Nintendo recently confirmed it’ll announce a next-gen Nintendo Switch next year, but beyond that, the company hasn’t revealed much about the forthcoming console (including how much it will go for). If you’d rather not wait and see, the standard Nintendo Switch is currently receiving a rare discount at Amazon, where you can buy it with blue and red Joy-Con controllers for $267 ($33 off).

If you like to game on the go, the base Switch remains an excellent handheld, one that can last up to six hours on a single charge. It’s still limited to 32GB of built-in storage — unlike the larger, seven-inch Switch OLED — but its built-in microSD card slot means you can always invest in more external storage. That’ll come in handy because the Nintendo eShop is home to a vast library of both first- and third-party titles, particularly in its swan-song era, with many exciting games in the pipeline. The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom and Mario & Luigi: Brothership are both launching in the fall, for example, along with Super Mario Party Jamboree, a remastered MySims, and much more.

Granted, the Switch 2 is rumored to feature an eight-inch screen, but the standard model’s 6.2-inch display is still spacious enough in most instances. Besides, if you crave more screen real estate, you can always play it on your TV while in docked mode, unlike the Switch Lite.

If you’re looking for a piece of home decor to spruce up your home or office, few gadgets are as unique as Samsung’s new Music Frame. And right now, the capable speaker is down to a new low of around $297.99 ($100 off) at Amazon, B&H Photo, and Best Buy.

Samsung’s unique gadget looks like a traditional 12.9 x 12.9-inch picture frame — it even offers room in the front so you can add a physical photograph or art print (though you’ll only be able to use an 8 x 8-inch picture if you use the provided matte). You can hang the speaker on your wall or rest it on the included stand and even customize it with an optional white bezel ($59.99).

But what’s really neat is that the Music Frame also functions as a wired Bluetooth / Wi-Fi speaker, which is one of the reasons the gadget was one of our favorite audio products from CES 2024. It’s not going to sound as immersive as a high-end soundbar or a speaker with up-firing drivers like the Sonos Era 300, but it supports Dolby Atmos and can pair with select Samsung TVs or soundbars for surround sound. The art-inspired speaker is also compatible with Amazon Alexa and Samsung Bixby, allowing you to control it with just your voice.

Developed by Apple, Amazon, Google, and Samsung (and others), Matter is an open-sourced, IP-based connectivity software layer for smart home devices. It works over Wi-Fi, ethernet, and the low-power mesh networking protocol Thread and currently supports over 30 device types. These include lighting, thermostats, locks, robot vacuums, refrigerators, dishwashers, dryers, ovens, smoke alarms, air quality monitors, EV chargers, and more.

A smart home gadget with the Matter logo can be set up and used with any Matter-compatible ecosystem via a Matter controller and controlled by more than one with a feature called Multi-Admin.

Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, and Apple Home are some major smart home platforms supporting Matter, along with hundreds of device manufacturers.

HP is a household name when it comes to printers, but the company employs questionable practices to maximize profits. Much like Apple, HP aims to create a closed ecosystem, forcing you to use only its ink with its printers, especially if you opt into HP+.

Recently, I was at my in-laws’ home and signed up for HP+ for them through the app only to discover that once you accept, the printer firmware is updated permanently. There’s no way to undo it, and you’re locked into using HP ink cartridges to print anything.

It blocked me from printing on my in-laws’ printer because they were using third-party cartridges. Below, I get into the whole saga about HP+, how I wasted hours trying to find a workaround only to learn there’s no way out, and how HP has been hit with multiple lawsuits over this.

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What is HP+ and why you may want to avoid it

HP+ is an optional service available with select HP printers. It’s free and offers cloud connectivity, an extended warranty and more. In HP’s own words, “HP+ is an innovative smart printing system that comes with select HP printers. It offers several benefits, including up to three months of free Instant Ink with compatible printers.”

It might sound harmless initially, but when you dig into the details, you’ll find that the subscription blocks you from using ink other than HP’s. Plus, it requires a constant internet connection just to work. HP+ was introduced in 2020, with the HP LaserJet M200 Series and the HP OfficeJet Pro 8000e and 9000e series being among the first supported printers.

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Printer on a desk in an office setting (HP)

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Once you install HP+ is there a way to reverse or opt out?

The best solution is to avoid signing up for HP+ in the first place, but unfortunately that wasn’t an option for me. So, I called customer support, hoping to find a solution. However, even after spending over an hour on the phone, I didn’t get one. The customer service rep told me that once you sign up, there’s no turning back. They then said the only option to fix what had been done and allow my in-laws to return to using their third-party cartridges is to send them back the printer. 

On a related note, normally you can use any brand’s ink with your printer, which makes things easier and more affordable because you can choose ink that fits your budget. A while back, I wrote a guide about the cheapest printer ink and how to make cartridges last longer. You might want to check it out to get the most out of your printer.

Back to my story. HP told me they were willing to replace my printer with a new one (without HP+), but I’d have to cover the shipping costs. As another option, they said they’d send me four HP cartridges – just once, though – so it’s not exactly a long-term fix. We opted for the four HP cartridges for the time being while we consider replacing the printer with an entirely other brand. 

What a headache. 

A printer on a table in an office setting (HP)

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The HP printer ink issue is now in court

HP+ hasn’t just been a headache for me, many others have had issues, too, and some even took HP to court. One lawsuit filed by Mobile Emergency Housing Corp., Performance Automotive & Tire Center and David Justin Lynch has reached a settlement in principle, and HP is working on finalizing the agreement.

The lawsuit claimed that HP pushed a software update to its printers, making them incompatible with other brands’ ink cartridges. It is looking to represent anyone nationwide who had an HP Color LaserJet Pro M254, HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M280, HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M281 or any other model affected by HP malware transmissions, reported Top Class Actions.

Another lawsuit, which kicked off in January, makes a similar claim. It focuses on a firmware update from late 2022 to early 2023 that allegedly disabled printers if non-HP cartridges were used.

We reached out to HP for a response to our article but did not hear back before our deadline.

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Kurt’s key takeaway

The HP+ service just doesn’t make sense to me as a consumer, and it won’t to anyone else who values their money. If I can get the same ink for cheaper, or if I already have third-party ink on hand, why would I spend extra cash on HP-branded ink? If I’m paying for the printer hardware, I should be able to use it however I want, not as the company dictates. As a word of caution, avoid signing up for HP+ if you’re looking for more choices in ink options.

Do you think printer manufacturers should have the right to restrict which ink cartridges you use or should that choice be up to the consumer? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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