Interesting news/reviews/deals from the portable audio market
As expected, the author’s rights law was approved 296-193 by the National Assembly, France’s lower house. It now remains to be debated and voted by the Senate in May. BusinessWeek ran an interesting article regarding the France vs. Apple saga two days ago.
Apple wasn’t excited with the news, as evidenced by their statements:
Apple Computer Inc. [...]
CNET says DRM drains battery, but wait a sec…: they’ve performed some tests claiming that DRM’ed files consume more battery than unlocked ones. The Zen Vision:M lasts for 16 hours with unlocked MP3s, 12 hours with locked WMA files. The iPod sees a similar (but smaller, at only 8%) drop when switching from unlocked MP3s [...]
While in the US people who download music illegally are prosecuted in droves, in France they’re taking a more sensible and serious look at things. The author’s rights law, which is to be voted by the National Assembly today, basically says two things:
if you’re caught downloading copyrighted music illegaly you’re paying a harmless 38€ fine—if [...]
Music swapping through the mail: La la Media plans to set up a platform where users pay $1.49 to swap compact discs with each other (a buck goes to La la Media and the rest covers shipping). Expect to hear from RIAA’s lawyers soon. Michael Arrington has a bit more. [via]
Rundfunker, the WLAN radio: scans [...]
Fraunhover, the inventors of the MP3 format, working on a tool that adds watermarking DRM to your MP3s: adds a hash value that links the content provider with the authorised owner. [via]
“Dear Blue Note, Sony, and EMI”: Volkher’s added to the line of those who’ve had it with the major labels’ idiotic stand against consumers. Related: “Sony, I download your music”
For today’s question—“Who owns my mp3s when I die?” I’d have to go with the second reply posted there.
File-Sharing winners and losers of 2005: good wrap-up; BitTorrent, Apple (those MP3s end up in iPods) and the open-source P2P apps make the winners list. The RIAA (so much money wasted on lawsuits), Sony BMG (cf. rootkit), KaZaA (had to close down), and Grokster (forced to shut down too) are sitting on the opposite [...]
Coldplay’s X&Y album is not to be ripped, not even in DRM’d formats: and once you open the package, the leaflet accompanying the disc kindly informs you that you can’t even ask for a refund or exchange. (The sweet irony is that Exact Audio Copy rips the disc just fine.)
From the “you gotta love their attitude” department—Verizon’s new music service, V Cast, disables cellphones’ MP3 capability: the company says it has nothing to do with copyright restrictions, it’s just a temporary thing. MP3 capablity will be introduced into the V Cast app later on. Sure, it’s not like they’re doing it because they want [...]