| Sony sued over rootkits. |
[Nov. 7th, 2005|08:08 am] |
the Italian group ALCEI is suing Sony over the rootkitting DRM infection. Remember Sony is just protecting you from yourself!
I think England is also looking into this as well. Sony's gonna get kicked in the teeth over this, and they probably should too.
read more | digg story |
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| Advertised HDTV's that aren't HDTV! Grrr...... |
[Nov. 7th, 2005|08:07 am] |
Read the specs and fine print folks. Major electronics retailers are advertising sets as HDTV, when the resolutions are shy of the HDTV specs. Take a look at this actual example from the Sunday ads and you be the judge!
This is disgistingly frustrating. This is also why I don't buy electronics at big box stores.
read more | digg story |
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| Google Declares War on Microsoft! |
[Oct. 6th, 2005|07:47 am] |
GOOGLE HAS confirmed that it will launch free spreadsheet and word-processing software online and take on Microsoft in one of its biggest markets.
Perhaps John Dvorak is right and Microsoft is dead in the water. Google, Sun and Apple all seemed to be poised to attack the Redmond software giant. With Microsoft's new re-organization, the split into three companies does infact seem likely.
read more | digg story |
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| Unaware that you can record music off the radio, RIAA sues XM & Sirius |
[Oct. 6th, 2005|07:38 am] |
Evidently unaware that people can record music off the radio, the RIAA adds XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio to their list of grandmothers and orphans that they are suing.
This is going too damn far. I'm pretty sure that radio is a means for promotion of record sales. Suing and crippling the services that are attempting to push the radio industry forward (read: radio promotes RECORDS) proves that the RIAA is completely out of touch with today's consumer.
Rather than work with the Satellite Radio companies, they'd just rather hold them and their subscriber base for more money.
If someone does have a satellite radio, you figure that they can afford the extra $15 a month. This is disposable income. Satelitte radio is not a necessity for anyone, it's a luxury. Now, I could be wrong about this, but I'm pretty sure that music sales come from disposable income as well.
So by raising the fees that the satellite radio services are charged, you force the radio companies to raise their subscription fees. XM and Sirius are still solidifying their services and customer base and currently can't afford to raise their fees.
So where will this extra $120 million that the RIAA wants ANNUALLY going to come from? One of two places. Like I said, one is the subscribers. This is more likely, because the licensing fees (if the RIAA gets their way) are going to shoot up 150%. The other place it would come from is R&D, new services, etc.
I hope this is thrown out, because this is bad for all sides.
read more | digg story |
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| P2P Future Darkens as eDonkey Closes |
[Sep. 29th, 2005|01:01 pm] |
eDonkey has become the latest victim of the recording industry's wrath following the Supreme Court's ruling against Grokster. In testimony at a U.S. Senate Judiciary Hearing on the future of P2P Wednesday, MetaMachine president Sam Yagan said his company was throwing in the towel.
Sam Yagan really makes a strong case that the Grokster ruling doesn't really put the knife in P2P, but it opens up possible litigation against P2P companies about their intentions. The Grokster case never stated that P2P was illegal, but that software companies can not have the intentions of the software being used for illegal purposes. Yagan simply said that they coldn't afford to litigate that their company does not promote illegal use of their softare eDonkey.
He also makes a strong point that soon, we'll be seeing these companies move offshore to take advantage of the fact that US law can't follow them in another country.
Aaaaand of course it's followed by a million comments from idiots.
read more | digg story |
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| Teenager foils RIAA P2P lawsuit |
[Sep. 28th, 2005|09:07 am] |
This Link is about a teen who actually beats the riaa in a case.The case began when Chan's IP address was found on a P2P network, along with an email address. But after the suit was filed Chan pointed out that the email address belonged to her 13 year-old daughter. She objected when the prosecution then tried to sue her child.
The story blurb here is a little vague, but basically it's about if a parent is liable if their children download illegally. The answer is no, thanks to this court case.
