Open source hardware answers the problem of mobile device obsolescence

Ken Hess | ZDNet | September 26, 2012

Frustrated with Apple's decision to mothball my iPad 1 with no future iOS updates, I've come up with a solution: Open source hardware.

Perhaps you read my, "No iOS 6 for my original iPad? Now, I'm an Angry Bird" post that describes, in detail, my irritation with Apple for no longer supporting my iPad 1. If you haven't, you should so that you'll understand this post. Don't worry, I'll wait for you to finish before I continue.

Now, that you're back, I've come up with a solution to this overt obsolescence dilemma facing tens of millions of disappointed customers--not only from Apple but from other companies as well. Just read the comments from the original post and you'll see that we all face this, "Buy our newest stuff" marketing ploy regardless of your device source...

The answer to this is open source hardware. Yep, that's right. Open source hardware. It's not unfamiliar territory to you. Although, no one ever called it that before, all of those "white box" PCs are just that: Open source hardware...