A growing number of phone makers are promising to support their phones by offering as many as five years of software updates. In some cases they’re even making spare parts and repair manuals available for folks who want to fix their own hardware at home. But European officials are considering regulations that would make long-term […]
planned obsolescence
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Apple’s new software drops support for some older (and not that old) hardware
Apple plans to launch new versions of its smartphone, tablet, and desktop operating systems this fall, with beta releases of iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and macOS 13 Ventura scheduled to drop in July. But the company is also dropping support for some older devices. Still using an iPhone 7 or an older model? No iOS […]
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3 Comments on Lilbits: Google’s Privacy Sandbox for Android, Valve brings more Windows games to Linux, and a triple-screen PC powered by Raspberry Pi computers
Lilbits: Google’s Privacy Sandbox for Android, Valve brings more Windows games to Linux, and a triple-screen PC powered by Raspberry Pi computers
3 Comments on Lilbits: Google’s Privacy Sandbox for Android, Valve brings more Windows games to Linux, and a triple-screen PC powered by Raspberry Pi computersGoogle is announcing a vague plan to provide Android users with more privacy from ad tracking technology… but unlike Apple, which has basically made tracking an opt-in experience on iOS, Google is trying to find a way to offer more privacy without completely gutting the advertising model that accounts for most of the company’s profits. We’ll […]
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Lilbits: What do you do when your phone stops receiving security updates?
Some Android phone makers are starting to get serious about offering long(er) term support for their phones, while others ship phones that may never see a single security update, much less a major operating system update. You’d think Google would be at the head of the class here, since the company’s Pixel phones run Google-made […]
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Band Unlocker keeps the Microsoft Band useful long past its sell-by date
The problem with modern “smart” gadgets is that many of them become pretty dumb once they’re no longer supported by the manufacturer. So when Microsoft discontinued the Microsoft Band 2 wearable activity tracker a few years ago, it was helpful that the company continued offering support its companion website and mobile apps… until mid-2019. That effectively […]
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This dining ware is made from old smartphone screens
Modern smartphones may sell for anywhere between $20 and $1000, but for the most part they’re only designed to be used for a few years. So what happens to your phone after it’s reached the end of its life? Some folks sell their old phones to recoup some of their costs. Others let them collect […]
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Google’s 5 years of support for older Chromebooks is starting to be a problem
When Google announced a few years ago that it would offer at least 5 years of software updates for Chromebooks and Chromeboxes, that seemed like good news. After all, most Android phones only get updates for a year or two, if that. But compared to Windows and OS X, that 5 year lifespan is pretty […]
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YouTube drops support for older hardware (Apple TV, Google TV etc)
YouTube has announced that it will drop support for select devices from 2012 and earlier. That means the official YouTube apps will no longer work if you’ve got some older mobile devices, set-top-boxes, or smart TVs. So what devices are affected? Apple TV 2nd-gen or earlier won’t be supported anymore. Google TV version 2 or […]
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Install last compatible version of apps on older iOS devices
Still have an iPhone 3G or an older iPad or iPod touch lying around, but find yourself unable to install modern apps because the latest versions aren’t compatible with the version of iOS running on your device? Apple’s just updated the App Store to let you download older versions of apps. For instance if you […]
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T-Mobile “Jump” plan embraces planned obsolescence, offers 2 phone upgrades per year
Most American smartphone customers buy their phones from a wireless carrier, and most wireless carriers offer phones along with 2-year service contracts. In other words, while new phones come out every few months, most customers are only eligible for an upgrade every 24 months. T-Mobile is changing that with its new Jump plan. Customers can […]