13 ms·

Keurig 2.0 DRM Freedom Clip

131 points by mattstrayer 12y ago

ryansouza 12y ago
Awesome
FlailFast 12y ago
This makes me so happy. If they get a C&D, I'm sure/hope the schematics are leaked for a 3d printed version. In the long run, you can't stop the signal, Mal.
frozenport 12y ago
Wait, why can't you cover it with tape?
- Utanith 12y ago
  There's a special ink on the cups that the brewer can detect - I can't remember the specifics.
- healsdata 12y ago
  According to the article, the machine reads a special ink from the lids of the cups. My assumption is that the orange dot on this clip contains that ink so as to fool the machine, not just block the reader.
  - frozenport 12y ago
    Fair enough, cover it with a discarded cup+tape?
    - taspeotis 12y ago
      That's what these guys [1] did. [1] http://www.keurighack.com/ http://www.keurighack.com/
Bud 12y ago
Nobody should be promoting this inferior, environmentally disastrous product on this site, really. Makes terrible coffee, the pod design is not recyclable, and hot water + plastic is a bad equation both for coffee quality and for human health. Edit to add: I do of course concede that DRM is evil regardless of context and must be defeated.
- Dylan16807 12y ago
  Inferior to what? What's wrong with the biodegradable pods used as an example?
  - cmurf 12y ago
    It'll be inferior to any closely fresh (brewed within a week of grinding, let alone same day) coffee with normal tap water in a standard issue glass press pot (French press). These pods still take energy to extract, produce, ship, decompose/recycle this waste of convenience. The coffee inside will be more oxidized, less fresh, brewed at incorrect time and temperature. The point of coffee is the flavor, but all too often it's merely a delivery system for caffeine.
    - gonewest 12y ago
      +1
  - Bud 12y ago
    Inferior to basically any other method of brewing coffee. Even among pod systems, for instance, it's markedly inferior in quality and environmental impact to, say, Nespresso, which uses all-aluminum pods which are fully recyclable (Nespresso even composts the coffee inside the pods). Nothing's wrong with the biodegradable pods, although those aren't going to be ideal for quality either, and those are a tiny slice of the market. The simple fact is that this is an awful product that is doing vast amounts of environmental damage. Read up a bit yourself and you will see what I mean. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_impact_of_K-Cups http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_impact_of_K-Cups
amikula 12y ago
While I applaud the spirit of the Freedom Clip, I have a better idea if you object to the DRM in Keurig's new product: Don't buy Keurig. There are plenty of alternatives. Why participate in the ecosystem at all if it means buying a product from a company whose products you object to? Buy a Mr Coffee if you have to have a K-Cup brewer.
- soccerdave 12y ago
  I had an older version Keurig and when it failed they sent me the new DRM Keurig. But I definitely agree with your opinion and when this one fails and is out of warranty, I'm definitely going to look into other brands.
- frozenport 12y ago
  The place I work has a brewer.
  - dhimes 12y ago
    I have a single-serve French press that I bought off of Amazon for about $20. I use the Keurig machine as a source of hot water occasionally (don't put in the k-cup). But there are other sources of hot water if they take that away. And I discovered that, perhaps ironically, German coffee tastes absolutely delicious when brewed in a French press.
  - ferrari8608 12y ago
    My work does as well. However, I roast, grind, and brew my own coffee all at home instead. Immediately upon finishing the brew, the coffee is poured into a 12-cup Thermos vacuum flask, the kind with a nice button pressure spout. With this, I get the benefit of drinking a cup or two before work, and the rest sits on my desk throughout the day, still piping hot when I'm ready for a cup.
    - dougk16 12y ago
      I forgo the coffee machine at work and brew my own as well, but just brew a fresh cup on demand, hobo style. Keep grinder, beans and vacuum sealer in an unused kitchen drawer. I never had much luck with thermoses. They seem to "cook" the coffee and give it a burnt, unfresh flavor after a while. Do you run into that?
marincounty 12y ago
I don't think I'm alone in think the only way I would use a Keurig system is if it was given away on Craigslist. I would then buy this devise that mimics their special ink, and buy a reusable cup. (I do see those little cups everywhere, along with plastic tooth picks. I know both products have a biodegradable units, but the ones I see are not biodegradable. Edit--I don't know why I see the used Keurig cups. Maybe, I'm mistaken? I do see the Dentek tooth picks everywhere, and Jonny you should be ashamed. I guess that sailboat in high school wasen't enough? Oh yea, I never see the biodegradable picks--because they are more expensive. Lower the price, and do the environment a favor, before government steps in and bans your product--like Pull Tabs? Inside rant!
- freshyill 12y ago
  I actually saw a woman driving her car with one of those flosser things in her mouth today. First time I've ever seen one in the hands of a person outside of a house or store. I'm certain it's now free of captivity and back in its natural habitat of the street.
mathgeek 12y ago
