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Washington Bill Makes It Illegal To Sell Gadgets Without Replaceable Batteries (vice.com)

Jason Koebler writes: A bill that would make it easier to fix your electronics is rapidly hurtling through the Washington state legislature. The bill's ascent is fueled by Apple's iPhone-throttling controversy, which has placed a renewed focus on the fact that our electronics have become increasingly difficult to repair.

Starting in 2019, the bill would ban the sale of electronics that are designed "in such a way as to prevent reasonable diagnostic or repair functions by an independent repair provider. Preventing reasonable diagnostic or repair functions includes permanently affixing a battery in a manner that makes it difficult or impossible to remove."

4 of 384 comments (clear)

  1. Re: wording by Gr8Apes · · Score: 5, Funny

    Musical birthday cards should get a pass.

    If this legislation causes the end of musical birthday cards, it would be the most effective law passed this year.

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    The cesspool just got a check and balance.
  2. Re: wording by FatdogHaiku · · Score: 5, Funny

    But with replaceable batteries musical birthday cards could enter a whole NEW ERA!!!
    With e-ink, cards could be used many times. Just think of changing the cover art to a new JPG or even GIF. Next we allow the card licensee to sing and record or buy downloaded music from the card store. Of course your card will have internet access to assure no pirated content was used in the "redeployment" of the card... can't have you singing any Stevie Wonder hits without paying for them. But you could piggyback on the Internet of Cards by placing current sports scores or a favorite news feed on the back or even inside.
    Sure, in awhile Apple will produce the Must Have iCards (and change them every six months) but two thirds of us can just keep handing the same cards back and forth every year.

    /sarcasm (I Hope)

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    You have the right to remain sentient. If you give up the right to remain sentient, you will be elected to public office
  3. Re: wording by LynnwoodRooster · · Score: 4, Funny

    I have yet to encounter a product that could not be disassembled, or a battery that cannot be removed. The product may not work AFTER disassembly, but it can be disassembled.

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  4. Re:Everything is made better by Government! by LynnwoodRooster · · Score: 3, Funny

    I cannot think of a single faucet of life, a human endeavor, or anything that we might seek to do, accomplish, or perform that isn't made better by legislation and governmental control and regulation.

    See, that's the problem. They regulate my faucets to stupid-low flow levels! I can barely get enough pressure to deal with hard water and soap. It's almost like by controlling our faucets, they want to control all facets of our life!

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    Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!