HP wants you to print things through its cloud service, wherein you pay a subscription fee for ink and your usage is routed through its servers. To encourage you to do this, it covers the USB port …

    • @Delphia
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      4711 months ago

      The market for people who NEED printers is shrinking. Last concert I went to I had the QR code ticket in my phone, I havent printed map directions in at least 15 years and I literally cannot remember the last item I needed to print at home.

      But they also cant say “Oh well, we had a good 30 year run with home printers” they have to keep making more than last year, so they have to get increasingly predatory.

      • @o_oli
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        1311 months ago

        I just don’t understand why people fall for it. Who is subscribing to this nonsense? I would never purchase or use something like that when there are still other options available. It should have been a dead idea from day 1.

        • @[email protected]
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          911 months ago

          Because most people aren’t technical enough to understand there are alternatives, particularly if those alternatives involve removing a scary label telling you not to.

        • @ChickenLadyLovesLife
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          711 months ago

          My parents who are in their 80s only use their printer for printing out the daily crossword puzzle. I made the mistake of getting them to give up their newspaper delivery and just read the paper online, not realizing it would force me to maintain a printer for them. But at least I was able to get them a cheap Brother inkjet where I can refill the cartridges with a syringe.

            • @ChickenLadyLovesLife
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              411 months ago

              Because like once a year they also want to copy a color photo or two.

              • @phareous
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                211 months ago

                I got a color brother laser and am loving it. No regrets and it was affordable. When the drum, etc. reaches end of life i will have to decide if it’s worth repairing or just getting another printer. Also changing 4 toners is expensive but probably less than the ink carts since you don’t do it very often. Also never have to worry about the ink drying out, cleaning printer heads, etc.

            • @[email protected]
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              111 months ago

              If they print every day it’s fine. Inkjets really suck if you don’t print for a while. Then the nozzles dry out and clog and then you have a mess on your hand. As long as it’s not HP you are good.

          • @Techmaster
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            211 months ago

            My parents play crosswords on their phones and tablets. You might try that.

      • @MuffinHeeler
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        111 months ago

        I haven’t had a printer since early 2020 when I was last in the office. Sometimes I definitely miss it. But not enough to buy one.

        Since then, the only thing I’ve needed to print was a visa which said I must carry a printed copy, but at the border it was digitally attached to my passport, so turns out I didn’t need it at all.

    • @Heavybell
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      2511 months ago

      We let game publishers and adobe get away with charging infinite money for faux services so now everyone else wants to do the same.