Will be happy to replace my taped-on version with this in a few weeks. The fact that this is the company I already buy all my coffee from is quite satisfying.
kyledrake 12y ago
I like what they are doing. But my response to DRM coffee machines is basically this: http://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Brazil-French-Press-Coffee/dp/B00008WU9F http://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Brazil-French-Press-Coffee/dp/B0...
- blahedo 12y ago
  My coffee-drinking life got so much better when a friend gave me one of these a couple years ago. Easier and better-tasting than the alternatives (a "normal" coffee pot on the one hand, and Keurig-type machines on the other). Note to anyone considering these: make sure you get coarse-ground coffee if you use a French press. It makes a big difference.
  - pivo 12y ago
    The next step is to get a burr grinder and grind the beans to the right coarseness just before you use them.
- jhou2 12y ago
  I agree. I switch between using a bodum or my aeropress. The convenience and taste of an aeropress is hard to top. http://www.aeropress.ca/ http://www.aeropress.ca/
- fiblye 12y ago
  I bought a french press a couple years back and I can't believe anyone would make coffee any other way. No filters to replace and cleanup's as simple as just rinsing it under the faucet for a few seconds. Most people I know replace their keurigs or coffee makers every year or so. My french press will keep working until it shatters. Additionally, as someone who doesn't quite feel comfortable with near boiling water going through a plastic device, french presses are the only thing I'll use anymore.
jorjordandan 12y ago
Nice! Now if only we could finish reverse engineering the Tassimo barcodes.. https://reverseengineering.stackexchange.com/questions/3919/reverse-engineering-t-disk-barcodes-for-tassimo-coffee-makers/6851#6851 https://reverseengineering.stackexchange.com/questions/3919/...
hugodahl 12y ago
Love that this is by the Rogers Family. I but their coffee is k-cups at Costco - at first out of curiosity and price, but now because I've found that it's pleasant and helps bring clean water and education in their growing regions. Much like 3 Avocados, except for 3 Avocados doesn't do K-cups.
pistle 12y ago
Wait gourmet-coffee.com is touting a means to deliver coffee from a pod machine? ripped-abs.com shows how to make load pennies into their satchel-socks turbro-touring.com shows you how to adhere inlet vent stickers to your fenders There is nothing gourmet about the brownness that comes out of a Keurig
phi16180 12y ago
Why does it brew in the absence of the DRM code? Why would you ever design the null test be equivalent to the success case?!
- NickNameNick 12y ago
  The "DRM" seems to be a small led/sensor combination that tests to see id the lid of the K-cup fluoresces in a particular way. The clip obscures the sensor, and provided a surface with the right kind of fluorescence.
- acveilleux 12y ago
  It's not the null test. The clip puts the minimal success case in front of the sensor 24/7.
undrwatr 12y ago
Aren't there different brewing temps/times? Shouldn't this have a little jog wheel on the side to select the possibilities?
swang 12y ago
As someone who is not a heavy coffee drinker can anyone explain what the attraction of Keurig is without ranting about something dumb like "Everyone's a sheeple!" or "Because the masses don't care about flavor!"? Is it because it's quick? Or just hassle-free? According to some comments here their coffee pods also aren't recyclable, which seems like it wouldn't mesh well with coffee drinkers in SF.
- Qworg 12y ago
  Quick AND hassle free. I don't have time in the morning to prepare coffee - the kids have to get to school. The literal two button push to get coffee is a lifesaver.
  - long 12y ago
    Why not just take caffeine pills then?
- rotten 12y ago
  In our office it is popular because we have 3 or 4 different kinds of coffee. Everyone can get a fresh cup of their favorite flavor. No one has to "make the coffee" before everyone can get some. Instead everyone makes their own cup on demand. You don't have to wonder whether you should make a fresh pot at 5PM on Friday if you need more coffee to finish up a project. You don't find half-full pots of cold coffee on Monday mornings. It is a low mess, quick and convenient alternative to the old fashioned bulk coffee pot.
- pp19dd 12y ago
  Others have pointed out virtues of convenience, but, one more thing to point out: there's no cleanup. You simply eject the spent cartridge, throw it in the trash, and you're done. No filters to clean or replace. No wet, sticky coffee grounds to wash out of the reusable filter. No need to wash the filter housing. I understand the environmental impact, and it's not that I'm lazy to do any of these things (I prefer a French press at home and boy, cleanup there is unavoidable) but my office doesn't have a conveniently located sink and running water. I imagine there are tons of people who find themselves in a similar situation.
fonnesbeck 12y ago
If you are getting your coffee from a pod, then DRM is the very least of your problems.
- masterleep 12y ago
  The holier than thou coffee aficionados on this site are hilarious. I wish I was in the K-cup coffee business and they were my non-K-cup competitors, since they do not seem to understand why so many people like K-cups.
colinbartlett 12y ago
Every time this is mentioned, the discussion devolves into coffee aficionados saying this and that method of coffee delivery is far superior and it exasperates me.

