Reader citadrianne shares a Motherboard article: There are big “no trespassing” signs affixed to most of our electronics. If you own a gaming console, laptop, or computer, it’s likely you’ve seen one of these warnings in the form of a sticker placed over a screw or a seam: “Warranty void if removed.” In addition, big manufacturers such as Sony, Microsoft, and Apple explicitly note or imply in their official agreements that their year-long manufacturer warranties — which entitle you to a replacement or repair if your device is defective — are void if consumers attempt to repair their gadgets or take them to a third party repair professional. What almost no one knows is that these stickers and clauses are illegal under a federal law passed in 1975 called the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act . To be clear, federal law says you can open your electronics without voiding the warranty, regardless of what the language of that warranty says.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot – How Sony, Microsoft, and Other Gadget Makers Violate Federal Warranty Law