The IOT Future: Lightbulb DRM

Papabravo

Joined Feb 24, 2006
21,157
So this is their idea of an FU. Note to self, don't buy any products from these dimwits!
The FB backlash looks intense. Serves 'em right, for killing Kenny!
 
Last edited:

mcgyvr

Joined Oct 15, 2009
5,394
I see no problem with it..
Its their product.. They don't have to support others if they don't want to..

I'm sure they have already evaluated potential loss (or gains) in sales from it.

Reminds me of the FTDI driver update "issue" that was squashed by public outrage.... At least Phillips isn't destroying the other non-supported devices during the process.
 

#12

Joined Nov 30, 2010
18,224
I love the first comment on the Phillips page:

"In Phillips, the light bulb screws you."

I still make coffee the same way I did 40 years ago, except I heat the water with a microwave oven instead of a stove top burner. One funnel, one filter, and it's coffee time! Melitta. That's where I got the funnel with a flat skirt to put on top of the coffee cup. I don't even know if they sell them now. Fortunately, the funnels are nearly impossible to break and the paper filters cost about 1 cent each.

Color me, "Scrooge"!:p

If I ever buy a light bulb with Digital Rights Management, remind me to plug my head into the light socket and screw the bulb into my other end.:mad:
 

JohnInTX

Joined Jun 26, 2012
4,787
I guess Phillips got the word:
http://techcrunch.com/2015/12/16/philips-hue-reverses-decision-to-block-third-party-light-bulbs/

I was at Macy's last night and they had a big stack of Kurig 2.0 coffeemakers in stock. The sticker on the box indicated that they were packaged in August 2014. Not selling too well. Coffee DRM was a disaster for Kurig. I guess Phillips didn't get the message. You know that Phillips had countless meetings on the light bulb DRM before deciding it was a good idea.

How can they be so stupid?
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
It's a classic "we've got to do something" scenario. The reality of loosing a patent monopoly comes along and there's a lot of pressure to do something. Quick everyone, piss into the hurricane! But often it's wiser to accept reality and put your efforts elsewhere, where they will actually do some good.

They (Keurig) probably deluded themselves into thinking they were bringing value to the customer by enforcing quality standards. There is some truth to that. I got snookered into buying cheap K-cups that actually contained instant coffee! It hadn't dawned on me that anyone would do that.
 

BR-549

Joined Sep 22, 2013
4,928
Heavens to Murgatroyd. Repeaters for light control. What next? I have done the same for pump control, years ago. It's just hard to imagine all the hardware in the bulb. I guess a lot of appliances are coming that way. It would have been nice to buy motors that come like that.

All we need now is a LAD. Light Absorbing Diode.

Record and display every fart.

Are signal jammers legal on one's own property and airspace?

We'll need more lawyers.
 

Thread Starter

nsaspook

Joined Aug 27, 2009
13,079
The present syllabus for an MBA degree is:
Make cash flow quickly.
end of list
So maybe this entire thing was planned from the start to generate news about the product as a way to make cash. A quick reversal and boom, old customers stay loyal thinking the company will never make this move again and possible new customers looking at the product for the first time.
 

JoeJester

Joined Apr 26, 2005
4,390
So maybe this entire thing was planned from the start to generate news about the product as a way to make cash.
Reminds me of the time when the coffee house in Michigan named Beaners changed their name to Big B Coffee. Lots of press with the company taking the lead on changing the name due to it's association with Mexicans.

About a couple of weeks later I visited one establishment, and my receipt called the company "Beaners", not the new company name. Yep, generate some Buzz ... make some cash ... marketing at it's finest.
 

Thread Starter

nsaspook

Joined Aug 27, 2009
13,079
Top