My favorite part of the article states "The music industry argued that, since she had given the child a computer, Chan shared the liability.". Well, that's it then. It's not my fault, Apple gave me the computer, it's their fault! I swear! Grokster made me do it!
read more | digg story |
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| CD protection and screwing the system! |
[Sep. 22nd, 2005|09:34 am] |
It goes on about how you can screw the system.
Okay, so the band's not the greatest band, but it's refreshing to see the artist actively take a role in helping people in a roundabout way break the EULA of the CD being purchased. It also shows that maybe some artists give a crap.
read more | digg story |
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| PSP on your TV! |
[Sep. 22nd, 2005|09:24 am] |
For only $120-$150, you can play your Sony PSP on your TV! You can even use a PS2 controller.
and for only less than that you can buy an XBOX, Gamecube or PS2.
Idiots.
read more | digg story |
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| Revolution Oldies Not Free |
[Sep. 22nd, 2005|07:26 am] |
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has denied rumours that the company plans to distribute its first-party back catalogue for free on the forthcoming Revolution console.
So you're behind in the console market. WAY behind. You're releasing your console after the two more popular consoles are released, and NOW you decide that your companies biggest asset and draw is not going to be freely available to the buying public? If that applied to you, you're Nintendo.
I understand if they're timid about letting us have the older games for free. Especially when idiots pay $20 a pop to buy ported Nintendo games to the GBA. However, I happen to think that not including the price for downloads of classic titles in the concole's cost is a bad idea. Worse than their remote control idea. Worse than their pushback of the new Zelda game. (I mean hell, I stopped buying video games once the new systems were released and now I'm expected to want to pay $50 for a game on an outdated system?)
I'd love to see the third party developers make a bad example of Nintendo and offer their older games free of charge. That would make me feel warm inside (plus I could then download Tecmo Bowl)
read more | digg story |
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| Unpeeling Apple's Nano |
[Sep. 22nd, 2005|07:20 am] |
A brief analysis of iPod profit Margin.
I love reading about things like this. So it appears as if it costs Apple about $100 to make an iPod nano. This of course doesn't reflect the price of the design, the testing, the development... yadda yadda yadda. I just with that the nano wasn't a step down memorywise from the mini, which was available in 4 GB and 6 GB models. Although I wouldn't be totally suprised if Apple was simply introducing these iPods as a first generation, so when they DO release a 6 GB version, it will be a bigger deal. I remember rumors about a 8 GB iPod mini with flash based memory. Perhaps the next generation introduces a 6 GB version and then a 3rd generation intrduces an 8 GB version? My guesses on time tables is that the 6 GB is announced in January (along with the Intel Mac mini) and the 8 GB is announced in July (along with the iPhone, Intel Powerbooks and dual 3.0 or higher G5 Power Macs).
read more | digg story |
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| How the RIAA really treats it's artists |
[Sep. 18th, 2005|10:00 am] |
Time and time again we hear that the real reason for the RIAA's scare tactics and lobbying is the welfare of the artists they employ and represent. Here's a breakdown where a band not only isn't paid much but actually ends up owing money.
What this should say also is WRITTEN BY STEVE ALBINI! Another wake up call, not like we need more, but this one's got numbers, and by go do I like numbers.
read more | digg story |
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| RIAA Hits Seven Peer-To-Peer Services With Cease-And-Desist Letters |
[Sep. 16th, 2005|10:40 am] |
In its continuing battle against illegal file sharing, the Recording Industry Association of America sent cease-and-desist letters on Tuesday to seven popular peer-to-peer file-sharing companies.
What a suprise. This time the RIAA has gone after BearShare, WinMX, Limewire and four others. They quote the RIAA as saying the following:
"In its ruling in MGM vs. Grokster, the Supreme Court noted that technological options â” like filtering â” are readily available and would effectively prevent the wholesale theft of copyrighted works. Additionally, record companies have demonstrated a strong desire to work with a variety of legitimate online enterprises that respect the rights of creators and provide high-quality music to fans. For a number of legitimate peer-to-peer services, those wheels are well in motion. In short: the transition to a legitimate online model is clear and achievable; the implications associated with ignoring that opportunity are great.
