They hacked McDonald’s ice cream machines—and started a cold war

It feels like almost everything from toothbrushes to appliances have some sort of processor in them... I really hope we're not moving towards a future where everyone's toaster has DRM.

I support the underdog here on general principles, but I can't help but laugh at their legal approach: they built a product after they (quite reasonably) reverse engineered Taylor's machines without authorisation, and now they're suing Taylor for acquiring and reverse engineering their devices without authorisation.

I don't blame them for suing, because obviously you use whatever means you can to fight a behemoth like that, but I'd have trouble making that case with a straight face.

The comment they made about Taylor wanting to kill Kytch in order to protect future sales of their own monitoring device also seems pretty naïve. That device would never have existed without Kytch forcing their hand, and if Taylor had their way it still wouldn't. They don't want to sell them at all, but they'll begrudgingly do so now that the franchisees have seen behind the curtain.

McDonald’s agreement with franchisees also allows them to use an actual Italian machine, sold by Bologna-based Carpigiani, that McD Truth describes as much better designed. But given that its replacement parts can take a week to arrive from Italy, far fewer restaurants buy it.

Seems like someone needs to set up a parts warehouse and service network in the US and provide some real competition, no?