VERY,VERY HOT READS, I Would Read The News In This Thread This Thead Is To post Any Thing Ye Want About The News,,NEWS WAS MOVED,READ MY FIRST POST..CHEERS
p2p news / p2pnet: Is Motorola's Razr mobile phone terrific, or just junk?
Cingular Wireless and T-Mobile have temporarily stopped selling it because of a defect that causes calls to be disconnected before users have finished, says ZDNet News.
"Motorola and its customers are addressing an issue affecting a very limited number of Razr handsets sold for GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) networks over the last four weeks," Motorola's Alan Buddendeck is quoted as saying. "Motorola and its customers have taken steps to ensure an easy exchange process for consumers."
But, "In addition to triggering clever headlines like ;Flippin' Phone!; and 'That Razr's not so sharp'," news of the disconnect problem and the subsequent halt in sales, has bloggers, "both defending the popular uber thin device and ripping it as an unreliable 'piece of junk'," says CNET's Blogma.
Motorola said phones that were affected were shipped on February 1 and that new phones without the glitch are now available.
Customers with faulty Razrs should contact their carriers for a swap, says ZDNet, adding:
"The problem affects only GSM phones. GSM is a cellular phone technology standard in Europe that is also used by Cingular and T-Mobile in the United States. Razr phones on the Verizon Wireless network were not affected, because Verizon uses a different technology."
Also See:
ZDNet News - Mobile operators halt sale of Razr phones, March 10, 2006
Blogma - On edge about Razr phones, March 11, 2006
Sony may have given up on ARccOS protection Posted by Dan Bell on 13 March 2006 - 07:04 - Source: Forbes
feedback10k used our news submit to tell us about an interesting study that was published in part by Forbes. It seems that Piper analyst, Gene Munster filed a report on Friday, that indicates Sony is contemplating Macrovision RipGuard instead of their own ARccOS protection scheme for DVD. The Macrovision protection is already being used by The Walt Disney Company.
The analyst said he expects Macrovision to have a better RipGuard showing in the first quarter than the last quarter owing to strong releases scheduled for Disney for the rest of the quarter.
In addition, Munster noted that Sony appears to have ceased using its own ARccOS DVD security technology in February.
"We believe this change could be positive or negative for Macrovision," the analyst said. "It could be positive if Sony has made a decision that its ARccOS technology is ineffective and is now looking for a different technology to replace ARccOS. It could be a negative sign, if Sony has decided that anti-ripping technologies, in general, are not worth the cost and effort."
As for the reason behind the decision, it's anyones guess. Perhaps it is as the article states, simply the cost of constantly maintaining and updating such measures that is being considered. Definately, we know that ArccOS has not been completely effective against those determined to duplicate or rip discs to their hard drives. You can find the source article from Forbes in it's entirety by following this link.
http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/13181
the link
Macrovision's RipGuard Shows Consistent Use By Disney Kate DuBose Tomassi, 03.10.06, 11:57 AM ET
The Walt Disney Company is a regular user of Macrovision's RipGuard anti-copying product, according to a recent Piper Jaffray report.
February checks indicate that one major studio, that of The Walt Disney Company (nyse: DIS - news - people ), is consistently using RipGuard. The other four of the top-five studios are taking a wait-and-see approach, Piper analyst Gene Munster wrote in a Friday report.
These studios are Warner Brothers, Sony (nyse: SNE - news - people ), 20th Century Fox and Universal. Warner Bros. is a unit of Time Warner (nyse: TWX - news - people ). 20th Century Fox is a division of News Corp. (nyse: NWS - news - people ) Universal is jointly owned by General Electric (nyse: GE - news - people ) and Vivendi Universal (nyse: V - news - people ).
The analyst said he expects Macrovision (nasdaq: MVSN - news - people ) to have a better RipGuard showing in the first quarter than the last quarter owing to strong releases scheduled for Disney for the rest of the quarter.
In addition, Munster noted that Sony appears to have ceased using its own ARccOS DVD security technology in February.
"We believe this change could be positive or negative for Macrovision," the analyst said. "It could be positive if Sony has made a decision that its ARccOS technology is ineffective and is now looking for a different technology to replace ARccOS. It could be a negative sign, if Sony has decided that anti-ripping technologies, in general, are not worth the cost and effort."
