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Europe Wants a ‘Right to Repair’ Smartphones and Gadgets

nytimes.com

251–260 of 269 posts

Re: Europe Wants a ‘Right to Repair’ Smartphones and Gadgets

#251

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You seem uninformed about multiple EU initiatives, we've been deploying reneables, cleaning up the grid, etc. Our car emissions standards are much stricter than US/China/Russia. Unlike in the US, exporting plastic to the third world is actually illegal. And plastic is a distinct and separate problem to CO2. Here is an example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gacGuWjqKco&t=579s You could still argue they are not doing…

I'm uninformed about the place were I live? I don't know what I smell every day, going to and back to work? You have quite some nerve ;) Let me tell you some stories about illegal stuff. A few days ago you could smell chemicals in the air every morning. In the middle of the city. There was a big scandal and they said UK exported their shit here. European style. Nothing really came off of it. Money talks.

I do not mean to offend, but if you could be more specific about what is it that you deem wrong, we could have a more fruitful conversation.

Re: Europe Wants a ‘Right to Repair’ Smartphones and Gadgets

#252

I bought a few dumbphones from Amazon because I am scared that smartphones will be so pervasive and that dumbphones will be slowly phased out and you will be unable to buy them anymore. Smartphones are difficult to repair because the circuitry is hermetically sealed and you need specialist tools to open them up and tinker. Dumbphones, not so much. The parts are accessible and can be swapped out with working parts eas…

There are a few hobbiests who've been working on smartphones powered by small chipsets like the Raspberry Pi Zero using off the shelf parts.

There are also rather a lot of KaiOS smart phones with the form factor of a flip phone, although I don't know how easy to repair they are or how many of them work on US networks.

Re: Europe Wants a ‘Right to Repair’ Smartphones and Gadgets

#253
post #208
post #193

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Really depends on their condition when purchased, but 15+ year old cars is pushing it. Not worth buying imo, but I guess as long as they're allowed people will buy them. I think the taxes are higher on really old cars?

There are people who simply can't afford or don't want to put any more than a few thousand eur into a car. The other thing is that you can buy a 10-year-old car that is in good condition, and drive it as long as its lasts.. which can be many many years. (My first car was about 20 years old when I got it for free, and my current car was more than 10 years old when I bought it -- now about 13 years, and still feels alm…

Also, first cars. The usual advice for new drivers is "get a cheap used car and drive it for a while, instead of dumping (equivalent of) a couple thousand EUR into a newer (used) one, and then crashing it into a gate".

Re: Europe Wants a ‘Right to Repair’ Smartphones and Gadgets

#254

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even with Apple earbuds battery could be easily replaceable if the cylindrical part of the piece was screw-able to the top. Just like a flashlight.

Have you looked at how much stuff is packed in those AirPods? There’s certainly not enough room for a screwable cap and a consumer-safe lithium battery, while retaining rigidity and weatherproofing. Bedsides, how many AirPods are likely to be dying from poor battery life compared to being lost, damaged or upgraded? If this did happen, I suspect there would be more instances of people losing the battery cap, or throwi…

You could screw something on there. Just make the part that hangs outside your ear 2 mm thicker. It wouldn't be in your ear. Apple wants those things to fail, battery life to run out and not be replaceable. It's completely obvious.

Re: Europe Wants a ‘Right to Repair’ Smartphones and Gadgets

#255
post #196

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Honestly, probably a bit of both.

Ok then. :) Perhaps the age of fixing cars in the driveway may return, if manufacturers aren't able to block the info needed. At present, more technically advanced people seem to piece together their own CANbus diagnostic tools. But off the shelf products that work for "every model" should be practical if this legislation works.

This already exists, OBD2 is a standard diagnostics interface mandated by law. I would guess most of the tools you are referring to are using this.

Re: Europe Wants a ‘Right to Repair’ Smartphones and Gadgets

#257
post #231

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Don't buy from bad companies and it doesn't affect you. Don't eat at bad restaurant and you won't get poisoned! You do not need warranty for your phone, don't buy from bad companies. We do not need safety checks for foods and medicine just don't buy from bad companies. The issue is that companies put billions into PR, so even if Apple is a bad company it has a good image and it's products are a status symbol, the co…

Yes they can - nobody is forcing anyone to buy an iPhone.

The consumer can compete with the billions or PR?

I think you did not understand the point and responded from reflex. Let me simplify it down;

Consumers try to explain that throwing away good devices because the battery is old is bad for the world is not effective enough because it is fighting billions spent in PR that shows you that you need the new device because is slimmer,smarter,cooler and the big companies is doing the best to recycle this products(we send them in China where the smartest of our employees(that are definitely not children) are recycling every atom. So continue buying new things, you don't want your friends thinking you are poor and have the old models don't you?

Is it clear now? You are not forced to buy anything, unless you are forced by a job or social group to use certain apps but you would probably argue that you are not forced and you can quit your job and find other friends.

Re: Europe Wants a ‘Right to Repair’ Smartphones and Gadgets

#258

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It would be more accurately stated: I am allowed to remove my headlights, but I'm not allowed to drive on the roads if I have removed my headlights. The restriction is on roads.

Okay, how about this one? I own my home, but I'm not allowed to replace the GFCI outlets in my bathroom with non-GFCI outlets.

This misses the fundamental point being discussed.

Having the right to modify and repair does not mean a carte blanche to ignore and circumvent building and electrical regulations. You do have the right to remove, replace or add additional outlets providing that the regulations are complied with, and you can purchase outlets from any vendor which sells products compliant with the regulations.

Availability of first-party and third-party parts would greatly open up the market for electronic goods of all kinds. So long as they comply with the necessary regulations and perform equivalently to the original parts, it would be a vast improvement upon the current state of affairs.

Re: Europe Wants a ‘Right to Repair’ Smartphones and Gadgets

#259
post #231

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes they can - nobody is forcing anyone to buy an iPhone.

The consumer can compete with the billions or PR? I think you did not understand the point and responded from reflex. Let me simplify it down; Consumers try to explain that throwing away good devices because the battery is old is bad for the world is not effective enough because it is fighting billions spent in PR that shows you that you need the new device because is slimmer,smarter,cooler and the big companies is d…

I haven't considered that the lower class needs to buy Apple products as a status symbol.

Is this really a problem?

As an educated 10%er, seeing Apple products is an immediate red flag that the person falls for marketing.

Re: Europe Wants a ‘Right to Repair’ Smartphones and Gadgets

#260

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It would be more accurately stated: I am allowed to remove my headlights, but I'm not allowed to drive on the roads if I have removed my headlights. The restriction is on roads.

Okay, how about this one? I own my home, but I'm not allowed to replace the GFCI outlets in my bathroom with non-GFCI outlets.

Right to repair, not right to break the law and regulation.
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