regarding the thermostat as detailed by Rossman, where the company discontinued Wi-Fi service.

The person wanted the source code to author an app or such that his blind wife would be able to access the thermostat controls on the PC.

is it reasonable for the company to sell the source code, license to sell a product using that source code,to the customer as they are now a third-party developer who wishes to create an independent app to control the product.

When a product containing firmware and and the customer claims to own it claim to own it, what does that actually mean? Does it mean you should be given all the source code in case you want to create your own repairs?

If you go to the official , you’re given two options for “authorized parts providers”:

• Encompass

• Reliable Parts

Reliable Parts only handles appliance components — nothing for phones, tablets, or laptops.
Under Encompass, the page clearly lists mobile parts as available ().

Here’s the problem:
If you click on any mobile category on Encompass, the entire section is empty, or you get parts for tablets from 2012. You can’t buy a single useful phone part. No batteries, no screens, nothing.

On the Samsung USA site, things look better at first*.* For example, the is listed as in stock on their official self-repair page. But if you actually try to order or contact support, it doesn’t go anywhere. After emailing Samsung Parts USA, I was told they don’t carry mobile parts and to contact Samsung support. Samsung support, in turn, told me that their official mobile parts distributor is… Encompass — the same site that has no stock and no listings.

So we’ve gone full circle.

Samsung advertises “Right to Repair” and publicly claims to support DIY repair by providing parts and manuals, but they’ve effectively made it impossible to buy genuine parts from their own official channels.

How can they claim to support self-repair when the entire system is a dead end by design?

yesterday, I played spiderman remastered game in my lap. suddenly it turned off, I tried to turn it on again but there is no response I don't know what to do. I take it to repair shop and they checked the mother board using multimeter. he said that all the components like cpu, etc are getting power except gpu. he said that it will work by bypassing the gpu and use igpu for graphics. give me some suggestions guyzz . ASAP!!

I had a refurbished Sonim XP8 for a few years, it was fine but parts aren't available for it. It just kinda wore out. I got another one, but this one 1) has an older version of Android and won't update, 2) has a weird issue with the screen where it just doesn't respond to my touch and 3) has even more problems since I accidentally dropped it and cracked the screen.

I'm tired of having to buy a new phone every time it gets old and unusable or my clumsiness damages it. I want a phone that will last me 5, 10 years. I want a phone that I can just fix myself or at least take to a repair shop confident that they'll be able to find parts. A $50 - $200 every few years is... Too expensive. I'd rather buy one phone and just keep fixing it or paying someone else to fix it.

I have a 2005 Ford Escape. It has 350,000 miles. It's dead but if I poked around I could Ship of Theseus that shitbox back into a useful state. I have a 2010 Toyota Corolla; it has less than 100k miles (I somehow actually got the mythical car driven by an old lady every other Thursday to bingo nights) and that thing will last me until the 2040s. I have a Kona Dew bicycle that I can fix and keep fixing and it will last me at least as long as the Corolla. But cell phones? They've got a lifespan of like 1.5 years and I'm tired of it, I want something that lasts.

(I don't know to solder and I'm shaky so I doubt I'll be able to fix my hypothetical dream phone myself but if it's got a reputation for being easy for a user to fix, it'll be easy for a repair shop to fix.)

(Asking Reddit because search engines serve up AI slop. Asking this subreddit because I feel like right-to-repair enthusiasts & activists probably have their finger on the pulse of this kind of thing.)

Thanks in advance!

Microsoft doesn't want us to install Win11 on some computers from 2022. I have yet to be convinced that their security concerns can't be met with more update support. The planned obsolescence of over half the world's PC's when WIN10 support stops will meet strong resistance. I'm doing my part - I'm selling at cost or giving away 10 pc's, all of which are at least 8 years old. Upgrading with cheap graphics cards people give away, paying attention to power supply wattage, and upgrading to cheap SSD's bought in bulk, and even a 2007 DELL XPS 720 (yes, the CPU and RAM are 18 years old) is running WIN11 perfectly; I've watched movies and multi-tasked and it loads a little slowly but runs with no app or OS crashes.

When people throw away good towers like the Dell XPS it breaks my heart a little. These computers absolutely are still usable, usually with only about $60 of upgrades (basically, graphics card and SSD). I just got donated to me 9 computers from a non-profit that was closing; they were literally throwing away windows-ready recent Dell laptops because they didn't "have the bandwidth" to find them a home. WTF kind of world do we live in.