131 points by mattstrayer 12y ago

Awesome

This makes me so happy. If they get a C&D, I'm sure/hope the schematics are leaked for a 3d printed version. In the long run, you can't stop the signal, Mal.

frozenport 12y ago

Wait, why can't you cover it with tape?

Utanith 12y ago
There's a special ink on the cups that the brewer can detect - I can't remember the specifics.
healsdata 12y ago
According to the article, the machine reads a special ink from the lids of the cups. My assumption is that the orange dot on this clip contains that ink so as to fool the machine, not just block the reader.
- frozenport 12y ago
  Fair enough, cover it with a discarded cup+tape?
  - taspeotis 12y ago
    That's what these guys [1] did. [1] http://www.keurighack.com/ http://www.keurighack.com/

Bud 12y ago

Nobody should be promoting this inferior, environmentally disastrous product on this site, really. Makes terrible coffee, the pod design is not recyclable, and hot water + plastic is a bad equation both for coffee quality and for human health. Edit to add: I do of course concede that DRM is evil regardless of context and must be defeated.

Dylan16807 12y ago
Inferior to what? What's wrong with the biodegradable pods used as an example?
- cmurf 12y ago
  It'll be inferior to any closely fresh (brewed within a week of grinding, let alone same day) coffee with normal tap water in a standard issue glass press pot (French press). These pods still take energy to extract, produce, ship, decompose/recycle this waste of convenience. The coffee inside will be more oxidized, less fresh, brewed at incorrect time and temperature. The point of coffee is the flavor, but all too often it's merely a delivery system for caffeine.
  - gonewest 12y ago
    +1
- Bud 12y ago
  Inferior to basically any other method of brewing coffee. Even among pod systems, for instance, it's markedly inferior in quality and environmental impact to, say, Nespresso, which uses all-aluminum pods which are fully recyclable (Nespresso even composts the coffee inside the pods). Nothing's wrong with the biodegradable pods, although those aren't going to be ideal for quality either, and those are a tiny slice of the market. The simple fact is that this is an awful product that is doing vast amounts of environmental damage. Read up a bit yourself and you will see what I mean. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_impact_of_K-Cups http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_impact_of_K-Cups

