Tag: drm
RealDVD: might be legal, but the movie industry suits don't like it
There’s a little buzz around Real Networks’ inspiringly-named RealDVD software, for while the company claims that it legally copies DVDs to a hard disc and adds an extra level of DRM into the mix, the movie industry may not be too happy about it.
Unlike the plethora of software that cracks standard and high definition discs so it can be played whenever and wherever (consumers are funny creatures when it comes to doing what they like with stuff they’ve bought), RealDVD keeps the disc image intact. Taking a leaf from Apple — and then charging lots of money for it — it even allows up to five computers to be registered so that ripped discs can be watched…
Opinion: why Napster can't fail with their new DRM-free venture
Katherine Hannaford writes…
Can we call 2008 the heady days of digital music yet – can we? Can we? Sure, 2007 had its fair share of digital movers and shakers, with Radiohead pioneering the music release formula, but with today’s news that Napster is going DRM-free, surely things can only pick up in speed?
Beginning life as an illegal P2P service in 1999, it was acquired by Roxio in 2003 after numerous legal battles with the RIAA and, err, Metallica. I’m sure there’s a generation of kids who only know of Metallica as those baddies who shut down their favourite way of downloading 50 Cent.
Napster’s move to go DRM-free, and offer MP3 file formats encoded at 256kbps, has led a lot of people to draw even more comparisons between them and iTunes and Amazon. However, there’s no ignoring the facts, that iTunes currently has just EMI feeding them DRM-free tracks, and whilst Amazon, like Napster, has support from the four big record labels, it doesn’t have anywhere near the size of catalogue as Napster, who can also boast all the indie labels in addition to EMI, Warner, Sony BMG and Universal…
Napster takes on iTunes by offering six million tracks DRM-free, for just 99 cents
Napster has gone from strength to strength in recent months, proving that the once-illegal P2P service really does have a place in today’s music industry.
In addition to sampling Scarlett Johansson’s album ahead of the official release, they’ve just grabbed all that nasty DRM from their paid downloads, and flushed it down the toilet. As of today, all of the six million tracks they offer customers will be available in unprotected 25kkbps MP3 form, for only 99 cents. Considering the previous DRM-ridden tracks were just 192kbps, that’s mighty generous of the music giant.
Here’s the best bit though – Napster has managed to pull off the coup of the century, convincing all four major record labels to support them in their attack on DRM tracks. Apple’s iTunes offers…
Sony BMG to offer DRM-free online music subscription service?
Suddenly, music labels seem to be getting an idea of what people want, with Sony BMG’s boss talking up an online music subscription service which could be DRM-free…
BBC puts an end to iPlayer download hack. Back to file sharing sites for you
The BBC has said that it has fixed its iPlayer software to stop people exploiting the code that allowed users to watch TV shows on their iPhone or iPod Touch.
It turns out that, while PC users can only download and keep a programme for 30 days, or stream it from the web for up to seven days after broadcast, hackers had discovered that iPlayer simply streamed a MP4 file to iPhones and iPods. Using a Firefox plug-in, they were able to capture and save the file…
Play.com becomes first major UK retailer to go DRM-free with PlayDigital
How do you reduce the amount of illegal downloading? Well, if you’re the government, you attempt to bring in a ridiculous law banning internet use for three-time offenders. Or if you’re a sensible retailer, you make legal downloads more appealing to the consumer.
QTRAX launches, claiming legal access to 30 million tracks. Server overwhelmed
QTRAX, which originally launched back in 2002 but closed down due to avoid the risk of legal action, has relaunched today.
It claims that users will be able to find and download between 25 and 30 million copyrighted music tracks, with the blessing of a large proportion of the music industry.
“QTRAX is a magical and game-changing service that revolutionizes the way fans consume digital music,” said QTRAX President and CEO Allan Klepfisz.
Well, possibly not revolutionary. We’ve seen a shift towards “free” ad-supported music streaming and download services recently.
DRM-free MP3s will boost music download sales, say UK retailers
The UK’s Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA) has praised Sony BMG’s decision to abandon its opposition to DRM-free music, and allow online retailers to sell its tracks as MP3 files. The label said last week that it’d make more than three million tracks available without DRM – and was the last major label to hold out against ditching copy protection.
NOT CES 2008: Mobile music revenues to hit a staggering $18 billion by 2012
And it’s all to the hottest and coolest new “thing” in the music world – paid for subscriptions, says telecoms analysts Juniper Research.
Mobile-friendly services like Universal’s Total Music, where you pay a set fee every month and get to listen to EVERY record it’s produced/churned out, will fuel this cash-mad boom, with iTunes obviously mopping up the rest of everyone’s money…
Apple close to launching iTunes movie rental service, "sources" claim
According to unnamed sources cited by a Financial Times article published last week, Apple could be very close to announcing a movie rental service via its iTunes music store.
We’ve already written about rumours of such a move though that was based on geeks perusing web site source code. This is the Financial Times, so it must hold some more clout. Right?
