InkCartridge
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Supreme Court decision lifts ownership rights over patent law
In a win for anyone who has ever been frustrated by overpriced ink, the Supreme Court ruled today (PDF) that printer maker Lexmark can't sue companies that refill old cartridges and sell them at a discount. More specifically, the court ruled that Lexmark gave away its patent rights to the cartridges (and their single-use microchips) as soon as it started selling them. While the case may seem narrowly focused, digital rights groups are hailing it as a win for consumers in general and a decision that could affect everyone's right to repair their own devices.
HP says it should've better explained blocking third-party ink
Following a recent update that blocked some third-party ink cartridges fore its printers, HP formally apologized to customers this week for how it communicated about the change. Earlier this month, the company updated its firmware making cartridges made by other companies unusable on its printers. HP cited quality and security reasons for switching up its authentication process. Those third-party options are typically cheaper and as you might expect, customers weren't happy about not being able to use those supplies.
Used ink cartridges repurposed as sci-fi movie mementos
We've seen ink cartridges enlisted to provide light and as the basis for a bike path, and so many other things that it makes us wonder if we missed the boat by using them to, you know, print stuff. Apparently the kids at the Ink and Media Blog feel the same way, so rather than throw out the used cartridges, they handed 'em off to an artist named Faith Pearson, who used 'em to recreate scenes from her favorite sci-fi movies. They look great and sure as hell beat the C-SPAN re-enactments that we did last summer using Popsicle sticks and a broken Lego Mindstorms kit. Hit the source link to see for yourself.
Recycled ink cartridges used to build bike path in Australian National Park
We've certainly witnessed one too many ink cartridges perish at the hands of a crushing radial, but those instances all stemmed from fighting the good fight with frustration. Australia's National Park Service is giving those fed up with paying far too much for far too little ink another, more reasonable method of extinguishing their anger with the creation of a 17 kilometer long bike path connecting Alice Springs to Simpsons Gap in West MacDonnell National Park. 'Course, recycled ink cartridges are just part of the eco-friendly solution, but it's not too far-fetched to think that another couldn't be built entirely from what your own corporation trashes in a single month, right? On a related note, that guy looks like he's having an insane amount of fun. Jealous. [Image courtesy of Centralian Advocate]
Empty ink cartridges repurposed as glorious lamps
We all know that those ink cartridge refills never really function perfectly as advertised, so rather than paying too much to have a lackluster printing experience, boxlightbox has decided to repurpose his empty Epson boxes into prepossessing lighting instruments. The simple (albeit masterly) lamps maintain the iconic presence of an ink cartridge while still fitting into the overall feel of an art deco home. At $350, the sensational Ink-Cartridge Chandelier shown above certainly isn't the cheapest of fixtures, but for those who spend entirely too much time at Kinko's, it's totally worth the investment. Hit the read link for more ways to spend money that you don't have -- or, you know, to just get a few ideas for scratching that DIY itch. [Thanks, David]
