Chips for water dispensers

GE appliances are cheap junk. Of course they want to punish you for being dumb enough to buy them.

But who would buy a networked toothbrush?

I have a friend whose house is full of networked stuff... thermostats, light switches, door lock, even the kitchen oven. Nightmare.

I always try to buy stuff that doesn't have electronics.

This sort of thing has been in use for 30+ years. There's a firm that makes a medical diagnostic device that relies on distilled water to operate. The distilled water is sold in "chipped" vials -- to allow it to control the supply (presumably to ensure the "quality" of the material and the accuracy of the test result).

Toner cartridges have been chipped. And, the chip not just used as a Go/NoGo indicator to the host electronics but, also, TRACKS the number of pages printed and, eventually, "expires". This prevents a "thrifty" user from refilling the cartridge! Again, to ensure the quality of the resulting prints.

This is nothing different than giving away toilet paper dispensers that require a refill roll with an overly large inner core diameter (so, competitor rolls won't fit!)

It boils down to FUD -- with a mechanical reinforcement!

I learned something again today. I've never heard of this stuff before.

ine.

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I'll never forget watching a demo of a guy with a laptop creating complete brake failure in a car that was only connected by wireless dongle. Die-by-w ire electronics.

NT

hip

azine.

as

ts

the

e brake failure in a car that was only connected by wireless dongle. Die-by

-wire electronics.

he could just as well have cut the brakes lines, doesn't even have to get inside the car to do that