Munster said he thinks Macrovision is well-positioned to grow its TryMedia, RipGuard, Hawkeye and TotalPlay businesses.
p2p news / p2pnet: The members of the Big Four Organized Music cartel are finding implementation of the Japanese portion of their sue 'em all marketing campaign just a little sticky.
Winny became known to the world in 2003 because the first people EMI, Sony BMG, Warner Music and Vivendi Universal (currently in the spotlight for alleged price fixing) had arrested in Japan, "on suspicion of violating copyright laws," were using it.
Today, it's one of, if not the, most popular file sharing applications in Japan and, "The recent spate of both private and government data being uploaded to the Internet through the Winny file-sharing program highlights the difficulty in controlling and potentially banning the software," says the Yomiuri Shimbun.
Why's that?
"It's impossible to restrict file-swapping software because it can also be used legally," according to a government source quoted in the story.
Personal data on Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force members, cipher-related documents, and documents on the planning of combat exercises were recently leaked through Winny p2p and, "The police, who are trying to crack down on Internet-related crimes, also became a target," says the Yomiuri Shimbun, going on:
"Since February, information releases through the Winny program involving such authorities have included data on prison inmates, documents from the Tokyo District Court, information on investigations by the Ehime Prefectural Police Headquarters and information on patients at a Toyama hospital.
"Analysts say the leaks have been rampant because of the number of people who use Winny and because of a virus that infects the peer-to-peer software, which then uploads information on computers to the Internet."
Or were the leaks down to a shared folder(s)? - as a p2pnet reader wondered.
Be that as it may, "According to Trend Micro Inc., an antivirus software developer, 300,000 to 600,000 people are believed to use Winny, and about 300,000 personal computers of Winny users, including those with the virus since removed, have been infected," states the Yomiuri Shimbun.
In December, "the government set up a standard for information management by its organizations. But inadvertent uploads continued despite the measure, says the report, but, "It's rather a matter of individuals' lack of responsibility, than a matter of the government's computer system," it has a senior cabinet official saying.
Meanwhile, the National Police Agency has said it is nearly impossible under current laws to punish those who release information through Winny, adds the story.
Also See:
the world - $100K raised for Winny author, June 3, 2004
Yomiuri Shimbun - Winny woes hard to fix / Punishing users of file-sharing program nearly impossible, March 12, 2006
price fixing - Big Four record labels sued, March 12, 2006
recently leaked - Winny military data leak, February 24, 2006
p2p news / p2pnet: When Chinese footie fans turn their TVs on to view their favourite sport, millions of them will be watching the iPhox Chinese Super League.
That's because p2p online phone firm iPhox, the latest entry into the VoIP arena, has become the new title sponsor for China's national football league.
The five-year deal also marked the global launch of its internet telephone product, says iPhox International chairman Johan Schotte.
iPhox 1.3 is literal person-to-person communication between PCs and mainstream phone system and, "Where traditional SIP software will fail to connect, iPhox can operate in virtually any network environment," Schotte told p2pnet. "A system of media relays positioned in data centers around the world assures that call traffic that isn't peer to peer retains a high quality by reducing latency."
The p2p phone application is available for Macintosh, Microsoft Windows, and soon for Linux, says iPhox.
It uses technology from Michael Robinson's SIPphone to ensure compatibility with the SIP open protocol and the ability to communicate with other networks.
iPhox also means Gizmo and Google Talk users will be able to exchange instant messages and voice calls with each other, says the company.
Calls to regular phones cost one cent, compared to Skype and Yahoo's two-cents and iPhox can instantly communicate with an expanding SIP hardware
product line that allows analog phones, Wi-Fi VoIP SIP phones and Bluetooth headsets to plug right into any network, it says.
Free calls can be placed and received on any PC running iPhox or any other SIP based software, even over dialup network connections and, "Unlike Skype, users' computers and bandwidth are never used to route third party calls, which makes iPhox suitable for corporate, government and university environments," states Schotte.
"Users of iPhox enjoy the largest SIP based network currently in deployment. More than 20 networks and many major universities such as UCSD, UCLA, BYU, UCI, UCSC, University of Indiana, Oklahoma University and MIT are linked to the SIPphone network for free calling."
