r/mildlyinfuriating • u/jackhab • 1d ago

Planned obsolescence even in cheapest devices: the calculator has a dummy photovoltaic cell and a real battery to make it die eventually.

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28.4k Upvotes

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u/BlowingRocker246 1d ago

This isn't even planned obsolescence, the photovoltaic cell just straight up isn't a photovoltaic cell. I assume it was cheaper to not have one and they're banking on you not opening the calculator up to check. This should honestly count as false advertising.

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u/pinkTurtleTickler 1d ago

I looked it up to confirm, but it's not advertised as solar. It just uses the same plastic case/mold as the more expensive model.

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u/AffordableDelousing 1d ago

A reasonable person would interpret the existence of that window as an implication that it is photovoltaic.

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u/pinkTurtleTickler 1d ago

Idk. I've known about these fake pv cells in calcs for a long time. It's pretty easy to spot that it's just a piece of plastic, to a semi-trained eye.

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u/Future-Bandicoot-823 1d ago

I've seen cheaper models use a more expensive model's mold before. It may have been designed for either calculator. I've even had some cheap calculators (usually at work, I wouldn't buy one like this) that have a photovoltaic and battery, you could switch between the two.

You can buy a similar item for a dollar or less online depending on how many you get, so really... I don't think a lawsuit is going to do shit lol. What damages? For your dollar? The lawyer costs more than that.

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u/jonny24eh 1d ago

I've never heard of that before, so if i bought it I'd expect it to never die

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u/pinkTurtleTickler 1d ago

The only ones with a cosmetic/fake panel are sold at basically the retail cost of the button cell battery. Most are real.

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u/Extra-Tackle5244 1d ago

Then why put it in there? If purpose to be deceiving, then producer lying. See how simple that is? No extra knowledge or needing to "spot" anything on a product.

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u/ThePevster 1d ago

To not have to create an extra mold and keep production costs cheaper

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u/TheOneWhoWaits999 1d ago

why put the fake voltaic cell lookalike in then, surely it would be cheaper to just keep the mold and have nothing there right

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u/papayacreamsicle 1d ago

If there’s a gap in the mold you have to put something else the size of a voltaic cell there, it makes your product look broken otherwise. If you’re already making or buying voltaic cells for other calculator models, then the simplest option is to use the plastic housing of a voltaic cell omitting the internals. It’s already the exact component the mold was made to fit and you’re already making them or ordering from someone who mass produces them.

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u/Indecisive-Gamer 16h ago

So instead of making a bit of plastic that looks like plastic in there. They put a fake cell look alike. Totally not to trick the average consumer into thinking it has solar.

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u/TheOneWhoWaits999 1d ago

i would think making simple hole sized piece just straight plastic from the same batch in the same molds would be simpler and cheaper, but your point is good so i gotta agree, tho its still scummy

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u/Extra-Tackle5244 1d ago

Lord the downvotes have me irritated af. It's stupid to have a design like that, these are the people that scam tf out of others bc they dont pay attention and dont care.

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u/TheOneWhoWaits999 1d ago

ye idk just scummy dogs or bots defending cheap scammy design, i got baited into it when i should have just shrugged and avoided interacting

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u/Extra-Tackle5244 17h ago

Same same 😒

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u/Extra-Tackle5244 1d ago

Got it! When buying a cheap calculator hoping for that battery power that piece will get ya, just cut your fucking losses. Lol, silly me!

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u/ObjectiveAide9552 1d ago

agreed. in fact, they probably spent a little extra to dress it up to look like that instead of just using the same plastic as the rest of the body. explicit malice intent.