Items tagged with right to repair
At long last, Apple is embracing the right to repair movement by graciously allowing owners of certain iPhone models to fix their own hardware without interference. This raises the questions, has hell finally frozen over? Not so fast—my initial reaction to the news is that this is a double-edged sword. Let me break it down. Apple's new Self Service Repair program sounds friendly enough, and the cartoonish images adorning the official announcement paint a rosy picture of what's taking place. In the announcement, Apple explains it will "allow customers who are comfortable with completing their own repairs access to Apple genuine parts and tools." The program is getting off the ground with...
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Right to repair is one of those topics that's surprisingly contentious even though it really shouldn't be. The arguments against the idea that customers shouldn't be unfairly restricted from repairing their own devices are few, weak, and really only serve to support disgustingly-unethical business practices. This becomes self-evident if you analyze the arguments on both sides, and that's likely the reason that governments across North America and Europe are starting to enact legislation preventing the worst excesses of anti-consumer repair requirements. Perhaps even Apple is picking up on the winds of change, because the tech company released a statement promising that it will release a software...
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Consumers' right to repair their own devices is one of the lesser-discussed political battlegrounds in the United States, but it's probably one that most-directly affects gamers and hardware enthusiasts. It's a contentious issue: detractors claim that making their devices repairable will make them less reliable, less secure and more expensive, while supporters deny those claims and say that making devices repairable and sustainable will improve basically everything for everyone—even the companies making the devices. Right-to-repair has historically been opposed vehemently by American tech corporations, such as Apple and Microsoft, but yesterday, one of those titans seemingly switched...
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When it comes to the Right-to-Repair movement, Apple has been one of the staunchest opponents, doing everything in its power to wrest control away from customers (and third-party repair shops). If given the option, some customers would prefer to perform simple device repairs on their own or at least take them to a third-party repair shop to save a few bucks. Unfortunately, according to a new report, Apple is making that process even harder with its new iPhone 13 family of smartphones. Cracked screens are probably the most frequent repair performed on smartphones of all brands, and the iPhone 13 will be no different (despite what Apple says about strengthening the glass). Unfortunately, the company...
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We live in a culture where if something breaks, it can sometimes be easier and cheaper to toss it and replace it, then to attempt a do-it-yourself (DIY) repair. That is partially by design—manufacturers have a penchant for making repairs more difficult than they need be. Perhaps not for long, though, with the Federal Communications Commission voting unanimously in favor of adopting policies that would remove some of the roadblocks to DIY repairs. There is a process involved, and it started earlier this month with President Joe Biden signing an executive order instructing the FTC to write up rules in favor of right-to-repair policies. Taking a big step in that direction, the FTC this week...
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Biden's FTC order for right to repair, NewEgg building PCs from your personal parts wish list, the fastest SSD on the planet and pointless pixel peeping with AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution - All of this and a some hints of our next Gaming PC giveaway on this episode of HotHardware's 2.5 Geeks... Show Notes: 06:16 - ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 Review: Powerful Tiger Lake-H Gaming 11:12 - Doom Eternal Ray Tracing Tested: The Devil's In The Details 16:43 - Intel Optane SSD P5800X Review: The Fastest SSD Ever 23:25 - AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution And The Problem With Pixel Peeping 32:47 - President Biden Orders FTC To Enact Consumer-Friendly Right-To-Repair Policies 47:33 - Newegg Will Build A Dream...
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Advocates of a consumer's right to repair their electronics and other equipment without negative repercussions from the manufacturer will be happy to know what the US government is up to—President Joe Biden plans to sign an executive order instructing the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to write up rules in favor of right-to-repair policies. The effort comes on the heels of similar rules going into effect in the UK, whereby manufacturers are required to make spare parts available to consumers who buy certain electrical appliances. Officials hope this will extend the life of devices by up to a decade, while also benefiting the environment with less electronic waste. However, many electronics...
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Right to repair is a testy topic that garners a strong response from people on both sides of the argument. Despite this, a British right to repair law is coming into effect today, requiring manufacturers to make spare parts available to consumers and third-party repair companies. However, not all that glitters is gold, it seems, as there are some major caveats to this law. As reported by the BBC, the goal of the rules is to “extend the lifespan of products by up to 10 years and benefit the environment.” While Adam French of Which? believes that this will help reduce e-waste, the law is not quite perfect. For example, only parts for “simple and safe” repairs will be available...