Download iPhox here.
=====================
If you're Chinese and you're looking for a way to access independent Internet news sources, try Freegate, the DIT program written to help Chinese citizens circumvent website blocking outside of China.
Download it here and feel free to copy the zip and host it yourself so others can download it.
p2p news / p2pnet: The corporate entertainment cartels are suing their own customers and closing down p2p sites as fast as they can find them as they try to lock the clock back in the 20th century, when they had total control.
Among the web pages still flying the flag is The Pirate Bay whose, "defiant immunity from copyright lawyers is somewhat baffling," says Wired News.
"But in Sweden, the site is more than just an electronic speak-easy: It's the flagship of a national file-sharing movement that's generating an intense national debate, and has even spawned a pro-piracy political party making a credible bid for seats in the Swedish parliament."
In other words, the site has become a symbol of freedom for people in Sweden and as further evidence of this, Petter Nilsson, a contestant in Swedens Toppkandidaterna (The Top Candidates) reality show recently pledged 50,000 kroner to The Pirate Bay if he emerged the winner.
"Politics is not something that happens elsewhere, it happens together with those you turn to," he said. "If I talk about animal rights, it's because I have devoted my own time to get the animals out of the cages. If I talk about homelessness, it's because I myself have been freezing in a squatted house with the homeless of Stockholm. If I say that immigration policies is scandalous it's because I've had my own door kicked in by the immigration police.
"So when I donate my money to Pirate Bay, it's because I also want to be able to download music and movies for myself."
"Well," says The Pirate Bay blog, "the final just ended and guess who won? Yes, you guessed it - Petter!
"So you can expect some enhancements to the site in the next couple of weeks. We will buy a new server for the database and also one for the new search engine we're developing.
"For the geeks out there, here's what we're buying exactly:
"Database server: HP DL145 G2, 4 gig RAM, 2 x Optron DualCore 2.2 GHz
"Search server: HP DL145 G2, 4 gig RAM, 1 x Optron DualCore 2.2 GHz
"Now go celebrate."
(Thanks again, Brid)
Also See:
Wired News - The Pirate Bay: Here to Stay?, March 13, 2006
pledged 50,000 - Pirate Bay's newest supporter, February 20, 2006
blog - Win for Petter and 50 000 SEK to The Pirate Bay, March 13, 2006
p2p news / p2pnet: Google and the US government take their corners, tomorrow, over whether or not the latter can compel the former to turn over data, including about a million web addresses.
"The case is viewed by many experts as a test of how vulnerable the voracious search habits of the nation's Web users might be to the prying eyes of government," says the San Jose Mercury News.
Acting for the Dick Cheney / George W. Bush administration, US attorney general Alberto Gonzales subpoenaed Google to force it to release the web addresses, and at least one week's worth of random search queries. Google refused, as much because of likely negative business repercussions as for genuine concern for user privacy.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) are currently suing Bush and the National Security Agency in a bid to stop them from secretly spying on US citizens.
A recent DoJ document said Google's objections were unwarranted.
Yahoo, Microsoft and AOL have already handed over information.
"The government is seeking the information to buttress its defense of the Child Online Protection Act, a federal law designed to keep children from sexually explicit content on the Internet," says the story.
Gonzales was borrowing a page from the entertainment industry's book which routinely uses the Kiddie Porn ploy to force through legislation.
Google, meanwhile, "backed by privacy advocates, is resisting the subpoena on a variety of grounds, including the argument that it threatens the privacy rights of Web users and exposes the company's trade secrets to public release," says the San Jose Mercury News.
"The company also insists the information is irrelevant to the government's fight to revive the federal child protection law, which was put on hold by the U.S. Supreme Court two years ago."
However, "Despite the fact that the case has raised concerns about government intrusion into Web habits, legal experts say [US district judge James] Ware may steer clear of that issue and decide the case on much narrower grounds, such as whether the government can justify its subpoena," says the story, adding:
"Nevertheless, the case is considered a crucial barometer of how much control a search engine has over its vault of Web traffic and whether the Internet habits of its users are insulated by a 20-year-old electronic privacy law."
