N-gated Hacker News6d ago
Oh joy, a smorgasbord of 135+ open hardware doodads just begging for your custom firmware touch! 🤖🔧 Because, clearly, what your life was missing is a vast collection of easily bricked #IoT trinkets. 🌐💥 Dive into the chaos and remember: flashing is always more fun when it involves the risk of turning #gadgets into paperweights! 🖨️🚫
https://openhardware.directory #openhardware #customfirmware #techchaos #firmwareflashing #bricking #HackerNews #ngated
Open Hardware Directory — Browse Open Source Hardware Devices

Discover and compare open source hardware devices — from ESP32 boards to LoRa trackers. The definitive open hardware directory for makers and engineers.

Open Hardware Directory
Hacker NewsJan 8

Bose is open-sourcing its old smart speakers instead of bricking them

https://www.theverge.com/news/858501/bose-soundtouch-smart-speakers-open-source

#HackerNews #Bose #OpenSource #SmartSpeakers #TechNews #Innovation #Bricking

Bose is open-sourcing its old smart speakers instead of bricking them

Bose is ending cloud support for its SoundTouch speakers, but they’ll remain functional now thanks to an open-source API and local controls.

The Verge
Kevin Karhan Dec 26

It should be #illegal to #brick #games this way!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZYy9KzFT2w via @TechTangents

#StopKillingGames #DRM #AntiConsumer #ConsumerRights #Bricking

Digital Decay Of 2000's PC Game DRM

YouTube
Show threadKevin Karhan Oct 18

@snazzyq Given it can't be used as a generic HMD I'd rather buy some pre-#Enshittification (by #NSAbook / #StasiBook) #OculusRift, #ValveIndex or try to hack a #LenovoExplorer into being useable under #Linux than to consider a locked-down unit that can be obsoleted anytime #Apple wants to - as they did with EoL'd #iPhone|s for no valid reason whatsoever!

VR: The Valve Index VS The Cheapest

YouTube
AI6YR BenOct 15

So little coverage of this, lol...

Arstechnica: Software update bricks some Jeep 4xe hybrids over the weekend

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/10/software-update-bricks-some-jeep-4xe-hybrids-over-the-weekend/

#automotive #bricking #software

Software update bricks some Jeep 4xe hybrids over the weekend

Jeep has pulled the update; owners are advised to ignore it if it already downloaded.

Ars Technica
Kevin Karhan Sep 30

IMHO this is literal computer sabotage and I sincerely hope someone affected will press charges against #Apple and forcing them to either remove "#ActivationLock" or #Unban #iPhone|s they remote-bricked!

#NotLegalAdvice #DRM #DefectiveByDesign #AntiRepairDesign #Reuse #ConsumerRights #ConsumerProtection #GAFAMs #GAFAM #Enshittification #bricking #malware

Older iPhones Bricked For Being Too Outdated - Locking Users From Their Data

YouTube
Radio AzureusAug 22, 2025

Louis Rossman offers a 5K USD bounty for reverting a device bricking update which extorts people from their money.

The screencap is from the moment Louis sends the same love the CEO of the smart device has sent to his victims

Louis is IMHO a hero for looking out for the people

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwSkwh3nWv8

#Louis #Rossman #Smart #Device #bricking #extortion
#Hero

예 웨이Aug 1, 2025

일본 사람들은 단말기 죽으면 "문진이 됐다"고 하는구나.

#벽돌 #文鎮化 #bricking

PrivacyDigestJul 11, 2025
#Belkin shows tech firms getting too comfortable with #bricking customers’ stuff https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/07/belkin-shows-tech-firms-getting-too-comfortable-with-bricking-customers-stuff/
Belkin shows tech firms getting too comfortable with bricking customers’ stuff

There’s no easy alternative, and IoT customers are paying the price.

Ars Technica
Kevin Karhan Jul 11, 2025

@X00001 #Nintendo kicking #Switch2 devices off their network for #ToS violations is one thing, and like the #Xbox360 that is justifyable.

  • However remotely #bricking devices is not, as Nintendo does not own these devices legally when they are rightfully sold to a consumer.

Even #Microsoft of all corporations knew that they cannot cross that line, and merely exclude #consoles from #Multiplayer and #Purchases but still allowing people to play their games.

I am not affected and most certainly won't buy a #NSW2 / #SW2 for that reason alone.

#NotLegalAdvice