End of (Emotional) Support: $800 Smart Toy Bricked After Manufacturer Ceases Operations
Embodied, which makes the Moxie emotional support robot for kids, said it is shutting down, rendering its robots inoperable. Also: industry groups urge Trump to cancel right to repair.
Ars Technica is reporting that Embodied, a startup specializing in robotics, is shutting down operations due to a failed funding round. This closure will render its flagship product, Moxie—an $800, AI powered emotional support robot for children —inoperable.
Moxie was sold as a toy to help foster children’s emotional development. It sported features like the ability to tell stories, play games, and engage in “empathy-driven interactions” that help children “express and understand their feelings.”
Parents could track their child’s progress and activities using the Moxie Robot App - a mobile phone application.
Like other smart products, however, Moxie's core functionality depends on active cloud connections to the company’s servers, which will cease with Embodied’s shutdown, effectively bricking the device.
Embodied has not provided a specific timeline for when services will end but indicated it could happen within days. In a statement and FAQ on its website, the company said that it is looking for ways to extend Moxie’s operations as long as possible, but that it will not be issuing refunds to customers, nor offering support and maintenance for its robots and that - without the company servers required to operate Moxie - the robot will be rendered inoperable.
“Moxie relies on cloud services for its functionality, and these cannot be replicated locally…Once services are discontinued, Moxie will no longer perform any of its interactive or learning functions,” Embodied said.
The sudden discontinuation of Moxie raises concerns about the emotional impact on children who have formed attachments to the robot. Videos on TikTok and other social media sites showed parents breaking the news to their children about Moxie’s impending demise.
In response, Embodied said it plans to offer guidance to parents on how to explain Moxie's shutdown to their children in an “age appropriate” manner.
Some Moxie owners are taking the initiative and trying to keep the device working. The MoxieRobot subreddit includes a post from a robot owner who claims to be working on an open source project that will keep Moxie operating using locally running, open source software.
As we’ve written before, the vulnerabilities and uncertainty associated with smart devices that rely heavily on cloud services is becoming a big problem for consumers. Without ongoing support, such devices can become obsolete, leaving consumers with expensive, non-functional products. And yet, there are no requirements on smart device makers to commit to a period of software support, reimburse consumers for bricked or abandoned products or even disclose their intentions to consumers at the time of purchase.
The Moxie case exemplifies the broader challenges in the smart device industry, where the discontinuation of services can abruptly end a product's usability, raising questions about consumer rights and the longevity of connected devices.
The FTC in November issued a report (PDF) that found widespread failures by smart device makers to disclose their planned software support lifecycles and said such negligence may breach the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act.
Tell Peloton: No ‘activation’ fees for secondhand sales!
Illinois PIRG is calling on consumers to write to the luxury exercise equipment maker Peloton to urge the company to abandon its newly-enacted policy of charging consumers a $95 activation fee for Peloton exercise bikes purchased secondhand . The practice drives up waste and costs while eroding ownership rights, PIRG warns.
Other News
Industry groups urge Trump Administration to cancel right to repair
Groups representing U.S. industry sent a letter asking the incoming Trump Administration to take action to stymie efforts to secure a legal right to repair, the LA Times reports. The 21 page letter, dated December 5, was addressed to Trump and his Cabinet, and included a long list of requested changes to dozens of existing or proposed federal regulations that were described as “burdensome” and harmful to U.S. competitiveness. Among other actions, the Dec. 5 letter urges Trump to fight efforts to impose “right-to-repair” rules, which are describes as a threat to “companies’ IP rights” and a source of “dangerous safety and environmental risks.”
“Despite manufacturers’ extensive efforts to provide customers with the information, tools and resources they need to maintain and repair their own equipment, activists continue to pressure the federal government to impose so-called “right-to-repair” restrictions on manufacturers,” the letter reads. The letter describes right to repair as a “right to modify, allowing for easy violations to safety controls and emissions limits—while also undermining manufacturers’ intellectual property rights.
No specific signatory is singled out as pushing to fight efforts to enshrine a consumer right to repair. However, industry groups that have long lobbied against right to repair laws at the state and federal level are among those that signed the letter including the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) and the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM). The arguments against right to repair - that independent repair puts consumers at risk, or violates federal environmental regulations like the Clean Air Act have been refuted - but echo arguments made by representatives of industry trade groups at hearings over the last 10 years.
How Elite Obsolete Electronics is keeping iPods running
The folks over at 9 to 5 Mac have a really interesting profile of Elite Obsolete Electronics, the organization founded in 2018 by Austin Lucas, a repair professional who got inspired by Reddit groups of iPod owners, ultimately transforming his tech repair business to focus on refurbishing and upgrading iPods. Lucas caters to a dedicated and passionate community, offering customized iPods with modern enhancements like iFlash storage and improved batteries. Without spending on advertising, Elite Obsolete Electronics has grown through word-of-mouth and online communities, serving customers who cherish their curated digital music collections and prefer dedicated MP3 players over streaming services. (Read more…)
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Lawmakers push to allow troops to fix their own equipment
Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez have introduced legislation to grant U.S. military personnel the "right to repair" their own equipment, Stars & Stripes reports. This initiative mandates defense contractors to provide necessary parts, tools, and repair instructions, enabling troops to perform maintenance without relying on costly and time-consuming contractor services. The bill also requires the Department of Defense to report on instances where contractor repairs are mandated and to explore cost-saving measures in weapon procurement. (Read more…)
Luxury retailer Reiss trials clothing repairs at London stores
The luxury clothing retailer Reiss announced that it will offer clothing repairs at its Kent House and Long Acre stores in London. Reiss will partner with the clothing repair outfit SOJO to offer services like clothing alterations (shortening hems, taking in waists on trousers) as well as replacing broken zips, fixing rips and darning cashmere knitwear, according to a report over at The Industry Fashion.
The fashion industry has come under intense criticism for the waste produced by “fast fashion” - the shift in recent years to rapidly produced, short lived and - essentially - disposable clothing.
Reiss is just the latest fashion retailer to partner with SOJO. Previous agreements have included Ganni, Stine Goya, Temperley London, Aligne, Vestiaire Collective and Marks & Spencer. (Read more…)
That ugly holiday sweater? It’s kind of killing the planet.
The folks over at the The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) have an interesting article highlighting how that jokey ugly holiday sweater is actually a not-very-funny problem for the planet. Written by Andrew Brown, a Junior Environmental Policy Analyst at OECD’s Environment Directorate, "The Ugly Truth Behind Your Holiday Sweater and How to Repair It" highlights the environmental impact of fast fashion, particularly during the holiday season.
Brown emphasizes that the production of holiday sweaters contributes significantly to pollution and waste, with many garments ending up in landfills after minimal use. Brown advocates for sustainable practices, such as repairing and upcycling existing clothing, to mitigate these effects. By adopting these methods, consumers can reduce their environmental footprint and promote a more sustainable fashion industry. (Read more…)
Video: Why Products Aren’t Repairable Anymore (It’s Not Corporate Greed)
How Amazon refurbishes and recycles its data center hardware
Data Center Magazine has an interesting piece on Amazon Web Services’ (AWS) circular economy strategy for managing decommissioned data center hardware. According to the article, AWS achieves a 99% diversion rate from landfills. The program is based around what Amazon calls its re:Cycle Reverse Logistics hubs, where the company disassembles, refurbishes, and resells retired equipment. Key initiatives include designing hardware for durability and reparability, extending server lifespans from five to six years, and securely sanitizing data-storing media before processing. In 2024, AWS recycled or sold 23.5 million components, underscoring its commitment to sustainability and resource efficiency. (Read more…)