The iPad finally goes on sale in Japan today. The country's TV news have been covering the launch as well as another product on sale in nearby China: the iPed.

According to this TBS news report, the iPed is on sale in Shenzhen, China. Shenzhen is the location of the largest Foxconn plant, where the iPhone and the iPad are manufactured. The iPed comes packaged in a box that looks like the iPod.

But it says iPed.

See?

Dramatic close up.

The instruction manual says APad, though. Go figure.

While it is slightly heavier than the iPad, the device is powered by an Intel chip and runs on Google's open source operating system Android. But like the iPad, it is a multi-media device.

And is priced at the equivalent of ¥9,600 (US$105). The iPad is priced at ¥48,800 ($536) in The Land of the Rising Sun. The Japanese television reporters note that in China popular electronics are copied quickly.

And China is getting better and better at it. Apple, you better watch out. These guys are gonna eat your lunch. And one day, eat it better than you.

中国人さっそくiPadをパクる　その名もiPed [画像＆動画ニュースぶろぐ]