I recall a few years back, when computer experts experimenting with the original xBox discovered a method by which they could replace a piece of hardware within the unit and transform it from mere gaming machine to a full-featured computer. Folks began to manufacture and distribute the replacement chip, and laypeople could modify their xBoxes to create a powerful computer for a fraction of the cost of building such a machine from component parts. Microsoft’s strategy included taking a hit in profit on the hardware of the console, betting that they would more than recover the loss in the form of licensing software games, and they were not pleased about the popularity of this modification. Microsoft got litigious, claiming that the modifications were illegal manipulation of their intellectual property (i.e. the insides of that xBox); defendants claimed that since they had paid to acquire the unit, the hardware was completely their property to modify however they pleased. It was awkward for a while, as Microsoft sought to protect their empire while alienating their supporters.
I thought of this story not in relationship to any current weirdness with Microsoft, but rather with my currently uneasy relationship with Apple Inc. You see, I want an iPhone, but I frankly don’t give a damn about the phone function itself. While I am willing to pay the hefty price tag for what is allegedly the world’s greatest iPod/mobile internet/email/PDA device (with functionality over WiFi), I am not willing to pay a dime to AT&T for service (let alone the $59 x 24 months = $1,416 for the most meager minute allotments). Read the rest of this entry »
Yes! Finally I have my geeky hands on the all-mighty Apple iPhone! Remember the already famous “iPhone release date“? I lived to see it available then in my pocket!
I’m sorry I won’t be writing more on it but this thing is too darn addictive to ‘waste’ time blogging. Going back to playing on it! :)
Pics were uploaded via computer, but this text is *proudly typed on an iPhone*! Enjoy!
Apple reports they just sold their 100 millionth unit of their world famous mp3 player, the iPod! WOW!
Now since there’s AppleTV, the iPhone and the Airport Extreme Base Station, we expect the wireless iPod to emerge out of Cupertino soon too.
Now, plllllleeeeasee Steve, don’t replicate Sansa and Zune’s flaws and mistakes. Mkay, tie it to the iTunes Music Store but pppppplllllleeeasseee let me enjoy my wireless freedom and beam my music back and forth at will. Will you? Please?! Pretty please?! Thank you!
Make good use of your iPods people and get the WiF:)) podcasts (below) on them NOW! ;)
Capitol Records was rebutted attempting to shake down another alleged pirate when it was discovered that it was not the plaintiff responsible, but another individual who had access to her account. The case was dismissed, and Capitol ordered to pay court fees, but the Recording Industry Association of America never sleeps, and they have filed a motion to reconsider, based on the grounds that any internet service provider is completely responsible for all activity on their network.
The implication here is that any individual who allows open access to their WiFi network is legally liable for any illicit activity that occurs over their bandwidth – and can be considered complacent if they are aware of the activity, when ‘awareness’ can be defined as vaguely as experiencing network slowdowns.
Clearly the RIAA members are flexing any legal muscle they can to control what’s left of their industry after missing the opportunity to effectively regulate digital music distribution, even using terrorist tactics of attacking apparently at random, targeting children and families, and now reigning fear over the public at large by implicating open access to internet.
A couple of days ago, John Gruber, from The Daring Fireball has posted an extremely comic translation of Macrovision’s CEO Fred Amoroso’s reply to Steve Jobs and his thoughts on DRM and music. Don’t hesitate to read it, but beware for a certain amount of fowl language.
Thomas Ricker from engadget.com says that some hackers* found the “secret” processing keys for decrypting HD-DVD and Blu-Ray DRM for all movies released until now. It looks like a chap known as arnezami on the doom9 forums, managed to find those processing keys stored in the memory. What happens if you have the processing keys? well, you can unlock, decrypt, and backup every HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc film released so far. The story goes back to the 9th of January and since then, the members of the doom9 forums are still debating if arnezami was right in unveiling his method of finding out those processing keys, and giving the manufacturers a straight line to walk on while fixing this. And, as Thomas said, “kick back and watch the trickle of HD titles hitting the torrents quickly turn into a flood”
Acording to arnezami: “Nothing was hacked, cracked or even reverse engineered btw: I only had to watch the “show” in my own memory. No debugger was used, no binaries changed.”
*) the word hacker is not used in any pejorative way in this article. See a definition for hacker on WikiPedia
Feed yourself!
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and Blu-Ray DRM for all movies released until now. It looks like a chap known as arnezami on the 