HP CEO evokes James Bond-style hack via ink cartridges - ““Our long-term objective is to make printing a subscription.””::“Our long-term objective is to make printing a subscription.”
Get fucked, HP.
The exact same words that came into my head upon reading this. What a coincidence.
The problem with asshole CXOs like him is that they bring down whole companies and all the people working in it while jogging off to the next CXO role.
Not just him, but the board that supports him should.be kicked out.
What should a printer do: take ink from some means -> print
What shouldnt a printer do: Take ink from cartridge -> read its chip to ensure authenticity -> count cycles of usage to not allow further than the chip allows -> somehow have a buffer overflow due to this implementation
Currently I can scan documents but not print due to a non existent and non resettable “paper jam”. If only the printer were smart enough to just print it would be useable.
It just means HP printers are an insecure mess and a security breach waiting to happen, so should be added on the “do not buy” list for that reason alone.
Then they want to make it a subscription. With the kind of security displayed there, you would be asking to have your credit card data stolen by subscribing.
If they are able to patch the printer firmware they should be able to protect the printer from exploits introduced from the network, or the print cartridge.
It seems a bit of a lame excuse for poor workmanship on their behalf.
My next printer purchase objective is not buying HP again.
HP are one of the few electronics manufacturers who I will never again purchase from
Squeezing every drop of blood out of customers, so can make the red ink.
Got to be crusty old CEOs to take a dying peice of tech, and commercialize it into the ground.
We will save you from a problem that only exists because we want it to!
Just made me realize I haven’t printed anything in what, 5 years? Even at work, sharing files is way easier.
Even old HP printers aren’t safe. I have a two-generations-back HP Color LaserJet I got from a tech recycler for $300. (MFP M477fdw) It can be optionally configured to enforce or not enforce genuine toner. I can get a four-pack of CYMK high-capacity cartridges for $70-80 on Amazon. Prints wonderfully, toner is cheap, so I’m in the clear, right? Safe from this BS?
Turns out that wear items (intermediate transfer belt, for example) within the printer have chips with versioned firmware. And the printer will throw error codes if different firmware versions within the printer aren’t mutually compatible.
I’m sure the moment they believe they can get away with it, replacement ITB assemblies, fixers, document scanners, etc will include a shrink wrap license and firmware that requires you to update everything else to match - and the matching firmware will make official toner no longer optional.
Definitely Fuck HP. The moment any of that comes to pass and disables my own printer I’m re-recycling this printer and buying another brand immediately.