So, 2 days ago my right earbud (Razer Hammerhead TWS Pro ) which was previously (2-3y) lost and driven over (no damage to the battery/main case, worked ever since) stopped working, after looking at it I suspect the battery died. With no intent to destroy it any further I searched for teardown material, but couldnt find any for this model specifically. I'd appreciate any info if anyone knows something

Howdy, I'm joining a hardware startup as a chief engineer. I want to ensure that we build things in a repair- and extensibility- friendly fashion. I'm wondering if there are any guides of best practices? There's always a lot of bemoaning poor industry practices but I would love to make sure we are doing the best job possible.

I also want to assuage concerns that others in the company have in making things that are normally 'proprietary' open. There are legitimate concerns here - if we allow customers to reprogram hardware, can we be held liable for damages that this could cause? There are concerns like this that do motivate companies (and I'm feeling it!) to not open their designs to the public for fear of litigation.

Any articles, guides, or media of any sort on doing things right would be greatly appreciated. (And maybe, we need to be showing that there is a path to doing business ethically, just as much as showing that companies shouldn't do business unethically).

I have a Biolight headlamp and it's been good to me but after only 3 years (and a total of maybe 15-20 days of actual use. And at that maybe 2 hours/day at that!) the battery won't hold a charge. I am beyond sick and tired of throwing things out and over the last few years have become good friends with my tailor, cobbler, and camera repairman but this is another level still.

I have photos I am happy to share but not really much of a clue as to where to start. If there are resources or a friendly user here who might be able to offer guidance I would be very thankful.

I’m a locksmith. On August 25th, I drove two hours to help a family locked out of their Toyota. They had kids with them and were stressed out, and I was ready to get them back on the road. When I hooked up my Autel tool, I realized the Toyota smart key function was gone. Unsupported. I couldn’t program the key. After all that driving, I had no choice but to leave them stranded. It was a rough day — not just for me, but for the family that trusted me to help. Manufacturers say they’re worried about theft, which makes sense. But taking tools away from trained locksmiths isn’t the answer. There’s a better way: verified locksmith access, proper training, and accountability for programming. Right-to-Repair isn’t just about phones or tractors — it’s about small businesses and real people who depend on us. If we share this story everywhere, maybe we can get their attention and push for change.

RightToRepair #Locksmith #VehicleSecurity

I know it’s a long shot, but it’s worth a shot

Hi, I want to change micro USB with type C female port. is that possible?

I have android mobile phone. which is vivo brand Z1 pro model. Usually it comes with microUSB.

I have a 2019 MacBook Pro 16”(A2141). Recently its screen got broken and now I’m looking for repair options.

I can get an OEM screen assembly from eBay for about 180-220 depending on condition. I also see that iFixit has the process as a 1-2 hour one.

What I want to know is if it’s a really hard repair or is fairly easy just time consuming. I have previous experience with repairing electronics, but none with this type of repair.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

Title: Which laptops really support Right to Repair? (Power board & standard parts idea)

I’m planning to buy a laptop and care a lot about Right to Repair.

🔌 The problem:

Many laptops force a full motherboard replacement for small issues like charging faults.

Display connectors are often brand-specific instead of using a general standard.

If companies supported modular designs and common parts, repairs would be cheaper, easier, and reduce e-waste.

💡 From what I’ve found online:

Framework laptops → known for modular upgrades and easy repairs.

Lenovo ThinkPads (T series, some X/E models) → still allow decent part replacements.

❓ Questions for the community:

1. Can anyone here confirm that Framework / ThinkPad models are really good for repairability today?

2. Are there other current laptops you’ve used that support modular design or easy power/display repairs?

3. Would you personally pay a bit more for a laptop if it came with better repairability and standard parts?

Would love to hear real user experiences before I decide on my next laptop.

I've been doing this for a very long time, you see.

Hi everyone,

I own an Asus XG16AHP (USB-C) portable monitor that used to work flawlessly.
🛠️ Goal: update the firmware to enable stand-by mode so I wouldn’t have to turn it back on every time my PC’s screen goes to sleep.

💥 The issue:

• During the firmware update with Asus’s tool, I got an error message.

• Since then, the monitor is completely dead:

  • LED won’t light up

  • No power at all

  • Button combos (Power + Menu, etc.) = nothing

  • Cannot re-run the update

📞 Asus support says "We can’t do anything, it’s not our responsibility".
Pretty disappointing considering it happened because of their official update…

❓ My question:

• Has anyone had this happen with the XG16AHP?