"This case comes at a time when people are starting to recognize that the information they put into their computers creates a record,'' the story has Lauren Gelman, associate director of Stanford University's Center for Internet and Society, saying. "In the bigger picture, as people input more information into computers, they are losing control over that. We're leaving a digital footprint with all sorts of information about ourselves.''
Google's Desktop 3 tool, which allows searches across multiple computers and which as part of the process, automatically holds copies of files on Google servers for up to 30 days, has been attacked because of security problems.
The company is also apparently both thinking about organizing its own internet, and accessing literally everything on users' computers by, in effect, becoming their virtual hard-drives.
Also See:
San Jose Mercury News - Google, U.S. to face off in federal court, March 13, 2006
secretly spying - Bush sued by ACLU, CCR, January 18, 2006
unwarranted - DoJ answers Google, February 27, 2006
handed over - Google rejects Bush demand, January 20, 2006
security problems - Google Desktop 3 is unsecure, February 21, 2006
|own internet - Google wants its very own Net, February 3, 2006
virtual hard-drives - Google as your PC, March 7, 2006
StarForce crashes PC Gamer Editors PC when using audio CDsPosted by Dan Bell on 13 March 2006 - 15:00 - Source: Next Gen Biz
Savannah used our news submit to tell us about this article written by PC Gamer Editor in Chief, Greg Vederman, that tells us of his personal experience with problems caused by StarForce DRM that was installed on his machine through a game using the protection. One day, he prepared to play an audio CD in his PC and was surprised when he got the dreaded Windows "Blue Screen" effect, when he tried using either optical drive.
Like a lot of us, he went online and did a little digging, which turned up a possibility that the condition could be due to StarForce. He then deleted the game from his machine, but to no avail. He then had to find and download a StarForce DRM removal tool to get the job done. We have already read that StarForce does not consider it their problem, that the software designer should be the one to ensure that their DRM is removed along with the program. Even Mr. Vederman agrees, but he thinks that the public should be able to know this prior to installation. Of course, this is neither here nor there to an end user. They just get irritated when they have a legitimate purchase that causes such problems.
Now Mr. Vederman has done some digging into StarForce, of how they feel that their software DRM does not affect honest customers and tells of the challenge posted on the StarForce website that is a bit of a "Red Herring" in his eyes.
Prove It
StarForce Technologies, the company that makes StarForce, seems to think that problems like mine aren?t real ? or that, if they are, they?re happening only to pirates. Not too long ago, they even launched a contest on their website (www.star-force.com) called ?Prove It!? If you could prove to them that StarForce had physically damaged your optical drive (a long-standing internet rumor), SFT would pay you $10,000. According to them, no one proved it.
The contest was a bit of a red herring, though, because I don?t think StarForce is physically damaging drives. My guess is that the rumor was started by people who were having problems similar to mine, but who were unable to resolve them because they didn?t know how to fully remove StarForce.
And why don?t people know how to do that? I have to lay the blame at the feet of certain game publishers. Companies that use potentially problem-causing anti-piracy software could do a much better job of getting out in front of these sorts of issues and helping customers resolve them. (Including a FAQ sheet in each game box would go a long way.) As it stands, gamers sometimes run into issues, have no idea why, they can?t return the game they just bought because their store doesn?t accept returns (because retailers are also concerned about losing money to piracy), and in the end a lot of people are needlessly left out in the cold.
http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/13182
StarForce facilitates piracy by posting warez link Posted by Dan Bell on 13 March 2006 - 17:03 - Source: Neowin
Several people, including Savannah, Richteralan and BetrayerX all used our news submit to tell us about another recent development with StarForce. Apparently, one game software manufacturer decided to release their product without any protection other than a serial number. In an apparent attempt to draw attention to the fact and also to show that the game was selling like hotcakes, someone posted a link at the StarForce forums stating this, despite the lack of protection from pirates. The poster was trying to show that not everyone is a pirate and that possibly these measures are not as necessary as some think.
