HP printer consumers forced to buy costly ink

A federal judge has denied HP's (HPQ.N) request to dismiss a lawsuit alleging that the company purposefully made its all-in-one printers incapable of scanning or faxing when they are low on ink in order to boost ink sales and raise profits. Customers claimed HP disguised how its printers enter a "error state" when low on ink, disabling scanning and faxing features that do not require ink and compelling customers to purchase superfluous, high-margin ink cartridges. This is the basis for the proposed class action lawsuit.