• Is there a way to reflash the firmware manually?

• Any hidden button combo to unbrick it?

Thanks a lot for any help 🙏
(I can share the exact firmware and update tool version used if needed)

#Asus #XG16AHP #Monitor #PortableMonitor #FirmwareUpdate #Firmware #Bricked #Repair #USB-C #StandbyMode #HardwareHelp #TechSupport

Hey everyone, I wanted to share my recent experience with Acer support and get some advice.

So, I raised a complaint for my Acer laptop on 12th July 2025. Finally, on 3rd August, an engineer visited my home and replaced the mainboard. He also brought a display connection wire, but it was a 30-pin connector, while my laptop needs a 40-pin one.

To avoid further delay, I agreed to send my laptop to the Acer service center in another city. The engineer dispatched it on 4th August, and the other city engineer received it on 6th August.

Here’s where it gets confusing:

He suddenly claimed that the RAM was non-functional, but he still fixed it using "alternate" ones.

He also fixed the display wire issue.

I suspect he used different parts (not the ones sent by the company), because when I called Acer support, they said the display connection wires are still in transit.

This whole situation feels a bit shady. If the parts weren't delivered, what did they use to fix my laptop? Was it third-party or used parts?

Has anyone faced something similar? Should I raise this again with Acer or let it go since the laptop is working now? I’m worried about long-term reliability if unofficial parts were used.

Appreciate any suggestions or insights!

This is my second post, but just as true as the first-I have a laptop with a 1050 TI and an I five 8300 H. I have equipped a old HHD into it and I’ve also installed a nice SSD external drive the windows runs off in stock SSD and I run all my games off the external SSD. The old hard drive is just for Google shit. Regardless this laptop can run need for speed, hot pursuit remastered in 4K on 60 frames per second problem is the laptop gets too hot in the GPU nitro sense would’ve saved it, but the companies refuse to save old technology and WORSE destroy modern technology so you have to buy new technology. It seems like nobody cares about this and it’s only going to get worse if people don’t care about it!

You heard me correctly- over the course of three years I was bought a pair as an apology gift and a couple months later I found a pair of AirPod pros at my school. Both of these pros were 3+ years old, pretty much however long the AirPod Pro twos with silicone were out , both of those pairs of earbuds were put through the washer and dryer successfully. Neither of them had any issue .Both quit working in the same week of software update. What do you think of this?

I’d like to share my recent thoughts concerning the origin and fundamental reason to the Right to Repair problem and perhaps start a little discussion around my conclusion in the comments :D

Please alert me if i posted this in the wrong subreddit 😅

I’was an Apple fan for years because of their stand on privacy, the tight integration which made everything ”just work” and so on.

Lately however, I’ve become considerably more critical towards ”Big Tech”(in general)’s right to repair and walled garden schemes.

After watching PewDiePie’s video titled ”I installed Linux (so should you)” i became somewhat obsessed with digging a rabbit hole of research. I discovered FOSS, which led me to question interoperability and freedom within your software, which led to right to repair and this snowballed into me researching why big companies (often in Silicon Valley) suffer from corporate greed.

My conclusion (as i always want to draw one): Publicly traded companies are the wider problem. As soon as a company starts selling stocks, they pretty much have to ensure that their share value rises, which pretty much happens by increasing profit margins. Their new customers are now the Shareholders, and the consumers are only a means to an end.

Framework is an obvious but great example of this principle. They are obviously for RtR, but they are also a small Privately owned company, who DOES put the consumer first!

This is no reason not to keep fighting for the right to repair though! Keep up the great work!!! 💪😄

I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments Thx

Hi all,
I just got a brand new MacBook Air M4 (Midnight, 16GB RAM), and after 12 days of very light usage, I noticed something strange on the screen — a small area where it looks like the anti-reflective coating is peeling or delaminating.

Here’s a photo: 

I brought it to an AASP but they called it “cosmetic” and denied service. That seems… wrong? Especially since this is not on the chassis but on the display itself, which is a functional surface.

Has anyone else seen this on the new M4 models? I know there was a “Staingate” with older MacBooks — is this a repeat?

Appreciate any input 🙏

Has anyone else noticed that a lot of consumer products have deliberately vague error messages? as in they don't tell you what the problem is so you're more likely to buy another one then get it repaired.

