This Coffee Maker Has DRM to Lock Out Competitor's Refills - Update

[rasputin0009]

Those Keurig machines are pretty popular among my family. They're really handy if you only want one or two cups of coffee instantly. The downsides are that they are terrible to clean, inefficient for large groups, breakdown easily, and the pods are expensive as fuck ($0.60-$1.00 a cup). The cheaper, no-name brand coffee pods make them more economically viable, but if you're buying a Keurig, then that shouldn't be a problem (Co-op Gold brand coffee pods make my piss feel like razor blades, though).

I don't see anything wrong with this business practice, since it's their machine and they're not requiring anything obtrusive from the customer. Calling it 'DRM' is silly.

 

[truckspond]

I can already see a method to bypass this DRM: Attach the RFID chip that would be in the pod to facilitate the DRM to a generic reusable pod (Make sure to use good waterproof tape!) and just use that.

 

[Infernal Lawyer]

Considering someone already said "bet this doesn't go as big as the Xbone DRM kerfuffle", this is looking like a very similar situation. I mean, they've actually out and said "Oh don't worry, this is actually a good thing, we're just not going to explain why", just like Microsoft did when we asked why the hell the box needed to phone home every day.

Thank god I don't care for caffeine, then.

 

[Sarge034]

"It's critical for performance and safety reasons that our new system includes this technology."

How the fuck am I still alive? I mean I was using a pot that could utilize any brand I desired... How did the thing not blow up or catch fire?

You heard 'em gents, we can now classify non-DRM coffee pots at "deadly weapons".

 

[blackrave]

Safety reasons sounds dangerously close to "national security reasons". See a pattern there? Every time someone powerful wants to stick a dick up your ass they'll claim that it's for your own safety.

But it IS for your safety
If your ass is filled by bunch of dicks, nobody can assrape you anymore.
So be a good drone now and say "thank you" to your overlords

 

[FalloutJack]

Update: Keurig has responded to the widespread negative feedback regarding this change, assuring fans that "It's critical for performance and safety reasons that our new system includes this technology." Safety reasons. That's a good one.

Wow, we've never heard anything like that here! Like from anyone who favors DRM or tries to justify bricking a device of any sort for any reason at all! No, never!

*Laughs*

I DID say people would reject this in droves because they want their goddamn coffee, and I was right!

 

[Infernal Lawyer]

Update: Keurig has responded to the widespread negative feedback regarding this change, assuring fans that "It's critical for performance and safety reasons that our new system includes this technology." Safety reasons. That's a good one.

Wow, we've never heard anything like that here! Like from anyone who favors DRM or tries to justify bricking a device of any sort for any reason at all! No, never!

*Laughs*

I DID say people would reject this in droves because they want their goddamn coffee, and I was right!

Wait, what?

I understand someone claiming that DRM actually stops piracy (I mean, that IS what it's technically designed for), but since when did anyone claim DRM affects performance or system compatibility in the slightest?

Oh. Wait. Are you talking about cloud computing?

 

[Strazdas]

Update: Keurig has responded to the widespread negative feedback regarding this change, assuring fans that "It's critical for performance and safety reasons that our new system includes this technology." Safety reasons. That's a good one.

Source: Tech Dirt [http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20140305/14561626447/keurig-insists-coffee-drm-brings-interactive-enabled-benefits-is-your-own-safety.shtml]

Holy Shit. How stupid do they think we are, I mean, there are probably some pretty stupid people but it is a fricken coffee maker for waffle's sake! What kind of safety precautions do you need besides large pretty pictures that say "Don't Fucking Touch This, Hot Stuff!"?!

considering they thought it was a good idea to begin with, i think they think were pretty stupid.

and its a stupid analogy. Sony doesn't make money off of all the blu-ray disc sales nor they are the only manufacturer of blu-ray players.

except, that it does
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9874317-7.html

It gets royalties on every Blue-ray drive and somethig along 1.5 cents for every disc sold. They license out the right to manufacture discs.

I can't wait till Sony blurays only play Sony Studios movies... because that is where this logic would lead. :S

Well, Sony tried that with DVDs. Nintendo suceeded [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_optical_discs]. and there is also regionlocking which is equally stupid.
then again there is peopel complaining about exactly that problem [http://www.avsforum.com/t/1448485/samsung-3d-dvd-players-not-playing-certain-movies-please-read]

I understand someone claiming that DRM actually stops piracy (I mean, that IS what it's technically designed for), but since when did anyone claim DRM affects performance or system compatibility in the slightest?

Oh. Wait. Are you talking about cloud computing?

is that sarcasm? please tell me it is sarcasm.
Of course DRM affect performance. from baisc bloatware sitting there eating resources to things like SecuRom malfunctioning and locking you out of the game completely. Oh, and lets not forget Games for Windows Live actually deletign your saves if you connect to them wrongly.

 

[Evil Smurf]

I go out for coffee, so this is whatever for me, however can't I just use a cracked pod??

 

[Atmos Duality]

Oh, Keurig weighed in?
"Safety reasons"?
How does blocking out a competitor's goods provide personal "Safety" to the consumer again?

Safety for Keurig's profit margin maybe, but definitely not for the consumer.

If this is the direction Keurig wants to go and just publicly lie to the consumer's face, well, I'll be sure to never buy a Keurig product.

 

[Atmos Duality]

DRM: Digital Rights Management

Are coffee grounds now a downloadable product?

Or are they requiring you to be always-on before you can run the coffeemaking software?

Oh don't be so literal-minded! It's the concept that matters.
[sub]Besides, actual Always-Online will be implemented with Keurig 3.0. To stop those filthy competitors from harming their market share customers.[/sub]

 

[mysecondlife]

Update: Keurig has responded to the widespread negative feedback regarding this change, assuring fans that "It's critical for performance and safety reasons that our new system includes this technology." Safety reasons. That's a good one.

