Apparently there's more to this. They're blocking the usb port to get the user to set up over wifi first, not because it's non functional. Why does a printer need to be set up over wifi? Because certain models are tied to hp ink's subscription service and sold at a discount.
People have started identifying and pulling the fuses on vehicles' cell radios. I would also be interested in digging down to the radio itself and replacing the antenna with a dummy load.
Better still is to not reward companies for customer-hostile design and buy a different brand. Brother laser printers are my recommendation as ink-jets end up costing a lot more and involve more faffing around with trying to clear dried nozzles after they're not used for a while.
