Right to Repair

Apple is one of the worst companies about being able to repair products. They've gotten several bills failed or neutered to not do anything. We don't know yet, but they are likely trying for a neutering amendment here to keep control over the process. I'd love to be proven wrong, but all we have to go on is prior experience.

Dear Right to Repair

I have a 10 year old dumb phone (keypad phone).

Has anyone unlocked their dumb phone ?

If so, could you tell me how you did it please ?

Yours sincerely ROMMMELLL

Quote from the John Deere representative:

Here's what happens. Deere sees another company doing this (offering a better/cheaper GPS than theirs) in a year from now they say screw it, we'll rewrite the software so everyone's gotta update their globe (control for tractors) for it to keep working.

Dear Right to Repair

I have a Samsung GT-E3210 (semi-dumb phone) made about 2013.

I have had the phone since new.

It has a lock on it. I don't know how it got there. I don't even know what it is. I would like to remove it.

SUMMARY

1. My SIM card works in other phones without a PIN.

2. My phone works, with this SIM card, without a PIN.

3. My phone will not accept another SIM card (even if the correct SIM PIN for that new SIM card is entered).

4. When a new SIM card is inserted the phone says SIM LOCK and asks for a PASSWORD.

5. With my usual SIM card inserted, SETTINGS shows SIM LOCK ON. If I select it, it asks for a SIM PASSWORD.

6. With no SIM card in the phone, SETTINGS says SIM LOCK ON. If I select it, it asks me to INSERT SIM CARD.

ELABORATION

My GT-E3210 has worked for many years with the same old BIG SIM card in it.

I have never programmed a PIN into this old BIG SIM card. I have never used a PIN in connection with this old BIG SIM card.

The phone does not require a PIN when I turn it on each day, or when I re-insert this old BIG SIM card. I have never programmed any kind of security into the phone.

If any other SIM card is placed in it, however, it will not function.

When I tried a new SIM card, the following words filled the screen,

SIM LOCK

(a padlock symbol)

PASSWORD

(a space to enter password)

(and 2 options above the soft keys : CONFIRM and EMERGENCY)

When I entered the verified SIM PIN for this new SIM card it said,

INCORRECT PASSWORD

When I go to SETTINGS > SECURITY I see that one of the four LOCK's is on : SIM LOCK ON.

When I highlight SIM LOCK ON and press the centre button (with my usual old BIG SIM card in the phone) the following words fill the bottom half of the screen

SIM PASSWORD

8 DIGITS

PASSWORD

(a space to enter password)

(and 2 options above the soft keys : OK and CANCEL)

BUT, if there is no SIM card in the phone, when I highlight SIM LOCK ON and press the centre button, it says only

INSERT SIM CARD

TWO QUESTIONS please.

Q1. What is this SIM LOCK ?

Q2. What are my options to turn it off or remove it ?

I would be grateful for any help you could give me.

Yours sincerely ROMMMELLL

I am looking for a new computer and am considering a Tuxedo Laptop. Do you know how easy they are to repair and upgrade? I enjoy my Fairphone too much to her an unrepairable Notebook.

Replaceable batteries may came back.

Copied from the technology thread:

No surprises here. Just like the lockdown on iPhone screen and part replacements, Macbooks suffer from the same Apple's anti-repair and anti-consumer bs. Battery glued, ssd soldered in and can't even swap parts with other official parts. 6000$ laptop and you don't even own it.

Fix tons of things from macbooks to trucks to cameras. I think they have something like a hundred thousand guides.

Many companies are making their things harder to fix, but from what I've seen, IFixIt has been pretty fast to try and circumvent them.