Cars are a big example of this, they can report faults in various systems but often fault messages can be proxies for something else, an engine fault can be just a loose fuel cap for example, and to know more, you need to shell out for an OBD code reader.

I'm a photographer and where i notice it the worst is cameras, for example, Canon DSLRs have a series of error codes from 01 to 99, for most of the codes the camera tells you the fault (lens comm fault, SD card not accessible, flash can't pop up, etc) but error codes 10 through 99 just say "An error prevented shooting" this can be a problem with the mainboard, shutter mechanism, etc, they all advise taking to a canon service center, how convienient.

Some third parties have hacked the firmware to find the meanings of the codes, Canon Powershots have similar error codes and the folks at CHDK have found out what codes relate to what system, but that doesn't exist for every device and you're SOL if the device doesn't display an error code.

Like my Sony RX100, all sony cameras simply display "Turn the camera off then on again" if a fault occurs, with no other information or error code, older handycams have a red screen of death for a similar purpose, i have read from at least one person who claims their account on the offical sony forum was suspended for revealing details about the handycam RSOD.

I've seen similar messages in lots of other products, some radio transceivers simply advise contacting the dealer in the event of a malfunction, and of course microsoft windows which is full of "something went wrong"

Compare with an aircraft, even a general aviation aircraft will tell you exactly what fault is where, because aircraft are expensive and are safety critical, even then i wouldn't be surprised if Garmin G-series avionics have some sort of "contact your dealer" nonsense considering that garmin is known for being quite user hostile.

Are these messages well known in right to repair circles? it seems a lot of attention is given to hardware and software tactics but i personally think these error messages are also part of it.

I’m urgently trying to get hold of the rubber gasket (part number GH67-05704A) for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. It’s the small sealing strip near the hinge.

I’m from Germany, and it’s been incredibly difficult to locate a supplier that actually ships this item here. My order through FixShop hasn’t arrived after more than a month, and even Samsung support told me they can’t provide it.

As a student, I really can’t afford professional repair services. Thankfully, my partner is technically skilled and ready to do the repair – we just need this one specific component.

If anyone knows where I might be able to get this, or has any advice or pointers, I’d truly appreciate the help.

Thanks so much in advance!

The Linux desktop is finally ready for everyday users, and Nobara Linux proves it.
Designed for multimedia and gaming, Nobara offers performance and stability that rivals macOS.

• Unmatched Performance & Extended Hardware Lifespan: On my Acer Swift 3 (AMD Ryzen 5 3500U, Radeon Vega Mobile graphics), Nobara runs incredibly fast and smooth—even smoother than Ubuntu. But speed is just one part of the story. Nobara's Linux intelligently manages your hardware's power consumption. This means:

• Your computer runs significantly cooler and quieter, reducing discomfort and fan wear.

• Less heat translates to less stress on internal components, potentially extending the overall lifespan of your computer for years.

• Desktop Experience: KDE Plasma 6.3 looks sharp and easy on the eyes, with excellent font rendering that’s perfect even for small laptop screens. Even my USB mouse glides more responsively than ever before.

• Installation Process:

• Backup all of your documents in your Microsoft Windows desktop.

• Using Paragon Partition Manager on your Windows desktop, shrink your Windows partition to create enough Unallocated Space for Linux. When installing Nobara Linux, make sure to format only the Unallocated Space with the ext4 file system. Do not select or format your Windows partition, as this will erase Windows and all your personal files. I cannot be held responsible for any data loss resulting from incorrect partitioning or formatting.

• Alternatively, you can test Nobara Linux in a virtual machine using. Create a new 64-bit Fedora-based virtual machine, as Nobara is based on Fedora. Allocate sufficient RAM and storage for better performance. Download the Nobara ISO installer from.Then, go to Settings > Storage, click the Empty optical drive, and choose the Nobara Linux ISO file. Start the virtual machine and proceed with the installation.

• Once you're comfortable using Nobara Linux in a virtual machine, you can proceed with installing it on your hard drive by following the earlier steps using Paragon Partition Manager.

• Flash theNobara ISO to a USB drive with the Rufus app. The Nobara ISO file can be downloaded at

• Boot from USB and install on the Linux partition you created earlier.

• Reboot, and the system will boot directly into the Nobara desktop because Nobara will be listed first in the GRUB boot menu. Your Microsoft Windows operating system is also present in the boot menu when you opt to boot to Microsoft Windows.

