alt Hacker NewsI've bought 4 internet radios over the last 25 years. They work for a few years, then are bricked because the remote server disappeared.
I've bought 4 internet radios over the last 25 years. They work for a few years, then are bricked because the remote server disappeared.
You rented the devices with a full up-front payment, but the manufacturer stuck you with the e-waste problem when they decided to be come an absentee landlord.
This needs to be fixed by regulation. If a device requires an online service to function it (a) needs to be clearly advertised as rental and not a purchase, and (b) the device manufacturer must take the devices back and deal with the e-waste if they discontinue the services or release the software stack (including complete and corresponding source code and build environment) to allow third-parties to host it.