misk@sopuli.xyz to Technology@lemmy.worldEnglish · edit-24 days agoBrother accused of locking down third-party printer ink cartridges via forced firmware updates, removing older firmware versions from support portals [see comments]www.tomshardware.comexternal-linkmessage-square59fedilinkarrow-up18arrow-down10file-text
arrow-up18arrow-down1external-linkBrother accused of locking down third-party printer ink cartridges via forced firmware updates, removing older firmware versions from support portals [see comments]www.tomshardware.commisk@sopuli.xyz to Technology@lemmy.worldEnglish · edit-24 days agomessage-square59fedilinkfile-text
Brother deny the claims: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/03/brother-denies-using-firmware-updates-to-brick-printers-with-third-party-ink/ via https://startrek.website/comment/15279250
minus-squareLimonene@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up2·5 days agoIn case anyone was thinking this applies only to inkjet printers: no, it ONLY seems to apply to laser printers – the thing that Brother used to be known for. Where the article says “ink”, they mean “toner”. There is no ink in a laser printer.
minus-squaremlemiputty@sh.itjust.workslinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up0arrow-down1·5 days agoCould this be anything related to government printer tracking requirements?
minus-squareshalafi@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up1·5 days agoI believe that only applies to ink jet. You can hardly make secret dots in B&W.
In case anyone was thinking this applies only to inkjet printers: no, it ONLY seems to apply to laser printers – the thing that Brother used to be known for. Where the article says “ink”, they mean “toner”. There is no ink in a laser printer.
Could this be anything related to government printer tracking requirements?
I believe that only applies to ink jet. You can hardly make secret dots in B&W.