amikula 12y ago

While I applaud the spirit of the Freedom Clip, I have a better idea if you object to the DRM in Keurig's new product: Don't buy Keurig. There are plenty of alternatives. Why participate in the ecosystem at all if it means buying a product from a company whose products you object to? Buy a Mr Coffee if you have to have a K-Cup brewer.

soccerdave 12y ago
I had an older version Keurig and when it failed they sent me the new DRM Keurig. But I definitely agree with your opinion and when this one fails and is out of warranty, I'm definitely going to look into other brands.
frozenport 12y ago
The place I work has a brewer.
- dhimes 12y ago
  I have a single-serve French press that I bought off of Amazon for about $20. I use the Keurig machine as a source of hot water occasionally (don't put in the k-cup). But there are other sources of hot water if they take that away. And I discovered that, perhaps ironically, German coffee tastes absolutely delicious when brewed in a French press.
- ferrari8608 12y ago
  My work does as well. However, I roast, grind, and brew my own coffee all at home instead. Immediately upon finishing the brew, the coffee is poured into a 12-cup Thermos vacuum flask, the kind with a nice button pressure spout. With this, I get the benefit of drinking a cup or two before work, and the rest sits on my desk throughout the day, still piping hot when I'm ready for a cup.
  - dougk16 12y ago
    I forgo the coffee machine at work and brew my own as well, but just brew a fresh cup on demand, hobo style. Keep grinder, beans and vacuum sealer in an unused kitchen drawer. I never had much luck with thermoses. They seem to "cook" the coffee and give it a burnt, unfresh flavor after a while. Do you run into that?

marincounty 12y ago

I don't think I'm alone in think the only way I would use a Keurig system is if it was given away on Craigslist. I would then buy this devise that mimics their special ink, and buy a reusable cup. (I do see those little cups everywhere, along with plastic tooth picks. I know both products have a biodegradable units, but the ones I see are not biodegradable. Edit--I don't know why I see the used Keurig cups. Maybe, I'm mistaken? I do see the Dentek tooth picks everywhere, and Jonny you should be ashamed. I guess that sailboat in high school wasen't enough? Oh yea, I never see the biodegradable picks--because they are more expensive. Lower the price, and do the environment a favor, before government steps in and bans your product--like Pull Tabs? Inside rant!

freshyill 12y ago
I actually saw a woman driving her car with one of those flosser things in her mouth today. First time I've ever seen one in the hands of a person outside of a house or store. I'm certain it's now free of captivity and back in its natural habitat of the street.

mathgeek 12y ago

Will be happy to replace my taped-on version with this in a few weeks. The fact that this is the company I already buy all my coffee from is quite satisfying.

kyledrake 12y ago

I like what they are doing. But my response to DRM coffee machines is basically this: http://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Brazil-French-Press-Coffee/dp/B00008WU9F http://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Brazil-French-Press-Coffee/dp/B0...

blahedo 12y ago
My coffee-drinking life got so much better when a friend gave me one of these a couple years ago. Easier and better-tasting than the alternatives (a "normal" coffee pot on the one hand, and Keurig-type machines on the other). Note to anyone considering these: make sure you get coarse-ground coffee if you use a French press. It makes a big difference.
- pivo 12y ago
  The next step is to get a burr grinder and grind the beans to the right coarseness just before you use them.
jhou2 12y ago
I agree. I switch between using a bodum or my aeropress. The convenience and taste of an aeropress is hard to top. http://www.aeropress.ca/ http://www.aeropress.ca/
fiblye 12y ago
I bought a french press a couple years back and I can't believe anyone would make coffee any other way. No filters to replace and cleanup's as simple as just rinsing it under the faucet for a few seconds. Most people I know replace their keurigs or coffee makers every year or so. My french press will keep working until it shatters. Additionally, as someone who doesn't quite feel comfortable with near boiling water going through a plastic device, french presses are the only thing I'll use anymore.