It was obviously an attempt to stir up a reaction from StarForce and they took the bait hook, line and sinker! Shortly after, the folks at StarForce came back by posting a link to a BitTorrent site, showing where you could get a warez version of the game. Obviously, they were trying to show what happens when you don't use a DRM scheme, but it is not too swift linking to a warez site when you can just mention that it is being traded around. Neowin interviewed a representative of the game company that created the product being discussed, Galactic Civilization 2, from Brad Wardell, to get his thoughts on the action from StarForce:
We caught up with Brad Wardell of Stardock this weekend for some reaction to this rather humorous turn of events:
"I don't claim to be incredibly informed on warez. I don't pirate stuff so I am not familiar with sites that people go to in order to find, amongst other things, warez. I was not familiar with the site they linked to. I suspect I'm not alone. We cannot understand why they felt the need to provide an actual URL rather than state the obvious -- that like all software, ours is being pirated at some level.
We obviously don't want people to pirate our software. Every time someone pirates it who might have possibly bought it we feel the pinch. We're a small company so every sale counts. We simply think there are other ways to go about it than to inconvenience customers with CD-based copy protection."
Neowin raised a good question: If StarForce is so concerned with piracy, why in the world would they go so far as to provide a link to warez just to prove a point? Seems to be a bit over the top, even childish.
http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/13183
p2p news view / p2pnet: Toronto Hydro's announcement last week of its plans to blanket the City of Toronto with wireless Internet access has sparked an important debate about the appropriate role for governments and public institutions in providing Internet connectivity. Significantly, it comes on the heels of the CRTC's recent decision to distribute $652 million to major telecommunications providers such as Bell and Telus to help defray the costs of implementing high-speed connectivity in rural Canadian communities.
These developments place the spotlight squarely on a critical question for new Conservative Industry Minister Maxime Bernier - what, if anything, should government do about Internet connectivity?
The starting position for a Conservative government might well be to argue that government has a very limited role to play here, concluding that this is strictly a marketplace issue and that the private sector has plenty of incentives to develop networks for consumer use.
The major telecommunications companies can be expected to support that approach, though the CRTC decision illustrated that they typically only want to keep government out when it is a potential competitor. When government is prepared to provide what amounts to massive corporate subsidies, as Canada's telecommunications regulator has decided to do, public involvement becomes far more attractive.
Meanwhile, supporters of public involvement point to compelling evidence that government must increasingly shoulder responsibility to ensure that the market features robust competition and that no Canadian communities are left behind.
Access to the Internet is no longer a luxury - for millions of Canadians it is necessity that serves as a foundation for education and life-long learning initiatives, access to knowledge, health care, government services, financial activity, entertainment, and communication.
Given the Web's importance, government cannot adopt a hands-off approach, though it must recognize that its role differs in the urban and rural markets.
In urban communities, most of which are serviced by a choice of two broadband options (cable or DSL), the focus ought to be on the competitive environment and the assurance that the entire community can afford access.
Recent comments from a senior Canadian cable company executive, who last month informed a group of stock analysts that the Canadian market for broadband services does not face the same competitive pressures as those found in the U.S., foreshadows the prospect of steadily increasing consumer prices for high speed Internet access.
In fact, as leading Canadian ISPs institute new fees for services such as Internet telephony and as they lobby for the power to dispense with traditional network neutrality principles, the lack of competition is clearly having a negative impact on the marketplace that could expand the digital divide within Canada' s major cities.
In light of these developments, last week's Toronto Hydro announcement should be welcomed as an opportunity to inject new competition into the Internet access market. Moreover, much like other municipal wireless initiatives in U.S. cities such as San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Tempe, Arizona, officials should use the connectivity to ensure that there is affordable access for all members of the community.
The governmental role in rural Canada ought to be a different one. In those communities, many of which lie on the outskirts of major cities such as Toronto or Ottawa, the concern revolves around connectivity, not competition, since there is often no broadband option available to local residents.
Ottawa has been struggling with this issue for many years. In 2000, it established the Broadband Task Force, which recommended that the government address fears of a digital divide within the country by providing financial support for network development in rural communities. Those recommendations were never fully implemented as successive industry ministers failed to obtain the necessary support within cabinet.
The CRTC jumped at the opportunity to remedy the situation when it conducted hearings on how to distribute funds it held in trust on behalf of consumers who overpaid for their local phone service. Last month it decided to allocate the funds, which amount to a staggering $652 million, toward rural broadband initiatives. The money will be used to reimburse telecommunications providers for their "non-economic" costs (ie. unprofitable costs) of building rural broadband networks.
