Who asked for this?! A recap of this year's CES 'Worst in Show' Awards
The annual CES Worst in Show awards balance the mainstream media's "ooh"s and "aahh!"s with much needed "what?" "why?" and "WTF!?!"s. Also: a German court delivers a big win for software freedom.
An (Editor’s) Note to start the New Year: Happy 2025! It has been great to see the steady growth in the F2R readership and subscriber base over the past year. Each week, Fight to Repair looks to capture the great breadth of repair-, sustainability and circular economy news happening all over the globe.
With the new year upon us, Jack and I are looking to vary the mix of content you’ll get from Fight to Repair News, with more original reporting on people, topics and issues central to the fight for a right to repair, and a (slight) scale back in our news round-ups from weekly to bi-weekly. We hope the shift will put more original content in your inbox and help us to draw more eyes and attention to the valiant, global fight for a right to own and repair our stuff!
As always, we welcome your feedback and would love to hear your thoughts on our coverage and also any topics you’d like to see us give more attention to! Use the button below to share your thoughts! — Paul.
Contents:
Big News: A Rundown Of The CES Worst In Show Awards 2025
Other News:
It's Official: German Court Delivers Big Win For Software Freedom
The Repairers Who Helped Recover From Hurricane Helene
Scout Wants To Build EVs And Fix The Car Industry
Repair Vouchers: A Policy For Environmental And Economic Gains
You Don't Really Own Anything That Needs Software To Operate
One Thing A Right To Repair Will Give Us: A Lot More Boxes!
Long Delayed Ruling On Massachusetts Auto Right To Repair Is Coming
>> Got a repair complaint? Tell us about it! <<
Big News
What better way to start the New Year than with an orgy, amiright?! I’m talking, of course, about the orgy of consumerism and technophilia that kicks off each new year in the form of CES - the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
The annual electronics showcase, which took place from January 7th to 10th, saw close to 150,000 people crowd into the Las Vegas Convention Center and expos at The Venetian to gape at cutting edge technology from more than 4,500 vendors, including 1,400 start up firms, according to organizers.
Amidst the raucous displays and “ooh”-ing and “aah”-ing of mainstream media outlets, it is hard to tune into dissenting voices: the “what?” “why?” and “WTF?!” offered by those of us puzzled by the need for so many of the showcased devices (a robotic cat to clip onto your handbag or cool your coffee?!) not to mention the flood of discarded electronics that is already poisoning our planet.
That’s the spirit behind another event: the annual CES Worst In Show awards. Hosted by The Repair Association and iFixit, the Worst In Show awards shine a much needed light on the dark side of CES: over-engineered, insecure, unsustainable, prying and (often) unrepairable gadgets.
With that in mind, here’s a run-down of this year’s winners for the CES Worst In Show.
The Least Repairable: Ultrahuman Luxury Smart Ring
This year’s winner of the Least Repairable product goes to the Ultrahuman Rare Luxury Smart Ring. As judge Kyle Wiens of iFixit noted: this $2,200 luxury smart ring has a battery that is only good for 500 charges, and that can’t be replaced without destroying the ring. Doh!
The Least Private: Bosch Revol Smart Crib
Revol(ting) anyone? Judge Cindy Cohn of the Electronic Frontier Foundation gave her prize for the most privacy-offensive product to a smart crib by Bosch, which Cohn said collects excessive data about the infants in the crib using cameras, microphones and a radar sensor.
The Least Sustainable: SoundHound AI’s In-Car Commerce Ecosystem
Artificial intelligence (AI) was a huge presence at this year’s CES, adding impressive interactivity features to a wide range of products. But as judge Stacey Higginbotham of Consumer Reports pointed out: SoundHound AI’s in-car system is AI-gone bad: an energy intensive platform that promotes consumption while distracting drivers.
The Least Secure: TP-Link Routers
One of the critical conversations that never happens at CES is about software security and integrity. That’s particularly true with things like small office, home office (SOHO) routers, which are a staple of the CES show -and a popular target for sophisticated hacking groups working for the Chinese government. That’s why judge Paul Roberts, founder of Secure Repairs (and Editor at F2R News) selected the firm TP-Link as the winner of this year’s worst in show for cybersecurity. As Paul noted: exploitable flaws in SOHO routers aren’t unique to TP-Link. What is unique is that - as a China-based company - TP-Link is required by state law to disclose flaws it finds in its software to the government before they can be made public. That potentially gives state sponsored actors from China the first bite at otherwise “zero day” flaws in TP-Link devices - which may be why TP-Link devices made up the bulk of a recent Chinese botnet carrying out password spraying attacks against US-based entities.
Who Asked for This? Winner: Samsung Bespoke AI Washing Machine
One of the questions that often gets whispered at CES is “Who asked for this?” That’s a good question indeed, as many products and features seem geared to solving problems that nobody has. That includes this year’s winner: a Samsung washing machine with AI features that allow you to use the washer to make and answer phone calls. Because….?! As judge Nathan Proctor of PIRG pointed out: washing machine owners with pocket sized mobile devices aren’t really in danger of missing a call because they’re in the basement doing laundry.
Overall winner: LG’s AI Home Inside 2.0 Refrigerator
Judge Gay Gordon-Byrne of The Repair Association called out what’s often overlooked amid all the gawking over new features: the cost to consumers. As LG and others lard up home appliances with AI and interactivity, it raises uncomfortable questions about things like their intended software support lifespans, not to mention the added energy consumption needed to power those always on features, as well as the complexity they add to repair and maintenance. Do better!
Check out the full presentation via the YouTube video below!
