Here’s a simple truth: Making high-tech devices affordable, portable, durable, and mass-producible isn’t easy—especially if you also include profitable, a.k.a. not going out of business in the process. The design, engineering, and manufacturing challenges for the OEMs who make your favorite devices are real, and they are not trivial. And lo, adhesives—inexpensive, versatile… Source ..read more

On Tuesday, the European Parliament finally voted to adopt the Directive on Common Rules Promoting the Repair of Goods legislation with 584 votes in favor, 3 against, and 14 abstentions. The law, which took intense campaigning by Right to Repair advocates and two years of work, is a landmark in the EU’s push towards a more sustainable and repairable future and is thus a win for both… Source ..read more

Wireless charging is a common sight these days. You’ll find the technology in earbud cases, cell phones, and even your bedside table. The benefit of wireless power is obvious: The convenience of freeing ourselves from all those pesky cords and various connector types. But that might be the only benefit. What about the tradeoffs? Is there any truth to claims that wireless charging overheats… Source ..read more

With Earth Day approaching, Apple is bragging about their “free” iPhone recycling program—you can bring your device in and trade it in for a discount on a new iPhone, if it’s eligible. Or if it’s not, they’ll take back and recycle your iPhone without charging you. Sure, great. They won’t charge you to recover the gold and aluminum and other valuable materials inside your phone. Source ..read more

Every week, we get a roundup of recent developments in Right to Repair news, courtesy of Jack Monahan and Paul Roberts from Fight to Repair, a reader-supported publication. Sign up to receive updates in your inbox. (It’s free!) Or become a premium subscriber for access to exclusive content and live events! It’s safe to say “right to repair” is having a moment. U.S. PIRG reports that 30 states… Source ..read more

We’ve been saying it for years: Earbuds don’t have to be disposable. They can—and should—have replaceable batteries. And finally, one manufacturer has taken us up on the challenge. Enter the Fairbuds from Fairphone, the first-ever wireless earbuds to get a 10/10 repairability score. Notably, they are also Fairphone’s second crack at wireless earbuds. The first attempt… Source ..read more

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In a move timed to influence today’s Right to Repair hearing in the Colorado Senate, Apple just promised to make some small changes to their customer-hostile parts pairing program. The changes will roll out “this fall” for an unspecified subset of the iPhone product line. The most notable change is that they will stop blocking their own parts from working in their own devices, a tactic that we… Source ..read more

This is Scott Yu-Jan’s Macintosh Studio, an awesome 3D-printed case that turns the Mac Studio into a neat little modern-day version of the original 1984 Macintosh. And look, what’s he using for the display? An iPad. Using an old tablet instead of buying a new display is a great way to reduce your impact on the environment. It’s a real shame to send a working tablet through a recycling… Source ..read more

Last month, I pulled my old K-Mix USB audio mixer out of the bottom drawer, and it was covered with dust and sticky goo. The reason? Its soft-touch coating, which lends a luxurious feel to plastic surfaces when new, had deteriorated. So, of course, I set to fixing it. Why do manufacturers use these soft coatings in the first place? One reason is that they really do feel great at first. Source ..read more