Over at KevLand, Kevin reported success fixing his Sony ear buds: “I’m thrilled with that! If I managed to get another 2.5 years out of these batteries, I’ll be absolutely chuffed. Fuck, if I get another year out of them, I’ll still be happy.”

Meanwhile, Wired reports that The Right to Repair Movement Will Keep On Fixin'. This article is behind a paywall (I recently subscribed), so here’s the summary (modified from Apple Intelligence’s new summaries):

The right to repair movement advocates for the ability to fix one’s own devices without having to take them to the manufacturer or void the warranty. The movement has support from both Republican and Democratic parties, and is gaining momentum internationally. Despite the challenges of lawmaking in the US, the right to repair movement is optimistic about its future prospects under the Trump administration and beyond.

It’s good that people are optimistic. I agree with the conclusion of some of the folks interviewed in the article, which say that fixing equipment is needed across the board. It’s not a political issue as much as it is a money and tinkering issue, which is where the hope comes from.

My own IT background is heavily based in tinkering (RIP ScarFace, my old HP Chromebook which I tore open to convert to a full Linux computer) and I admire people who know how to create and fix things. I hope the iFixit folks and the rest of the industry are right.