Forced Obsolescence / Obsolescence by Design

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/19802696

I have an old TomTom. Abandoned by TomTom with no map updates available. They claim the maps are too big for the storage space (apparently they don’t know they could distribute smaller regions to overcome that).

Anyway, I connected the standalone TomTom device to a PC running the old software, which normally syncs points of interest and manages the data. The piece of shit software decided to go to the cloud and discover a lack of map maintenance, and then took the liberty of removing the maps from my device with no replacement maps. The desktop software basically sabotaged the device.

So I reinstalled the original factory desktop software from CD and kept it air gapped -- with an expectation to at least install the original factory maps. The software refused to run until it could check for updates. Would not move forward. Once I let it connect, TomTom had taken their server offline. So I’m dead in the water.. no way forward and no way backward.

Regarding lifetime updates: IIRC TomTom and Garmin both advertise free map updates for a “lifetime” on their not-so-old devices. Don’t be fooled.. it’s not your lifetime they are talking about, but something they have defined as like 10 years or something. Read the fine print.