You’ve paid for technology but don’t really own it – review Geek


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The latest technology can be expensive, but knowing that what you’ve bought is yours can take a little less than a four-figure purchase. The problem is that you don’t buy the whole device, and in some cases, you end up with a useless plastic tube.

There are many copyright laws that protect consumers and determine their rights. In contrast, there are laws that protect corporate interests, loopholes, and gray areas that allow businesses to have incredible control over their products. Here are a few reasons why you don’t really “own” the technology you paid good money for.

Terms and conditions are important

Computer showing terms and conditions

On the surface, sales may seem relatively simple. You hand over some money and receive an item and that item is now yours. But if you scratch the surface, things get more complicated. When setting up or updating a device, you’ll probably wade through a lengthy terms of service document or two. No one, including myself, bothers to read those things, but the information they contain is very important.

There are some limitations. Any term of the contract document cannot conflict with the law of the country where it is signed: the law takes precedence and immediately invalidates that clause or sometimes the entire contract. So you don’t have to sell yourself into slavery by mistake when you settle for one of Samsung’s software updates. However, some things in the terms and conditions may worry you. You may be giving the company rights to your images, allowing them to remove content you’ve paid for at any time and install it on your device if they wish.

A big part of the problem is software.

If you buy something as simple as a hammer, the manufacturer doesn’t say much about what to do with it, and there’s no way to enforce any of the rules. Unfortunately, technology companies have an easier time controlling their products due to the nature of their own products. When buying a new phone, you can think about it in terms of features. You’re buying a 32-megapixel camera, a Snapdragon processor, 8GB of RAM, etc. You own those parts, but not the phone.

When you buy a phone, laptop, or TV, you’re buying software from the company that made it. How much this matters varies from company to company. Apple is known to be very strict with its code, while Android is a bit more open. But the important thing to note is that you don’t own the software the device is running – you’re allowed to use it. The terms surrounding this may change at any time, and the company that owns the software may revoke the license at will.

It is the most expensive paperweight you can own.

Meta Quest 2 Headset.
Meta

What happens when you have little equipment and nothing else? In some cases, they contain only a useless lump of metal and plastic. A good example includes the Oculus Quest 2. Until recently, the Meta allowed you to link your $399 headset and library of games to an active Facebook account. From a meta perspective, that was a single account and what affected the account on one device affected all. So if you get a permanent ban or your Facebook account is deleted, your game library will go with it and you won’t be able to access Mission 2. The headset and the suspension comes from what you write on your phone or laptop; Meta will still brick your mission.

Things were even worse for the owners of the original mission. The headset was on sale before Meta decided to make Facebook accounts mandatory. People who bought missions before Meta made the change were told they would have to link an account or lose access to their devices. The deadline for Quest users was January 2023, and Meta has since removed Facebook’s requirements. Even if it works in the end, this is still an example of how technology companies decide who will use the devices they sell.

In theory, you could overwrite your games library and run Mission 2 again with a new Facebook account. However, bypassing the ban by creating a new account is against the meta rules and if found, the account will be permanently banned. Meta recently removed the Facebook account from the Quest headphones, so this isn’t as much of an issue. But it shows that energy technology companies are holding on to the products they “sell” you.

You can’t do whatever you want with your iPhone

Someone is taking apart a smartphone.

If your fully mechanical lawn mower breaks down, you can go to a hardware store and choose from a selection of parts. There may be a variety of parts that work with your lawn mower, allowing you to weigh cost and quality before you buy the one that’s right for you and proceed with maintenance. With the iPhone, things aren’t that simple. If you don’t buy official Apple parts, your phone’s functionality may be reduced. An off-brand part you buy may be identical in every way to an official Apple part, but if your phone doesn’t believe it came from an official source, Apple will penalize you for it.

Although Apple has fought Right to Repair laws for years and its history of making in-house repairs as difficult as possible for customers, things may be getting better. The company has announced the launch of an in-home maintenance program to make basic repairs easier for its customers. There’s no set date for the program to begin, it’s limited in size, and you’ll probably still be using authorized Apple components — but it’s a step in the right direction. While things are getting better for iPhone owners, things are getting worse for those with high-end lawnmowers and tractors. John Deere is facing legal battles after placing similar software keys on its equipment.

So what do we do?

As we mentioned, most companies own the software and you are allowed to use it. If you want to get hold of your technology, there are a few things you can do — though no one solution is ideal. Many companies put a lot of emphasis on “customer experience” and I’ll point to Apple again because it’s a great example of this.

Love them or hate them, Apple products are very user-friendly, integrate seamlessly with other Apple products and are designed with the needs of their end users in mind. Because of how attached people are to its products, it could be argued that Apple will get rid of many of its unpopular functions. If you want to break away and own the technology, you burn your bridges with companies like Apple and get away with that experience.

Android users won’t get off easily either. Google’s terms state their right to terminate your account at any time. The termination criteria outlined in the contract are very vague, and you have no real recourse if it decides to ban you from its services. The impact of a Google account ban varies from person to person depending on how many Google services they rely on. But if you have Android, your phone will be very limited without an active Google account.

Samsung has the power to remotely brick any of its TVs. While the company says it’s only used to fight crime by breaking into stolen TVs, it could theoretically be used on an innocent person’s smart box. However, the Korean company has teamed up with iFixit to help its customers repair at home and is taking some hands-on repair steps.

To truly own the technology, you must use open source software or “jailbreak” gadgets. These actions include operating in a legal gray area and pursuing yourself aggressively. As annoying as Windows is at times, it’s still less of a pain than Linux. Using an open source operating system requires some technical knowledge, and developing software or hardware with it can be a tricky process.

Along with jailbreak, a section of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act may make it illegal, but Apple is unlikely to make it a police matter. However, it will void any warranty you may have, and the company will refuse to deal with a customer-impaired device. You will be behind on software updates; If something goes wrong, you’re on your own. Your phone will be open to many security risks, so proceed this way at your own risk.

Things can change on a larger scale.

Main board in laptop enclosure
Framework

Consumers are not completely powerless. Many countries, including most of Europe and America, have “rights of repair” on the work or the books. If you don’t like the idea of ​​a company telling you what you can and can’t do with the stuff you paid for, consider writing to your political representatives about it. You can express your support for the pending Right to Repair Act or demand stronger consumer protections.

Politics takes time, but there are products you can buy until things change. Some companies have seen a gap in the market and now offer modular devices that can be easily repaired. Framework’s laptops offer a maintenance experience close to that of desktop PCs. Users can easily exchange parts that are broken or need to be upgraded. This line of thinking is not limited to computers; Modular phones are also on the market. The Fairphone is perhaps the best example of a modern smartphone experience that is incredibly easy to repair or upgrade.





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