[binarybanana]

>Technically we still own the hardware Nope, signed firmware updates and no way to downgrade after the fact means the manufacturer ultimately has more control over "your" hardware than you do. You still "own" it in a legal sense, but not in the sense that it's completely under your control and only does what you think it does.

I think a way to override that forced signed firmware crap should be mandated by law, but things are going the other way. If flashing unsigned firmware voided the warranty and made goatse show up at boot or whatever to warn about possibly unwanted modification that would be fine. Not having that option at all is bad for making full use of the hardware, bad for privacy and bad for security.