Source: Tech Dirt [http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20140305/14561626447/keurig-insists-coffee-drm-brings-interactive-enabled-benefits-is-your-own-safety.shtml]

Holy Shit. How stupid do they think we are, I mean, there are probably some pretty stupid people but it is a fricken coffee maker for waffle's sake! What kind of safety precautions do you need besides large pretty pictures that say "Don't Fucking Touch This, Hot Stuff!"?!

considering they thought it was a good idea to begin with, i think they think were pretty stupid.

and its a stupid analogy. Sony doesn't make money off of all the blu-ray disc sales nor they are the only manufacturer of blu-ray players.

except, that it does
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9874317-7.html

It gets royalties on every Blue-ray drive and somethig along 1.5 cents for every disc sold. They license out the right to manufacture discs.

I can't wait till Sony blurays only play Sony Studios movies... because that is where this logic would lead. :S

Well, Sony tried that with DVDs. Nintendo suceeded [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_optical_discs]. and there is also regionlocking which is equally stupid.
then again there is peopel complaining about exactly that problem [http://www.avsforum.com/t/1448485/samsung-3d-dvd-players-not-playing-certain-movies-please-read]

I understand someone claiming that DRM actually stops piracy (I mean, that IS what it's technically designed for), but since when did anyone claim DRM affects performance or system compatibility in the slightest?

Oh. Wait. Are you talking about cloud computing?

is that sarcasm? please tell me it is sarcasm.
Of course DRM affect performance. from baisc bloatware sitting there eating resources to things like SecuRom malfunctioning and locking you out of the game completely. Oh, and lets not forget Games for Windows Live actually deletign your saves if you connect to them wrongly.

What I mean was that Sony doesn't make 100% of all sales. I realize that was a horrible wording on my part.

 

[FalloutJack]

Update: Keurig has responded to the widespread negative feedback regarding this change, assuring fans that "It's critical for performance and safety reasons that our new system includes this technology." Safety reasons. That's a good one.

Wow, we've never heard anything like that here! Like from anyone who favors DRM or tries to justify bricking a device of any sort for any reason at all! No, never!

*Laughs*

I DID say people would reject this in droves because they want their goddamn coffee, and I was right!

Wait, what?

I understand someone claiming that DRM actually stops piracy (I mean, that IS what it's technically designed for), but since when did anyone claim DRM affects performance or system compatibility in the slightest?

Oh. Wait. Are you talking about cloud computing?

This was an all-purpose general quip on the reports we get here on the always-on DRM games which will not run unless you're under Sauron's Eye the whole time, as well as a poke at Nintendo's 3DS security measures that give them the right to shut off one of their machine remotely (which may or my not be due to piracy, but the idea that it can happen to a normal schlub was my reason for No Sale). So yes, this does poke fun at the cloud, but it's broad-strokes against the overall practice, which I find is witch-hunting and...Harrumphing [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTmfwklFM-M] instead of trying alternatives. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Qkyt1wXNlI]

I also made point that people who get their coffee interfered with are the angriest mob of all.

 

[Infernal Lawyer]

I understand someone claiming that DRM actually stops piracy (I mean, that IS what it's technically designed for), but since when did anyone claim DRM affects performance or system compatibility in the slightest?

Oh. Wait. Are you talking about cloud computing?

is that sarcasm? please tell me it is sarcasm.
Of course DRM affect performance. from baisc bloatware sitting there eating resources to things like SecuRom malfunctioning and locking you out of the game completely. Oh, and lets not forget Games for Windows Live actually deletign your saves if you connect to them wrongly.

I should have been more clear, though I WAS talking about the pro-DRM crowd. I meant I've yet to hear anyone claim DRM POSITIVELY affects a game's performance.

This was an all-purpose general quip on the reports we get here on the always-on DRM games which will not run unless you're under Sauron's Eye the whole time, as well as a poke at Nintendo's 3DS security measures that give them the right to shut off one of their machine remotely (which may or my not be due to piracy, but the idea that it can happen to a normal schlub was my reason for No Sale). So yes, this does poke fun at the cloud, but it's broad-strokes against the overall practice, which I find is witch-hunting and...Harrumphing [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTmfwklFM-M] instead of trying alternatives. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Qkyt1wXNlI]

I also made point that people who get their coffee interfered with are the angriest mob of all.

Alright, fair enough.

Also, from my understanding Nintendo only bricks 3DS' if they think you're ONLY using it for piracy: I've read ages ago that they tend to mind their own if you're still buying games legitimately. Still, that's hardly official information and you're well in your rights to say you don't want a device that could be remotely bricked.

 

[FalloutJack]

snip

I should hope so, but I didn't even wanna hear about accidentals. It's my stance on such measures. Nintendo isn't a bunch of assholes. Just short-sighted.

Captcha: without a doubt

Heh.

 

[TallanKhan]

Hmmm.

I wonder if we could talk GOG into branching out into the coffee market.

Think they would go for that?

"We here at GOG know that coffee-piracy stems from anti-consumer practices like coffee DRM which ultimately don't work. We are vehemently against DRM in all it's forms which is why we only sell DRM free coffee and makers. Yes, we do run the risk of some people pirating our version of coffee and makers but we feel that by offering a better service, like keeping our coffees updated to the latest coffee-maker operating systems as well as offering free extras like coffee wallpapers and cup-o-joe soundtracks, we can convince many coffee pirates to turn to purchasing our products legitimately." - Anonymous GOG employee

This post may just be the best thing i have read today (ok it is 01:20 where i am so admittedly i haven't read much today, but still).

OT: I just hope people have the integrity to not buy these machines. Lets give Keurig a bloody nose over this and maybe we can stop the rot before it sets in.