Other News
It’s Official: German Court Delivers Big Win For Software Freedom
It’s official: a court in Germany delivered a big win for the cause of software freedom last week. Sebastian Steck, a software developer based in Germany, was granted the source code and library installation scripts for his AVM FRITZ!Box 4020 router, thanks to a lawsuit funded by the Software Freedom Conservancy (SFC). A six month deadline for AVM to appeal the June ruling recently expired, making the court’s decision final.
Steck purchased the router in 2021, which runs FRITZ!OS, a modified version of Linux. that is licensed under the GNU General Public License, Version 2, (GPL 2.0), with four contained libraries, uClibc, libblkid, libexif, and libosip2, licensed under the Lesser General Public License, version 2.1 (LGPL 2.1).
Under the terms of those licenses, the individual or organization distributing the open source libraries must provide access to the complete, machine readable source code for those libraries, including “any associated interface definition files, plus the scripts used to control compilation and installation of the library.”
However, when Steck requested the source code from AVM, he was not supplied with the scripts for compiling and installing the modified library, making it impossible for him to update his Fritz!Box device. The company eventually relented and the court ruled in Steck’s favor in June. With the expiration of the appeal period, the decision is now final.
The ruling is a victory for the Software Freedom Conservancy, which sponsored Steck’s litigation and is pursuing a similar case against the smart television maker TCL in the United States. “The favorable result of this lawsuit exemplifies the power of copyleft — granting users the freedom to modify, repair, and secure the software on their own devices,” SFC said in a statement. “Companies like AVM receive these immense benefits themselves. This lawsuit reminded AVM that downstream users must receive those very same rights under copyleft.” As digital infrastructure increasingly relies on open-source software, this case highlights the importance of adhering to licensing agreements to maintain trust and innovation within the tech ecosystem. (Read more…)
😠 Got a repair complaint? Tell us about it!
Do you have a complaint about a manufacturer who is blocking your effort to repair your product? The Repair Coalition wants to hear about it! Use the link below to talk about the repair obstacles you’ve encountered.
The Repairers Who Helped Recover from Hurricane Helene
Volunteer repair groups played a crucial role in restoring normalcy after Hurricane Helene, according to a write up by PIRG. Skilled repairers fixed essential household items and tools, enabling communities to rebuild without relying heavily on external aid. The grassroots repair networks demonstrated resilience and environmental consciousness, reducing waste while empowering locals to maintain self-reliance. As PIRG notes, the efforts highlight the importance of repair skills and the right-to-repair movement, which advocates for accessibility to tools and knowledge to foster sustainable recovery during crises. (Read more…)
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Scout Wants to Build EVs and Fix the Car Industry
Scout, a resurrected brand under Volkswagen, aims to disrupt the EV market by prioritizing durability and ease of repair, according to this report at The Drive. With plans to manufacture rugged, American-built electric trucks and SUVs, Scout seeks to challenge industry norms by integrating the right-to-repair ethos. This approach targets sustainability and consumer empowerment, countering trends of proprietary systems and costly service dependencies. Scout’s vision underscores a shift in automotive strategy, promoting repairability as a core feature for eco-conscious consumers. (Read more…)
Repair Vouchers: A Policy for Environmental and Economic Gains
The Restart Project announced that it is promoting repair vouchers in the EU as a way to reduce waste and support local economies. Funded by governments, the vouchers subsidize repairs for electronics, encouraging consumers to fix rather than replace. This policy promotes environmental sustainability by cutting electronic waste and carbon footprints, while also creating jobs in repair industries. As countries like Austria pilot such initiatives, the potential for repair vouchers to foster circular economies gains traction, aligning with broader goals for sustainable development. (Read more…)
You Don’t Really Own Anything That Needs Software to Operate
Modern ownership is challenged by software-driven devices that restrict user control, The DailyKos argues in a new article. From cars to smart appliances, manufacturers leverage software locks and restrictive licenses, limiting repairs and modifications. This shift has spurred right-to-repair advocacy, highlighting consumer rights and the need for legislation to counter monopolistic practices. The article underscores the tension between technological advancement and individual autonomy, emphasizing the need for policies that ensure consumers retain meaningful ownership of the products they buy. (Read more…)
One Consequence of Right to Repair? A lot more Boxes!
Broad adoption of right to repair laws in the U.S., E.U. and elsewhere will have a huge impact on the market for consumer goods - and on the growing problem of e-waste. By making replacement parts and repair tools and information more available, countries can finally put a check on the "throw away culture” that has bloomed in the last 30 years. But a universal right to repair will necessitate other changes in the market, as well. Among them: demand for a lot more boxes. As this article points out: “right to repair will mean a big increase in the number of packages moving through different lanes. OEMs, or their parts stockists, will have to supply individual items, or ‘kits’ of parts and tools, both to repair specialists and direct to consumers, while the repair shops have to pack and despatch renovated products back to their owners.” Manufacturers and distributors will need to invest in technologies that produce a wider range of ‘right sized’ boxes to serve changing market demands. The piece advocates for collaboration between stakeholders to create practical frameworks, ensuring environmental goals align with industry capabilities and consumer needs in advancing repair-friendly practices. (Read more…)
Long delayed ruling on Massachusetts auto right to repair law may be coming
A critical case filed by the auto industry to challenge a Massachusetts state law granting vehicle owners and independent repair shops access to vehicle telematic data needed to diagnose problems and complete repairs may finally be nearing an end, after the case was reassigned to Judge Denise Casper of the Massachusetts state court.
Casper replaced the previous judge, Douglas Woodlock, who had presided over the case for more than 4 years and had declined to issue a ruling for close to two years following the conclusion of the case. In a court document filed after her takeover, Casper says she has thoroughly reviewed the case. “Given this familiarity and the fully developed record, the Court intends to resolve the remaining claims,” the document says. (Read more…)