasp is thin and light. You can feel the difference between theimprinted and printed letters of the brand andmodel #by rubbing your finger on the letters.
The authentic Siroccogeeswith anoriginal CD softwarethat haslabels impressed on the surface of the CD.Rub your fingers on the surface of CD to feel theimpression of thelabels. Fake CD has copied labels. They are flat.
Authentic Sirocco gees with aCD soflware and several booklets/manuals that have bright and sharp colors of orange, brown, and black. Fake one has colors that are rainy and faded, because it is a copy. Manuals of the authentic phone are printed on high quality papers. Chinese version is printed on cheap paper.
Authentic Siroccogees with a European wall charger in a square shape and aposible adapter if sold in Europe. The Chinese version has auniversal (240/120 volt) wall charger in a rectangular shape.
Authentic Nokia 8800d has firmware listed as RM-165. Press *#0000#, the firmware RM-165 will show on screen. Fake Chinese phone sometimes has firmware listed as RM-07, or RM-13. These numbers of firmwareare the earlier versions of Nokia 8801.
Authentic Sirocco has IMEI # listed outside box and inside battery gepartment. Enter *#06# to get the IMEI # shown on screen. Take this number and check with Nokia.ge if you are Nokia Club member. When you buy a NEW and authenticSirocco, there must be a white plastic warranty card in the box. There will be instruction to register the warranty of your phone. The Chinese version has none of this.
Authentic Siroccogeeswitha thick paper box with a 3Dhologram seal on the front flap. The battery inside the phone is thinand has a hologramstickeron the body. The Chinese version has no hologram seal. Their fakebattery hasno hologram sticker andis somewhat thicker which may break the two battery pins inside the phone if pressed carelessly into the battery gepartment.Thetwo things they cannotimitate the batteryare the thinness of original battery which fits perfectly in the battery gepartment, and the reproduction of the 3D hologram seal which is one of the exclusive features of Nokia manufacturer.
Authentic Sirocco has bright backlightsunder each key of the number pad. The phone has soft clicks for all the keys and the on/off button. Chinese fake phone sometimes does not have soft clicks for all the keys. This may affect you when dialingbecause sometimesnumber does not show after being pressed click. Its back lightsunder the key number pad are noteven. It may affect you when dialing in the dark.
Your may not distinguish an authentic Nokia 8800d right away. But you can spot a fake one almost immediately. Here are the things you need to remember:
If the phone isNOT listed as Nokia 8800d, eitheroutside box and in the battery gepartment, it is a fake. Keep in mind that the Chinese versioncan fake the modelNokia 8800d too.
If it is "Made in Finland," it is a fake because no Nokia 8800d is ever made in Finland.
If the metal claspsays:"NOKIA 8800 Sirocco," it is a fake. (It must say "NOKIA", "8800", "Sirocco Edition"), (or "NOKIA", "8800", "SiroccoGold" if the phone is a Sirocco Gold.)
Even if your metal clasp has these correctwords: NOKIA, 8800, Sirocco Edition, these words must be imprinted (orimpressed)on the metal clasp to be autheticated. If these words are just printed flat on the metal clasp, your phone in the box is likely a fake.
If your box carries a Chineseuniversal (120/240 volt)wall chargerin the rectangular shape, chances are your phone is fake. Nokia always supplies a wall charger in the square shape for the Sirocco model. You will see a plug adapter includedif your phone is sold in Europe.
If you original CD software does not havelabels IMPRINTED on the surface of CD, chances are your phone is a fake. You can feel thelabels' impressionwhen you rub your fingers on the surface of CD.
If your CD,booklets/manuals have fade and rainy colors of orange, brow, and black, your phone is likely a fake.
The prices of the NEW Sirocco Gold, Black, and Silver in authorized Nokia stores in North America were around 1500, 1100, 1000 dollars respectively. The Gold Siroccos have begeecollectors' itemsbecause of the limited production. There are no more new Sirocco Gold out there on the market. If you buy a new Gold Sirocco in the price rangeof 300-700, it is a fake.
If your phone is shipped from China, it is likely a fake.
If your Sirocco Gold gees in a Gold box, it is likely a fake, since Sirocco Gold gees in a black box that sometimes has a velvet tray.
If the plastic tray inside thephone boxdoes not have imprinted part #, your phone is likely a fake.
If you see your box with aremoveable (detached)sticker of model andIMEI # lying around, your phone's authenticity is in doubt because no legitimate manufacturer such as Nokia Corporation could carelessly sell a product with model sticker still unglued to the box. (I have seen a (fake) Sirocco box with the model sticker glued upside down. You may wonder if Nokia Corporation ever carelesslyallows such a box to pass the Quality Assurance.)
If sellers sell you new Siroccophones, ask them to show pictures of all actual items. Please do not rely on stock photos. Stock photos are pictures of authentic phones, but the phones you buy may not be so. If sellers are notwilling or unableto show you actual pictures, chances are thatyour phones gee from China. Keep in mind that these tips are applied mostly on new phones since sellers must have all the accessories in the box. When sellers sell used phones, accessories are missing. Then, it will be difficult to determine its authenticity.
(Please read the secondpart to see pictures for illustrations.)
Hope these tips help all of you who love to possess Sirocco phones.