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Category: Web 2.0

Yahoo Working on DRM-Free Music Store

Posted on January 23, 2008August 20, 2008 By Bob Caswell 7 Comments on Yahoo Working on DRM-Free Music Store

YahooHot on the heels of the Last.Fm announcement that you can stream any song up to three times for free, Yahoo rumors are brewing again. According to two record company executives wishing to remain anonymous, Yahoo is in talks with major record labels about offering DRM-free (unprotected) MP3s either for sale or for free supported by ads. Either way, Yahoo wants to launch the new service this year sometime.

This news could be even more interesting when juxtaposed with what Yahoo Music’s VP of Product Development Ian Rogers hinted at a couple weeks ago. Namely, big news revolving around dramatic changes in Yahoo’s music model. He said, “We’re in the process of redefining what Yahoo! Music is, and making it the Music destination in Yahoo!’s successful image.”

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Amazon, Music, Tech News, Web 2.0, Yahoo

Movie Industry Admits Piracy Statistic is Totally Wrong

Posted on January 23, 2008 By Bob Caswell 4 Comments on Movie Industry Admits Piracy Statistic is Totally Wrong

MPAAThe Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) commissioned a study in 2005, which resulted in a claim that 44% of industry losses (domestically) came from college students illegally downloading movies across U.S. campuses. Well, it turns out the real number is 15%.

This study and, more specifically, this particular statistic have been the basis for the MPAA pushing legislation to force universities to monitor and shut down certain online activities. Officially, the error is being called a “human error” and the MPAA still thinks that the new figure is significant even if one third the original number.

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Media, Tech News, Web 2.0

The New Format Wars: Forget About HD DVD & Blu-ray

Posted on January 19, 2008August 20, 2008 By Bob Caswell 7 Comments on The New Format Wars: Forget About HD DVD & Blu-ray

HD DVD vs. Blu-rayOnce upon a time, earlier in the battle between HD DVD and Blu-ray, supporters of each side loved to point out the major tech company backing each format to strengthen their positions. It made sense, after all, how could HD DVD fail if Microsoft was behind it? And, of course, Blu-ray would win if Apple was there beside it.

But then, neither company will be affected much if both formats eventually fail. And that’s because, in the end, both Microsoft and Apple minimized their involvement with either format.

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Apple, Gaming, Media, Microsoft, Tech News, Web 2.0

Apple TV: Top 10 Reasons You Should Wait

Posted on January 18, 2008August 20, 2008 By Bob Caswell 35 Comments on Apple TV: Top 10 Reasons You Should Wait

Apple TVI’m not usually one to go for the top 10 list method of discussing limitations of a product. But then again, products don’t usually have 10 weaknesses I care enough about to compile a list. Apple TV, on the other hand, falls into this category. And it’s not even a first generation product!

But to be fair, I should point out that this is a product I sincerely want to work. After all, I already use iTunes to manage my music, and the iPod is my music player of choice. Too bad, then, that Apple TV simply isn’t ready for prime time. Here are the top 10 reasons you should wait:

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Apple, Media, Netflix, Web 2.0

Apple TV 2.0 vs. Netflix Unlimited: This Will Be Interesting

Posted on January 15, 2008August 20, 2008 By Bob Caswell 9 Comments on Apple TV 2.0 vs. Netflix Unlimited: This Will Be Interesting

Apple TV 2.0So today is Apple’s yearly coming out party where good ol’ Steve Jobs takes the stage and releases big surprises (even if most are leaked days earlier). There’s a new ultra-thin notebook, new features for the iPhone (SMS messaging to multiple friends), new apps for the iPod Touch (Mail, Maps, Stocks, Notes, and Weather), iTunes movie rentals, and the second generation Apple TV.

Despite the fact that plenty of people already seem to be professing a new found love for the MacBook Air, my interest is more towards Apple’s desire to be in the center of my living room. So let’s take a look at the newly released Apple TV set-top box and iTunes rental package:

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Apple, Media, Netflix, Tech News, Web 2.0

Netflix Preemptively Takes On Apple: Unlimited Online Movies

Posted on January 13, 2008August 20, 2008 By Bob Caswell 5 Comments on Netflix Preemptively Takes On Apple: Unlimited Online Movies

NetflixNetflix will be making a big announcement tomorrow, coincidentally one day before Apple will be making some [similar] big announcements of its own:

Starting Monday, January 14, 2008, Netflix subscribers will have unlimited access to movie viewing online. The company plans to do away with its quota/hours system it had in place before (viewing hours per month were based upon how much you paid for you mail-in DVD plan). The only group of Netflix subscribers to be left out of this unlimited plan: you who pay the minimum of $4.99 to rent just two DVDs per month.

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Apple, Media, Netflix, Tech News, Web 2.0

DRM Officially Dead for Music: Amazon Now Offers DRM-Free Tracks from All Four Major Labels

Posted on January 10, 2008August 20, 2008 By Bob Caswell 1 Comment on DRM Officially Dead for Music: Amazon Now Offers DRM-Free Tracks from All Four Major Labels

Amazon MP3 LogoJust a few days after our coverage of DRM-free music options for 2008 comes news of Sony BMG now offering its music on Amazon restriction-free. Sony BMG represents artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Foo Fighters, Santana, and Justin Timberlake. And this makes Amazon the first online music store to offer DRM-free songs from all four major labels: Sony BMG, Warner, EMI, and Universal Music.

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Amazon, Apple, Music, Tech News, Web 2.0

Data Privacy & Portability: Who owns what? Who can see what?

Posted on January 10, 2008August 20, 2008 By Bob Caswell No Comments on Data Privacy & Portability: Who owns what? Who can see what?

Facebook LogoThe privacy and portability of your online data may become more of an issue in 2008. News is out today of a Federal case which will investigate whether the use of a false identity could be considered Internet fraud under federal statutes. This was originally triggered by the October 2006 case in which a 13-year-old named Megan Meier committed suicide after receiving “cruel” messages on MySpace (messages allegedly received from the mother of a school rival who was posing as a 16-year-old boy).

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Internet, Privacy, Tech News, Web 2.0

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