Loading ...You would think that by now everybody knows how DRM kills your sales.
“Panasonic Digital Still Cameras now include a technology that can identify a genuine Panasonic battery. For the protection of our customers Panasonic developed this technology after it was discovered that some aftermarket 3rd party batteries do not meet the rigid safety standards Panasonic uses.
Some of these aftermarket batteries are not equipped with internal protective devices to guard against overcharging, internal heating and short circuit. If these aftermarket battery packs were used, it could lead to an accident causing damage to your camera or personal injury.
Panasonic’s Digital Camera firmware has been updated on this website to detect these aftermarket 3rd party batteries so such serious safety issues can be avoided.
[ Warning ]
After this firmware update your Panasonic Digital Camera cannot be operated by 3rd party batteries (non genuine Panasonic batteries).”
So, if I update my firmware carelessly (I’m sure that extra warning will not be in all the next firmwares release notes…), my (not so cheap) aftermarket batteries will be worthless.
How long until a customer sues? How long until battery manufacturers sue for anti-competitive behaviour?
Stupid. Soooo stupid….
Related posts:
- Panasonic DMC Gf-1: New firmware for camera and lenses
- It’s 2009, and Nokia *still* does not get USB
- Best quote on IT I’ve heard in the last 30 years
- MacOS 10.6.4 – Mouse moving randomly
- Welcome to analog britain
This is a dumb move. I understand they want profits, but what the hell ? I hope there's a way around this ..
Thanks for information about panasonic camera battery. I want to digital camera but i'll care about this matter.
Maybe it is not so stupid after all. Not everyone need to purchase their cameras and not everyone will download the firmware. If some accident with exploding battery will happen no one will blame them (that e.g. their camera was working badly and made battery die in flames). And I understand their policy to get profits from original batteries. As long as this is bad for the most of the customers, it could be beneficial for the company.