Mastodawn

Seriously, #HP #InstantInk combines all the worst features of #subscriptions and #ManagedServices like #ManagedPrintServices with neither benefits.

Cuz #MPS for #businesses meant that a business gets a 5-6 digit, extremely fast, production-grade printer and only pays for the #consumeables and maybe setup & availability (similar to #utilities) and in return they don't have to worry and in case of problems call the #ServiceProvider instead.

This is how #TriumpfAdler stays in business: You can't buy their office multifunction systems, but only get them as a subscription through a #ServiceProvider.

Now this makes sense for a copy/fax/print/scan monster that needs to be forklifted and can spit out triple-digit pages per minute: Not every business is willing or able to sink 5+ digits into that, and instead is happy to pay like 9-19¢ per page + a monthly base fee for that, because #accounting hates having to 'depreciate an asset / investment'.

But for #consumer devices like an #Inkjet #Printer, this is just shafting them when instead of being a convenience (like getting #ink mailed) it's leveraged as a means to prevent the #buyer from being an #owner.

It's like if a #CreditCard provider used for paying for #fuel prevents car owners from refueling a car if they want to buy gasoline (or diesel or whatever) from a different gas station that their service isn't covering.

It's not as if #HPinstantInk means one gets a "#free" Printer / (or even #MultifunctionPrinter) in return like a "full service #leasing" with #cars, but rather it feels as if a car manufacturer can just decide to repo your car the moment you don't extend your "Extended Warranty Service" for another year...

Personally, I think #InkjetPrinters should be #outlawed and instead people should just get a used #Laser / #LED printer instead.

The rampant #Enshittification is why I'd love to see a reguar "#2Dprinter" to be #OpenSource'd!

Seriously, #3Dprinting is way harder and at least #Inkjet designs should be in the cards!

#YouWillOwnNothingAndYouWillBeHappy #YouWillOwnNothing #YouOwnNothing #LateStageCapitalism #Greedflation #greed #Inflation

Subscriptions Are Getting Out of Control

YouTube

Simon Hewison Jul 26, 2025

Oh dear. Family IT support.
1. HP instant ink is a scam. That's a nice new (official ) ink cartridge you've installed. It would be a shame if it went and faded and printed incredibly slow. Mob protection tactics.
2. Almost anything advertised on Facebook is a scam
3. Oh dear. You can get a list of adverts on Facebook you have clicked on. What a huge list of clickbait scams.
4. How many useless browser extensions that leak personal information?

#scam #hpinstantink #hp

David Hopkins Nov 1, 2023

Bastards. Was enrolled in the HP Instant Ink service, ended up not using any but paying for it. Now I've cancelled it, now my printer won't recognise my existing HP ink cartridges. #Con #HP #HPInstantInk

Ian Tindale Sep 15, 2023

just a quick photo of the tricolour cartridge that came with my new printer and is about the same size as the ones you buy, compared with the Instant Ink one I’m about to put in – the Instant Ink carts are much larger and also much fuller and heavier, so really they’re kind of halfway toward an ink reservoir type of arrangement, but unlike the ink reservoirs the ink is very very close to the print heads so doesn’t need the tubing

As you can tell, I decided against the ink reservoir tank approach and stuck to HP Instant Ink

(didn’t upload the pic first time, edited so it’s here now)

#printer #HPInstantInk