HP disables customers’ printers if they use ink cartridges from cheaper rivals
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Re: HP disables customers’ printers if they use ink cartridges from cheaper rivals
#2Selling something, and then remotely disabling it without the purchaser's knowledge or consent, sounds like vandalism to me.
Re: HP disables customers’ printers if they use ink cartridges from cheaper rivals
#3Happens with their toner cartridges on laser printers too. I bought an HP laser, used some toner carts off Amazon, then got a software update and it wouldn’t recognize the toner carts. Had to replace them with HP cartridges from Staples at much higher cost to get back up and running, which I guess was their goal. Wouldn’t buy another one.
Re: HP disables customers’ printers if they use ink cartridges from cheaper rivals
#4Re: HP disables customers’ printers if they use ink cartridges from cheaper rivals
#5This doesn't sound legal, and if it is it shouldn't be.
Re: HP disables customers’ printers if they use ink cartridges from cheaper rivals
#6Time to get a Brother.
Re: HP disables customers’ printers if they use ink cartridges from cheaper rivals
#7As the article states, HP has even been sued for this, yet continues to do it as it's a core part of their profits to keep people buying THEIR ink. Profit alone for the printer itself isn't worth it, they'd otherwise they'd not even bother making printers anymore, but that reoccurring revenue from ink is some sweet sweet cash. It's like google/fakebook/twits whining about people blocking ads or using encryption they can't harvest data from as their source of revenue. Worlds smallest violin.
Re: HP disables customers’ printers if they use ink cartridges from cheaper rivals
#8This doesn't sound legal, and if it is it shouldn't be.
It’s not, they were sued for this practice a few years ago. They continue to do it.
Re: HP disables customers’ printers if they use ink cartridges from cheaper rivals
#9Happens with their toner cartridges on laser printers too. I bought an HP laser, used some toner carts off Amazon, then got a software update and it wouldn’t recognize the toner carts. Had to replace them with HP cartridges from Staples at much higher cost to get back up and running, which I guess was their goal. Wouldn’t buy another one.
Surely there must be a law against this?
You buy a product capable of using any toner, then the manufacturer disables this feature without your consent to push their own margins up?
Re: HP disables customers’ printers if they use ink cartridges from cheaper rivals
#10Time to get a Brother.
Apparently they aren't all that great either... https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31860131