Dell Takes the Low Road Regarding Ink Cartridges

Anonymous Coward writes "Dell released a line of printers today, manufactured by Lexmark. As covered by by Yahoo they '..contain a chip that disables the cartridge if it is refilled and replaced in a Dell printer..' and 'The cartridges are different sizes than cartridges from other printer vendors, including Lexmark, the spokesperson said. This will limit the amount of knockoff cartridges available, but only until someone figures out how to reverse engineer Dell's cartridges.'" In the interest of full disclosure, note that the poster sells knockoff carts.

Funny

[AvitarX]

usually on slashdot using technology and not legalese is the high road to preventing things you don't want.

Next...

[Anonymous Coward]

New cars' gas tanks will not be able to be refilled. If you need new gas, you will have to buy a new gas tank from Ford, GM, etc. This will ensure you get the highest quality feul that will ensure the maximum life of your car. A smart chip will prevent manual refilling.

Oh, Dell paper too...

[SourceHammer]

At least it doesn't require that you have to print exclusively on Dell paper. I bet someone is inventing that right now.

Please Remember

[worst_name_ever]

...when you refill ink cartridges, you're refilling terrorism!

Re:Inkjet printers suck!

[arcite]

One other advantage that makes Laser printers superior.... NO SMUDGING!

I have had professors refuse to accept or mark papers handed in printed on ink jets because if they spilled their coffee on it, the text would smudge!
-
Picky Sadistic professors: 1
Inkjets: 0

Re:Funny

[evilviper]

Well, circumventing the technology would be illegial...

Welcome to the USA.

Re:Inkjet printers suck!

[poisoneleven]

The unfortunate thing about getting printers so cheap and so un-used, is that it's your tax dollars at work!

Re:Please Remember

[Adam9]

Yeah you got the red ink, the blue ink, and the .. blah nevermind.

hp stinks, hp rocks, hp stinks, hp rocks, etc...

[Vaughn Anderson]

Years ago (4) I was impressed when my neighbor got his HP printer picked up at his house, fixed by HP and sent back to his door step.

HP is cool! I said.

I buy a deskjet. 842c! I run out of ink in a week with my wimpy half cartridge that came with it.

HP stinks.

I refill all my colors and black appropriately (therfore spending as much as the printer cost) and I buy some nice HP photo paper, and the prints are brilliant!

HP rocks!

I find out you can't refill the latest ink cartridges.

HP stinks.

I find out I have an old printer and I can refill my cartridges!

HP rocks!

Re:The Low Road? Let's be realistic.

[Squareball]

Have you ever seen what putting Diesel fuel in a gas car does? I am pretty sure that their warranty doesn't cover the printer if you refill the cart.

Lexmark...

[Anonymous Coward]

As a professional computer tech, let me be the first to voice my support of Dell in entering the exciting market of consumer printing. The only reason I care is because Dell has a policy of repairing anything under their warranties themselves. At least until that warranty runs out...

Thank You Dell, for giving me the pleasure of looking forward to working on more 3 year old Dell printers, which are just cheap copies of standard Lexmark technology, which aren't may favorite printers to work on anyways... In fact, I scooped over 3.5 ounces of coagulated ink out of the purge (coagulation?) unit of a Compaq IJ750 (It's just a lexmark, with too many Q's on it)

Of all the companies out there, why lexmark? Couldn't you have just spit on me?

The Epson name

[tkrotchko]

Most people don't realize the Japanese word "Epson" translates in English to "Paper Jam".