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The Right to repair movement is a hot topic as manufacturers of various products ranging from mobile devices to tractors have stood in the way of third-party repairs, which tend to be cheaper than the OEM repair method. Even the Federal Trade Commission has intervened over companies blocking right to repair with a recently released report. Now, lawmakers are joining in as well, with the introduction of right to repair legislation to the U.S House by congressman Joe Morelle (NY-D). On Thursday, Congressman Morelle released the “Fair Repair Act,” which aims to “require OEMs to make diagnostic and repair information, parts, and tools available to third-party repairers...
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Like consumers, the Federal Trade Commission is fed up with device makers taking steps to make their wares difficult to fix at home or by independent shops. In a new report submitted to Congress, the FTC outlined numerous types of repair restrictions that make fixing gadgets overly difficult, like limiting the availability of spare parts, and using gobs of adhesive. Mobile phone makers and automobile manufactures are some of the worst offenders, though the Right to Repair movement extends into other segments as well. Like laptops, where it is becoming increasingly common for system RAM and other components to be soldered to the motherboard, especially in premium thin and light models. Same goes...
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Breaking a phone can be a nightmare of an ordeal, with replacement parts sometimes being absurdly expensive and repairing difficult or downright annoying. Sometimes, you cannot even use a local repair shop for fixing devices as it must go to the manufacturer lest you break some warranty-voiding clause in the end-user license agreement. This is obviously absurd, but companies still get away with it unless the FTC enforces right-to-repair laws. Thankfully, things may be looking up for right-to-repair. Over the past several years, right-to-repair discussions have come up multiple times, with little to no action coming from it. In that same timeframe, however, people are becoming more aware of the...
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Fixing automobiles has become a more complex art over the years, because of the increased reliance on computers and electronics. And that trend will only continue as more self-driving cars and smarter vehicles in general hit the pavement. So kudos to Massachusetts residents who voted to pass a crucial expansion to the state's right to repair law. Here in the afternoon of November 4, we are still awaiting final results of the presidential election. But not so for "Question 1" on the ballot in Massachusetts, otherwise known as "Amend Right to Repair Law," which effectively prevents automakers from withholding critical diagnostic and repair data tools and software from do-it-yourself (DIY) and independent...
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The right to repair movement is about to get a much needed boost. The Massachusetts state legislature plans to host a public hearing regarding their “Digital Right to Repair” bills. Many anticipate that this will be the largest hearing in support of this kind of legislation. Many have argued that the policies of large tech companies have hurt consumers and small businesses. The proposed legislation would “establish fair and reasonable terms for providing diagnostic, service or repair information and services for digital electronic products.” Manufacturers would also be prohibited from installing software on a device that would prevent it from being repaired by a third-party....
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Apple has been under fire for years with regards to its onerous policies regarding "unofficial" hardware repairs. Most recently, Apple began displaying warning messages within iOS for iPhone users that had their batteries replaced with non-genuine hardware. For some people that live nowhere close to an Apple Store or an Apple authorized service centers, getting repairs performed by indie shops is the only course of action if they want to have their device fixed within a reasonable amount of time. And given that Apple wouldn't provide genuine hardware replacements, tools, or manuals necessary to perform repairs to non-authorized shops, the company was in fact exacerbating the problem....
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When it comes to the Right to Repair movement, Apple is definitely not onboard. Apple is a company that feels that its devices are so complex that regular consumers shouldn't be burdened with tasks such as replacing the battery or a cracked display on their devices -- even people with the proper skillset to do so. This staunch defense of its IP and how it is handled post-sale extends to third-party repair shops that aren't "Apple Certified". In the case of one Norwegian repair company, Apple has unleashed its legal attack dogs over a relatively small sum of money. According to a report by Motherboard, Apple decided to sue the owner of PCKompaniet, Henrik Huseby, over components...
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Apple touts its T2 security chip as "the next generation of security" for its 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar models, pitching it as a feature and benefit to customers. Is it really, though? The T2 chip has come under fire for its ability to effectively thwart third-party repairs. The answer, as it turns out, is not a simple one. First let's talk about what the T2 security chip actually does. On Apple's website, the company describes various functions of the chip, all of which sound like selling points for a potential buyer. "The Apple T2 security chip includes a Secure Enclave co-processor that provides the foundation for secure boot and encrypted storage capabilities. It also...
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California is attempting to push through legislation that would requires smartphone makers and other electronic gadget manufactures to provide consumers with diagnostic and repair information, as well as equipment or service parts. The proposed "Right to Repair Act" is in response to the growing difficulty of do-it-yourself repairs, both on the part of product owners and independent repair shops. "The Right to Repair Act will provide consumers with the freedom to have their electronic products and appliances fixed by a repair shop or service provider of their choice, a practice that was taken for granted a generation ago but is now becoming increasingly rare in a world of planned obsolescence,"...
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