• System Update & Driver Installation:

• Use the Welcome Appto update your system then install your video card drivers in the Welcome App also, ensuring stability without hassle. Always use the Package Manager to update the system. When updates are available, the package manager icon will appear in the system tray. Right-click the icon and select 'Update System'. The Nobara Package Manager will download the list of packages to update, provide your account password then click the ‘Install Updates’ button.

• Productivity & Multimedia Support:

• LibreOffice comes preinstalled—documents, spreadsheets, and presentations are just a click away.

• Multimedia codecs and player are preinstalled, so you can play MP4, MP3, and other common media formats out of the box.

• Install additional tools such as Blender, Kdenlive, OBS Studio,DaVinci Resolve in the Welcome app and more in the Nobara Package may search and install MPV or VLC in the Nobara Package Manager to play any media format or type then enter on the Konsole terminal app “sudo dnf install mpv or sudo dnf install vlc” then type your account password

• Brave Browser comes preinstalled, offering a fast, secure web browsing experience. It’s great for users who value online privacy while working and streaming.

Vivaldi Browser, which is known for its efficient use of CPU and RAM. It speeds up performance by automatically unloading unused tabs from memory, making it well-suited for heavy multitasking.

However, note that Vivaldi still has known crash bugs related to hardware acceleration on some Linux systems. If you experience graphical glitches or crashes in Vivaldi, disabling hardware acceleration in the settings may help improve stability.

Download the Vivaldi package installer at:and choose the Linux RPM 64-bit format for Fedora-based systems.

• Dolphin: The powerful and highly configurable file manager.

• Konsole: The default and feature-rich terminal emulator.

• Kate: An advanced text editor, excellent for coding and general text editing. You can search and install Kwrite in the Nobara Package Manager or type the command and enter “sudo dnf install kwrite” the provide you user’s password

• Nobara Package Manager: application store and application or package system updater. Always install and update the system updates in Nobara Package Manager

• System Settings: The central control panel for configuring every aspect of the Plasma desktop and hardware.

• KRunner: A versatile command launcher (accessed by Alt+Space or Alt+F2 by default) for launching apps, calculations, unit conversions, and more.

• Spectacle: A screenshot utility with various capture modes (entire screen, window, region) and annotation tools.

• KDE Connect: Integrates your Android phone with your desktop for notifications, file sharing, remote control, and more.

• Klipper: The clipboard history manager.

• Calculator: A feature-rich calculator.

• Info Center: Provides detailed information about your system's hardware and software.

• Ark: An archiving tool for compressing and decompressing various archive formats.

• Gwenview: A fast and simple image viewer.

• Okular: A universal document viewer (PDF, EPub, Markdown, etc.).

• KWalletManager: A secure password management system.

• Programming on Linux

• Code anything: Web (Node.js, Django, Go), AI/ML (PyTorch, TensorFlow), DevOps (Docker, Ansible), Android (Android Studio), and desktop apps (GTK, Qt).

• System programming and scripting: C, C++, Bash, Python, Rust, Go, Perl, Lua—Linux is your playground for system tools, automation, and open source work.

• Dev environments that work: Visual Studio Code, VSCodium, JetBrains IDEs, Android Studio, Geany, GNOME Builder, KDevelop.

• Gaming on Nobara Linux:

• Run your favorite MS Windows titles using Wine, ProtonPlus, Steam, and Lutris.

• Install the latest Proton GE version in the ProtonPlus app.

• Enable Steam Play for all other titles and set GE-Proton in the Run other sites with settings under Compatibility in Steam Settings.

• Browse the Steam Store and install your favorite games like:

• Elden Ring

• DOOM Eternal

• Stardew Valley

• The Witcher 3

• Portal 2

• Overcooked! 2

You can also check the game's compatibility at .

Update: July 31, 2025

I believe I’m causing Verizon quite a headache at this point. I’ve filed complaints with the BBB, the FCC, and the California Attorney General. Earlier today, I received a call from Verizon, during which they claimed that Verizon doesn’t lock bootloaders and that it’s solely up to the manufacturer to unlock them. I explained that this isn’t accurate, Google has already confirmed to me that the restriction is a Verizon policy. I also requested an official letter from Verizon stating that it’s not their policy so I could present it to Google and maybe get my device unlocked! But they refused.

The call was filled with misleading information about OEM lock doesn't prevent using your phone normally and ultimately ended without any resolution. I plan to continue escalating this issue as much as possible. In my view, it’s completely unfair for Verizon to impose such a policy across all devices without offering a clear way for customers to unlock their bootloaders.

