I found a super cheap source for electronics and they sell arduino r3's for 9 dollars. It has everything correct on the silk screen and stuff and looks real? Advice?
More than likely they are counterfeit.
Got a link?
Sorry my bad. 9 bucks. Here is a link, thank you! Also is it illegal to sell counterfit arduinos? or is it only illegal if I say it is a real arduino, I would assume if I put Arduino Uno clone.
http://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?SearchText=arduino+uno&catId=&initiative_id=AS_20140505121141
Most Arduinos are made in Italy. So they are manufactured there, shipped to China and then shipped to you for $9 and still make a profit?
There's only one way that can happen!
It is illegal to pass a copy off as an original. I have bought a couple of 'clones' but received a board lettered up as Arduino Uno, but designed in Italy rather than made.
Yes, calling the board a Real Arduino when it is not is illegal, The Arduino Team goes after those folks. Saying Arduino compatible is fine.
All those boards with 12 MHz xtal and something beside 16U2 are clearly not real Arduinos, any more than my board with '328P processor and 12 shift registers is a real Arduino. I don't disguise it, they appear to try to.
So in my store I could say "Arduino Uno R3 Compatible Board"?
You can. As long as you don't use any trademarks (the infinity logo for instance). Or claim it's made somewhere other than where it is really made.
And, slightly off topic, if you wish you can modify the original design if you can think of a way to do so!