Companies situated similarly to Grokster have been given ample opportunity to do the right thing. There is a right way and a wrong way to conduct a business. Those businesses that continue to knowingly operate on the wrong side of that line do so at their own risk."
Here's why it's bullshot that they're discussing this with the MGM vs. Grokster ruling. A load of bunk if you will. The grokster ruling had to do specifically with a peer-to-peer software company that advertised their software as being able to download whatever you want, especially illegal files. If the companies created and distributed the software for legal purposes, then it still falls under the old betamax ruling. The Grokster case was unique because Grokster advertised their program as being able to download copyrighted matericals without paying for them.
At home I've got BitTorrent running whenver I'm not doing something that requires a lot of CPU power. Why? Cause I'm currently sharing TWiT, Nerd TV, Digital Life TV, Systm, Diggnation, From the Shadows, etc...
This crap just makes me mad.
read more | digg story |
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| Video Game Sale at Best Buy Starting 9/12 |
[Sep. 12th, 2005|10:54 am] |
Best Buy is cleaning out some of the older video games. There are a few good ones in there. Prices range from .99-10.00. That's right Cat Woman for 99 cents!
If I could actually FIND some of these games at Best Buy I might actually buy some video games again!
read more | digg story |
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| Apple to Design the iPhone |
[Sep. 12th, 2005|10:16 am] |
(Reuters) Apple may design its own cell-phone iPod combination, dubbed the "iPhone." Speculation has centered on a device that might include a click wheel and a pop-out keyboard. It would also hold thousands of songs and photographs. But, there's several obstacles in making one.
there can NEVER be enough Apple rumors! I heard that the ROKR was already hacked and the iTunes application ported to earlier Motorola hones. Now THAT'S comedy.
read more | digg story |
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| Novell: Vista will drive users to Linux |
[Sep. 12th, 2005|10:15 am] |
Major Factor: Cost.
You know, I JUST don't see this happening. I think it will drive people to OS X. the reason being that people like knowing their software is supported and from a company. Just saying "Linux" is too broad, as much as I've gotten a kick out of using Ubuntu lately.
read more | digg story |
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| Time: Stevie's Little Wonder (The Story of the iPod nano) |
[Sep. 12th, 2005|10:11 am] |
It's amazing that the Nano even made it to the stage. The story of the Nano started nine months ago, when Jobs and his team took a look at the iPod Mini and decided they could make it better. On the face of it, that wouldn't appear to be a fantastically smart decision. The iPod Mini was and still is the best-selling MP3 player...
these things look so damn cool.
read more | digg story |
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| How much do artists actually make on CDs? |
[Sep. 7th, 2005|06:54 pm] |
This article explains, in plain English, how contracts with most record companies work. See how the artists get routinely cheated out of their money. The moral of the story? If you really want to "support the artist," attend a concert.
I was looknig for a price structure before, or a definitive percentage number. This comes close, but we'll still never know exact numbers.
read more | digg story |
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| iPod Nano / Cingular Rocker (digg exclusive) |
[Sep. 5th, 2005|07:07 pm] |
New products coming tomorrow: Cingular will announce an iTunes compatible phone called the "Rocker", and a new 2GB ipod called the "Nano". *digg exclusive*
shuffle, nano, mini, photo, powerbook, ibook, mac mini, quicksilver, blue and white, cube, powermac? we're gonna need a naing convention soon for apple products. posted by kevin rose, I kinda trust the info.
read more | digg story |
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| Massachusetts dumps Microsoft Office |
[Sep. 1st, 2005|08:08 am] |
THE STATE of Massachusetts, the people who brought you the Boston tea party, have joined in another revolution against good King Billy's Office software.
I actually don't believe this. Not in that "omg stfu! I can't beleive it!!11!!" kinda way, but in "I think this is a load of crap and it's not true" kind of way.
read more | digg story |
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| iPod vending machine |
[Sep. 1st, 2005|08:05 am] |
Spotted at Atlanta Airport - a vending machine selling iPods (minis and shuffles). See picture.
A cool idea that you will ONLY see in American airports. I bet they're marked up at least 100% too. I wonder how many of each they sell on a regular basis...
read more | digg story |
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