-------------

Original:

So here’s the ride I’ve been on!

I bought a Refurbished Verizon Pixel 9 Pro XL, fully paid from Amazon. No contract. I use it with Visible. Everything worked fine… until I hit a bug with Google Wallet and my Pixel Watch.

I spent days with Google support, who eventually said:
“Yeah, this is a known issue — just downgrade to Android 15 using .”

Turns out, the bootloader is locked. Since it’s a Verizon variant (I didn't know that), I can’t unlock it, even though Google supports bootloader unlocking on this exact model. Verizon hard locks it and won’t budge.

I filed a BBB complaint. Verizon’s Executive Relations replied with legal-sounding nonsense like:

• “The bootloader doesn’t prevent you from downloading apps.”

• “You can still switch carriers.”

• “FCC C-Block rules from 2007 let us do this.”

• “Talk to Google or Visible” (as if they control Verizon’s firmware)

At no point did I ask about apps or carrier switching. I’m trying to restore my phone using Google’s official tool, and Verizon is blocking me.

And here’s the wild part:
The Pixel 9 Pro XL launched AFTER California’s Right to Repair law took effect in July 2024. I live in California. Verizon is still locking down devices with no recovery path, no unlock option, and zero transparency.

If the phone bricks? That’s it. E-waste.

I’ve submitted complaints to the FCC, and I’m preparing to go to the California Attorney General and DCA. I also reached out to , and even got a quick, supportive reply from Kyle Wiens at iFixit. Legend.

So my questions to you all:

• Has anyone ever managed to unlock a Verizon-branded Pixel after the fact?

• Should I go louder about this?

• How is this kind of device lockdown still allowed in 2025?

Let me know if you want screenshots. Verizon's responses are a masterclass in dodging responsibility.

Stop Destroying Games, the initiative against planned obsolescence and destruction of video games, just crossed its stretch goal.

It collected 1'400'000 signatures! 1.4 million!

You can still sign until the end of the month. You just need to be a European citizen.

This initiative is a petition that follows the steps of an official EU process to ask the European Commission to take action to solve a problem.

It asks to find ways to allow people who have purchased a video game to be able to continue playing it after its publisher's end of support.

Until not too many years ago, what this petition is asking for was pretty much a given.
In fact, multiplayer games could also be played in LAN and on private servers.

These options have disappeared from many new games, why?
Because their publishers have found a very clever way to make us buy their new games.
Instead of making better ones, they just disable the old ones!

Will we be able to continue playing what we bought, even in 5 years?
If you feel that the answer must be "yes," I invite you to sign.

Read more at

Long FAQ video here

Hey all I want to start by saying this is my first time in this sub because I have a right to repair issue with CommaAi

Mid march I bought a Comma 3X for $1200 + shipping and tax and absolutely love the thing, even before owning one I heavily recommended it because of its level 2 capabilities.

April 9 I got into a head on accident totaling my car. I then submitted a request ticket on their website within a week of my accident asking to buy parts for the damages and got no reply even after 3 months. The Comma 3x was damaged as seen in replies and after recovering recently I went to look at their shop for A) a new screeen and B) A new case since I couldnt find any STL files to print online.

They sell the oled screen for $100 which I thought was a steal but could not for the life of me find the back casing thats needed to mount the unit.

I then checked MrOnes store and saw he was selling a replacement for the C3 non x for $15. I then decided to email comma support where they then prompted me to spend $500 for an out of warranty repair because they for some reason just cant sell me the case. I then asked their discord if anyone had one for sale or if they had an stl file for me to print which eventually lead to someone saying to email support because they sold him one for $40 a month after my accident, after my initial inquiry. The discord mods then doubled down and said $500 is “quite generous” and then kicked me after I said I’d rather buy one from a clone store.

As far as I can tell I have no options to get it working since I cant mount my unit unless I pay them $500 which they charged $40 just 2 months ago for a plastic 3D printed case.

If anyone knows A) where I can get a replacement and B) bring this to the attention to the likes of Louis or some other outlet to call them out on this shady anti right to repair behavior that’d be amazing thank you

Hey everyone,

I’m really frustrated with Samsung’s policy regarding the Galaxy S23 battery replacement. As someone who wants to DIY replace the battery, I found out that Samsung only sells the battery bundled with a screen — which I don’t need and don’t want to pay for.