jorjordandan 12y ago

Nice! Now if only we could finish reverse engineering the Tassimo barcodes.. https://reverseengineering.stackexchange.com/questions/3919/reverse-engineering-t-disk-barcodes-for-tassimo-coffee-makers/6851#6851 https://reverseengineering.stackexchange.com/questions/3919/...

hugodahl 12y ago

Love that this is by the Rogers Family. I but their coffee is k-cups at Costco - at first out of curiosity and price, but now because I've found that it's pleasant and helps bring clean water and education in their growing regions. Much like 3 Avocados, except for 3 Avocados doesn't do K-cups.

pistle 12y ago

Wait gourmet-coffee.com is touting a means to deliver coffee from a pod machine? ripped-abs.com shows how to make load pennies into their satchel-socks turbro-touring.com shows you how to adhere inlet vent stickers to your fenders There is nothing gourmet about the brownness that comes out of a Keurig

phi16180 12y ago

Why does it brew in the absence of the DRM code? Why would you ever design the null test be equivalent to the success case?!

NickNameNick 12y ago
The "DRM" seems to be a small led/sensor combination that tests to see id the lid of the K-cup fluoresces in a particular way. The clip obscures the sensor, and provided a surface with the right kind of fluorescence.
acveilleux 12y ago
It's not the null test. The clip puts the minimal success case in front of the sensor 24/7.

undrwatr 12y ago

Aren't there different brewing temps/times? Shouldn't this have a little jog wheel on the side to select the possibilities?

swang 12y ago

As someone who is not a heavy coffee drinker can anyone explain what the attraction of Keurig is without ranting about something dumb like "Everyone's a sheeple!" or "Because the masses don't care about flavor!"? Is it because it's quick? Or just hassle-free? According to some comments here their coffee pods also aren't recyclable, which seems like it wouldn't mesh well with coffee drinkers in SF.

Qworg 12y ago
Quick AND hassle free. I don't have time in the morning to prepare coffee - the kids have to get to school. The literal two button push to get coffee is a lifesaver.
- long 12y ago
  Why not just take caffeine pills then?
rotten 12y ago
In our office it is popular because we have 3 or 4 different kinds of coffee. Everyone can get a fresh cup of their favorite flavor. No one has to "make the coffee" before everyone can get some. Instead everyone makes their own cup on demand. You don't have to wonder whether you should make a fresh pot at 5PM on Friday if you need more coffee to finish up a project. You don't find half-full pots of cold coffee on Monday mornings. It is a low mess, quick and convenient alternative to the old fashioned bulk coffee pot.
pp19dd 12y ago
Others have pointed out virtues of convenience, but, one more thing to point out: there's no cleanup. You simply eject the spent cartridge, throw it in the trash, and you're done. No filters to clean or replace. No wet, sticky coffee grounds to wash out of the reusable filter. No need to wash the filter housing. I understand the environmental impact, and it's not that I'm lazy to do any of these things (I prefer a French press at home and boy, cleanup there is unavoidable) but my office doesn't have a conveniently located sink and running water. I imagine there are tons of people who find themselves in a similar situation.

fonnesbeck 12y ago

If you are getting your coffee from a pod, then DRM is the very least of your problems.

masterleep 12y ago
The holier than thou coffee aficionados on this site are hilarious. I wish I was in the K-cup coffee business and they were my non-K-cup competitors, since they do not seem to understand why so many people like K-cups.

colinbartlett 12y ago

Every time this is mentioned, the discussion devolves into coffee aficionados saying this and that method of coffee delivery is far superior and it exasperates me.