Why you should always buy storage from an authorised source

POSTED ON 23RD FEBRUARY 2017 BY GRAY IN NEWS / 1 How to avoid buying Counterfeit Storage devices Counterfeit storage technology has been around for many years and with the convenience of the internet this presents a golden opportunity for unscrupulous sellers to pedal their wares to unsuspecting purchasers. SD and microSD cards are arguably two of the most common storage devices to be counterfeited but now we are seeing more and more SSD technology being touted at heavily discounted prices. Sites like eBay have a lot to answer for as they claim they do not allow counterfeits but they do not notify buyers they purchased a counterfeit item that could damage their equipment. Scammers are offering microSD cards on eBay at heavily discounted prices from companies like Sony, Samsung, Kingston, SanDisk, Toshiba plus some other lesser known brands. Convincing in looks these cards often have the lowest quality NAND Flash with way less capacity than actually advertised and it is not uncommon for these cards to actually fail. When the cards reach their maximum capacity they then start to overwrite and erase existing data. Consumers cannot determine the actual memory capacity of a counterfeit memory card by simply viewing the capacity displayed on their computer, phone or camera. The counterfeiters are too smart for that, and simply overwrite the real memory capacity with a false capacity to match any capacity they print on the counterfeit packaging and card. The fake cards may tout certification from the FCC, CE, VCCI, and NATA leading you to believe that the card meets certification standards, but they do not. And, there is no manufacturer to honour any warranty. The removable microSD card is an amazing, convenient and trouble-free storage device. When it works, it is unnoticed. When you get a fake, it will be the very core of your frustration, despair and pain – and your data may be gone. If you are going to trust your data to a storage device, be sure to buy authentic memory cards from authorized distributors or retailers. It still amazes us here at Simms how many people still buy trademarked items on eBay from Chinese sellers given that manufacturers do not authorise sales on these kind of websites. We are often contacted by companies that have sourced storage technology from the internet even through reputable retailer sites. Although the items are not counterfeit they are often not suitable for the performance required of them. Price and capacity are the two driving factors rather than quality and performance. In the long term paying for quality will outstrip price. Storage technology can also be customised to ensure maximum longevity and performance. Technical expertise is available on how to customise these kinds of devices. The only way to ensure that storage components are authentic, have optimal quality and reliability levels, is to buy them exclusively through authorized sources. The upfront costs are sometimes higher than those offered by open market sources. However, products purchased through approved distributors and re sellers are usually more cost effective in the long term, since they have superior quality and reliability levels, have full traceability and carry full factory warranties. Some distributors also offer a sample programme to ensure correct fit form and function, what you test is what you get with the same full services as listed above. In addition the BOM can be fixed, product registration is also an option to fix part numbers and secure pricing. Some companies, including Simms issue End of Life and Part Change notifications as standard and work with the customer to offer suitable replacements to ensure supply longevity over the length of a programme.

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