I’ve reached out to Samsung multiple times — customer service, technical support, and even visited authorized repair centers. None of them will sell me the battery alone. The support reps keep giving me vague answers or just direct me to call multiple service centers hoping one might sell me the battery individually. This is after spending hours on the phone and in chats.

This feels like a blatant disregard for the right to repair laws and is forcing me to either pay a lot more than necessary or buy low-quality third-party batteries that might be unsafe or fake.

Has anyone else had this problem with Samsung or another brand? How did you handle it?
Are there any authorized places that actually sell batteries individually to consumers?

Would really appreciate any advice or shared experiences!

Thanks in advance.

TL;DR:

Bought a fully paid, brand-new Motorola phone locked to Cricket. Turns out it doesn't just have a SIM lock. it has a firmware-level lockdown that soft-bricks the phone if you’re not actively paying for Cricket service. The device becomes useless, even offline, unless you have an active plan. It’s not just locking you from switching carriers. it’s locking you out of your own phone.

After a ton of digging and testing, I wanted to post this publicly because almost no one is talking about it.. and it’s shady.

I bought a brand-new, sealed Motorola phone locked to Cricket Wireless. It wasn’t financed, subsidized, or leased. fully paid for, never opened, from a third-party seller. I expected the usual SIM lock behavior meaning I’d just need to unlock it after 6 months of serivce or just use as an offline device.

But this is way beyond a SIM lock.

As soon as the phone connects to Wi-Fi, it calls to a preinstalled system-level app/service: com.motorola.paks baked into the OS. That app/service then

Silently installs the Cricket Device Unlock app in the background

Checks if you have active Cricket service

If there’s no active service, it locks the device entirely:

You can’t access any settings

You can’t use it offline

You can’t uninstall or disable the app

Developer Options are completely disabled (even with service)

The phone becomes soft-bricked.. until you pay for Cricket service again

And here’s the kicker:

If you do pay for Cricket and the phone works. the moment you stop paying, remove the SIM, or delete the eSIM… it locks again.

What happens if someone pays for one month and can’t afford to renew right away? Too bad they lock you out of your own files, photos, and apps until you reactivate your plan.

This isn’t SIM locking. This is remote device disabling.

The system app appears to be developed by Trustonic, a UK company that builds digital lockdown tools to "protect carrier revenue." This tech is basically remote kill-switch DRM that turns off your phone unless you're paying the carrier. even if you own the hardware.

Temporary Workaround (not a full fix):

If you’re stuck:

Factory reset the phone

Use a PC to sideload NetGuard APK

Block all internet access for com.motorola.paks

This will prevent it from contacting the servers to trigger the lockdown. It's temporary... but it at least gives you device access.

As far as I know, this wasn’t an issue on earlier models.. I’m currently using a Moto G Power 2025, and the 2024 version didn’t have this problem. This seems like something they’re quietly pushing out behind the scenes.

took down my post smh

I'm working on a Dell Inspiron 15 5559
I'm looking at the USB/audio daughterboard
the board has two USB-A ports and a 3.5mm audio jack
I'm wondering if there's a compatible replacement board with USB-C ports instead or alongside the USB-A ports—something that can connect via the same ribbon cable or with a little modding.

With that being said- I want to mod the housing of this tesla portable magsafe charger, but it warns not to disassemble or modify. I'm taking this as a safety warning, but philosophically-why make your product so hard to modify? You already own the patents...

Back to my original thought-I bought this charger specifically to cerakote it. I already have a charger I use. I want to cerkote this charger to try and make some money off of it via ebay.

I used to mod iPhones and iPods back in the day, but obviously those days are long gone along with that knowledge. I'm hoping I can find someone or some business who knows the tricks of the trade or has experience specifically in the disassembly and reassembly of magsafe battery packs. Its been a lot of "misses" with this inquiry amongst the several iphone repair shops I've sought out. Pretty much all because of the same reason-no experience with this kind of disassembly and reassembly. I do understand its a safety hazard-but so is repairing an iPhone battery.

I know that special tools and a delicate touch are some of the minimal requirements to get this thing apart and then back together and working again. I can see why most shops don't have this kind of experience. Here are some pics of the battery pack for reference.

Hi everyone,

I’m building a click-farm system and I’m looking to source used Android phone motherboards (not full phones).

🔍 What I’m looking for: Used or pulled boards in working condition Minimum 3GB RAM and 32GB+ internal storage Preferably Qualcomm processors Android 8.0+ if possible ❓Please let me know:

What models you have?

