HP has been in this position before, where back in March 2016 the company was caught sending millions of Inkjet and Inkjet Pro printer owners with a fake "security update" that was a ticking time bomb for consumers.

It was only 6 months later that HP's "security update" began rejecting third-party ink, with over 15,000 complaints sent into HP. The company released a statement that didn't really apologize to consumers, with the company linking to a firmware update, something that was hidden on a website that wasn't really used anymore. There was a sign that read "beware of the leopard", and from there you could restore the use of third-party ink on your HP printer. Pretty sh***y of HP, but fast-forward to today and we're back again.

We're nearly at the 12-month anniversary of this story breaking, and HP has been caught yet again with more fake "security" updates for its printer that once again disable third-party ink. Gizmodo reports: "But according to ghacks.net, a new firmware update for HP Officejet printers released yesterday appears to be identical to the reviled DRM update released exactly one year ago. When you try to use third-party ink after installing the new/old firmware, you apparently run into an error that says "One or more cartridges appear to be damaged. Remove them and replace with new cartridges." Depending on how many cartridges your specific printer uses, it may be possible to insert one or two without getting an error. But it seems when all of the ink cartridge slots are filled up, the warning message will be displayed again".

Not long after Samsung sold its printer business to HP, its new owner has HP printer owners up in arms over printers no longer accepting non-HP branded ink cartridges.

HP has said that in its latest firmware update, they had made changes to HP printers so that they only worked with HP-chipped cartridges, completely cutting down third-party ink manufacturers out of the picture. Dutch printer ink company 123inkt said it had over 1,000 complaints filed within 24 hours.

The company suspects that wasn't aware of a new firmware update, with the last one being in March, suggesting that the change in HP's ink cartridge compatibility was switched on just recently, after being pre-programmed in the firmware from March. 123inkt said: "The purpose of this update is to protect HP's innovations and intellectual property".

123inkt has also said that this isn't the end of third-party ink cartridges for HP printers, as they have developed new chips for its own cartridges which work with HP printers and their new firmware. These new cartridges are in production now, with 123inkt adding: "Printer manufacturers regularly execute firmware-updates, claiming that they improve the operation of the printer or solve security issues. The (un)intended result usually is that the operation of lower price private label cartridges is disturbed and error messages are triggered".

Some of you will remember the ThingMaker, a 60s Mattel product that saw you pouring liquid plastic into metal molds to create crude toys. In a clever move, Mattel is bringing the ThingMaker back as a 3D printing device.

The updated device works in tandem with either an iOS or Android app, wherein you design figurines, jewelry and the like, then send them wirelessly to the ThingMaker, at which point it makes a thing. The app includes basic blueprints, and new parts for existing designs can be printed. Mattel says integrating brands like Barbie and Hot Wheels into the app is part of its longer term strategy.

Reddit user NSA_Listbot has created the world's first 3D-printed portable railgun, so now you can finally pretend Quake is real life.

Listbot has his Masters in Aerospace Engineering with a specialization in Nanotechnology. He says the railgun, shown above, took him a year and a half to complete: six months for the electronics, six months to machine the rails, and six months for design, printing, and assembly. His design is based on other projects, but this is the first that's portable.

3D printing is gaining popularity in manufacturing and for home users, but its application is pretty limited. Applying 3D printing technology to semiconductors could be a whole new way of revolutionizing products we use every day. A team of researchers at Princeton University has created Quantum Dot LEDs with a 3D printer.

This opens the door for numerous advances, such as weaving small devices into fabrics or even printing them on surfaces. This can eventually be used for smart contact lenses and many medical applications.

During the IFA 2014 technology expo in Berlin, Samsung has unveiled office printers powered by the Google Android mobile operating system. The multi-function printer (MFP) models are aimed towards businesses and corporations, using a familiar Android control panel that should make it relatively easy to work with.

The company plans to kick things off with ten new MFP models, described as the "first printers of their kind" to use Android. Known as the Smart MultiXpress printers, pricing and availability of the new printers weren't released. Samsung wanted to make it easier for users to set up the printers and use them without the need of a PC or laptop, and included NFC support.

"As Samsung continues to strive for user-centered innovation, the introduction of the first Android OS-equipped MFPs will enhance Samsung's smart office experience for business customers and allow for greater multidimensional and advanced printing technologies," said Dr. KiHo Kim, Samsung EVP of Printing Solutions, in a statement.

When we talk about a 3D printers, we are usually talking about something that prints items out of some sort of plastic or resin material. A new 3D printer has surfaced that is aimed straight at the person who loves makeup. That stuff can get expensive, especially if you buy lots of colors.

Mink is a 3D printer that will let anyone create their own lipstick or eye shadow in their home. The printer is able to replicate any color into a wearable cosmetic. The creator of the cool Mink printer is Grace Choi, a graduate of the Harvard Business School.

Kickstarter is a place where more and more products head to get the funding they need to come to market. We have seen some very cool and successful products launch from Kickstarter including the Pebble smartwatch and Ouya game console over the years. One of the coolest projects that has turned up on the site in a long time for DIY fans is there now and it's for a cheap 3D printer.

The printer is called the Micro 3D printer or M3D for short. One of the biggest selling points of this printer is that it is cheap with a price of $299. That makes it hundreds and hundreds of dollars cheaper than other 3D printers on the market.

ZUtA Labs has taken to Kickstarter to fund its super mobile robotic printer known as the Pocket Printer, which will set you back just $180 if you fund it on Kickstarter now, or $200 when it begins shipping early next year.

The Pocket Printer will scoot along a piece of paper - of any length - leaving ink as tracks. It will print much slower than a traditional printer obviously, but you can't kick its portable goodness. You could take it anywhere, printing something on the plane while you're travelling, or in the coffee shop while you're trying to connect to its Wi-Fi.

ZUtA Labs' Pocket Printer has a print speed of just 1.2ppm in its current prototype specs, and in its current form, prints at 96x192 DPI. It has Bluetooth connectivity, supports Wi-Fi, has a run time of around one hour, charge time of three hours, supports Android, iOS, Linux, OS X and of course, Windows. It is just 10cm or 3.9-inch high, and 11.5cm or 4.5 inches in diameter, weighing in at 300g or 10.5oz.

In the world of 3D printing, several companies offer printers that are aimed at being used in the home and office. One of the most well known is MakerBot. The company has announced that its latest 3D printer called the MakerBot Replicator Z18 is now available for pre-order.

The printer is the largest that the company sells with a build volume of 12" L x 12" W x 18" H. The printer is far from cheap at right under $6500. While pre-orders are going right now, MakerBot is not saying exactly when the printer will ship.

The ship date is still listed as a vague "this spring." Along with pre-orders for the printer, accessories to go with it are also available. The accessories include a cart and a filament case.