Price per unit

MOQ & shipping options (to Algeria)

Any photos or videos of working samples

Thanks in advance. I’m a serious buyer and looking to build long-term relationships. 🙏

(DMs welcome!)

I had discussions about right to repair with the President of Icom America and got the ball rolling. They are uploading the service manuals.

🔗

**M = ζ - S**

*(Morality = Coherence Generated – Entropy Introduced)*

Covers agriculture, electronics, medical, automotive, and trade law.

Free to use. Spread it.

Hi everyone,

My OnePlus 9 recently died suddenly while I was using it — the screen went black and it hasn’t turned on since. I tried all button combos, charging, connecting to a PC — nothing worked.

I took it to the authorized service center, and they diagnosed it as a motherboard/IC issue. They offered a motherboard replacement, but warned that all my data (photos, files, etc.) would be lost because the internal storage is tied to the original board and encrypted.

I gave it to a local chip-level repair shop, hoping they can fix the IC or CPU — but they told me there’s only a 50/50 chance, and if it’s the CPU or NAND, recovery may be impossible.

The phone was not rooted, and the bootloader was locked, so I couldn’t back up anything beforehand. My main goal now is to recover the personal data on the phone — especially photos and documents.

What I Need Help With:

• Has anyone successfully recovered data from a OnePlus 9 with a dead motherboard?

• Is it possible to transplant the NAND chip to another board and access the data?

• Are there any hardware-level tools or services that can help with this?

This is really important to me — I'd appreciate any advice, personal experiences, or suggestions on where to go from here.

Thanks in advance!

I was reading that the company behind the robot "pepper" has gone under. This is has led me to wonder if "the right to repair" covers devices not being chained to a propriety back-end/cloud ?

An earlier (heartbreaking) recent example is the "companion bot" for children with social difficulty's (I cannot remember its name) were the parents have had to explain to kids that their little friend they have been talking to each day is about to stop working and will not be coming back.

TL;DR: We're living in what I call "constricted" societies - where opportunity, adventure, and real community have been squeezed out by systemic forces.

Think about it: Our grandparents could buy houses on single incomes, start businesses without massive regulatory hurdles, and actually knew their neighbors. Meanwhile, we're stuck in the same 9-5 corporate cycle, paying inflated rent to landlords who bought up property en masse, while being told this is just "how things are."

It's not natural. Humans evolved for community, exploration, and meaningful work - not isolated cubicle life in overpriced cities.

The real kicker? This isn't inevitable. I break down:

• How "constriction" works as a measurable force in societies

• Why the 2008 housing crisis was just one symptom of this larger problem

• What remote work, content creation, and other emerging trends tell us about the future

• Concrete ways we can build systems that foster actual community and opportunity

The video dives deep into the economics and psychology behind why everything feels so constrained compared to previous generations. Would love to hear your thoughts - especially if you've felt this same sense that something fundamental has shifted in how we live.

I ask that everyone call the CEO/President Of Aven Tools and Tell him or leave him a message for him to make the parts I need to fix my digital microscope available on fair and reasonable terms. His name is Mike or Mohamedi Shahpurwala he goes by both and His Number is +1-734-429-3524

We need to make non compliance unacceptable.

I have already submitted my complaint to CA, MN, OR Attorney Generals and The BBB

Once they attach and bundle a light and camera it becomes an Electronic Device.

Back in the summer of 2024 i was using my Acer Swift X SFX14-41G-R21T laptop and it Half-Shortened, I was charging it in the Barrel-Jack and USB-C ports at the same time, with the factory included charger and an amazon 60W USB-C charger.

When it shorted nothing happened, the screen just turned black, it didn't smoke or spark it just died.

Afterwards i tested most of the important parts, the battery is functional, but the issue is that it won't accept power. The battery will charge because power flows through the motherboard but it won't boot up and the charging light won't turn on.

I took the laptop to a technician and he couldn't locate the burnt or fried piece. I opened it up myself and could find anything, i asked ChatGPT and it said it could be: MOSFETs / Power Rails near charging input, USB-C Power Delivery Controller, Battery charge controller / BQ IC, EC (Embedded Controller) or the Main Fuse (If equipped).

At home i have a Sautering iron, and the right tools to open the laptop up. Do you guys think if i open it up i might be able to repair it by checking one of the things listed above?

Hi All, I was hoping I could get some recommendations for a water-resistant/waterproof watch that can be serviced easily, and has a timer feature. According to the repair places in my area, my Timex is a bastard to service.