While its intent is laudable, the CRTC's approach is an inappropriate way to solve the problem. Since the money comes directly from Canadian consumers, consumer groups rightly argue that it should be returned to those same consumers (each consumer would receive approximately $50).
The Commission's decision has highlighted the need for governmental involvement, however, since the major Canadian ISPs informed the CRTC that without external support, there is no economic case for building high-speed networks in many rural Canadian communities.
The solution therefore lies not in simply handing over $652 million in economic assistance to the telecommunications providers, but rather for government to support local, community-owned networks that operate for the public benefit. While the telecommunications providers might be called upon to establish the services, publicly funded networks would remain in public hands, with the communities retaining the flexibility to offer reduced fees or alternate options.
By openly acknowledging the lack of competitive pressures in urban markets and their unwillingness to invest in rural networks without governmental support, Canada's ISPs have sent a clear message to Minister Bernier. While the market should lead, the government must assume its share of responsibility to eliminate the Canadian digital divide.
Michael Geist
[Geist is the Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce Law at the University of Ottawa. He can be reached by email at mgeist[at]uottawa.ca and is on-line at www.michaelgeist.ca.]
p2p news / p2pnet: Having fired another salvo in Japan against kids with camcorders, the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America)'s own NATO organization wants to keep it happening.
The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) is among other things highlighting its cinema ushers' bounty hunter program under which sleuths with flashlights who turn in patrons can "earn" up to $500 for, "reporting illegal recording activity".
The news comes in the FightFilmTheft.org, a supposed 'training' body set up by the MPAA's six owners, Time Warner, Viacom, Fox, Sony, NBC Universal and Disney.
"Illegal camcording in movie theaters is the source of over 90% of all illegally copied movies in their initial release form," says NATO.
"The FightFilmTheft.org training program consists of a tutorial and quiz that outline the 'who, what, where' signs of camcording piracy," states the MPAA, boasting that since 2004, US theater workers have, "successfully stopped 69 camcording incidents and the program has paid out rewards to 30 people".
A similar $500 reward program exists for theater employees who take action to stop film theft in Canada, it adds.
Strangely, Sony still hasn't been sued for producing millions of easy-to-hide mini camcorders and associated equipment of the exact type the other five MPAA owners are complaining about.
Also See:
another salvo - Hollywood's Japan anti-p2p bill, March 12, 2006
exact type - Sony's newest camcorder, February 22, 2006
p2p news / p2pnet: Google Brazil unit has been ordered to tell the country's authorities what it's doing to curb crimes allegedly committed through its Orkut chat rooms.
A spokesman, "confirmed that the unit, Google Brasil, had received a summons from the Public Ministry, but he declined to give details," says CNET News, explaining the ministry is similar to a US attorney general's office.
"The summons came after a complaint was filed with the ministry by the nongovernmental organization Safernet, which monitors crime on the Internet," says the story.
"Since June, we have sought out Google to request preventive measures against crimes that are practiced on Orkut, but we never got a response," CNET has Safernet president Thiago Nunes de Oliveira saying.
"We found more than 5,000 profiles of users that were publishing images with scenes of child pornography in photo albums," said Oliveira, who wants Google to remove illegal material and report users that post it, adds the story.
Orkut is also said to have been used to push drugs, mainly ecstasy and marijuana, online.
Also See:
CNET News - Google Brasil summoned on chat room complaint, March 10, 2006
push drugs - Gang pushed drugs online, July 22, 2005
p2p news / p2pnet: American police can search hard drives for kiddie porn if owners subscribe to sites selling the images, says a US appeals court.
"There is a 'fair probability' customers of child pornography Web sites receive or download the illegal images, opening the door for police searches, according to the ruling by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals," says Reuters, going on:
"The ruling affirmed a lower court's decision supporting an affidavit by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for its probe of Lolitagurls.com Web site and subscriber Micah Gourde who'd, 'sought to suppress more than 100 images of child pornography seized from his home computer, arguing an FBI affidavit did not establish probable cause he had violated child pornography laws to justify a search of his computers'."
But the majority opinion by Judge M. Margaret McKeown held there was a "reasonable inference" that supported a "fair probability" Gourde had downloaded banned images, says Reuters.
Also See:
Reuters - US court OKs computer searches for child porn, March 9, 2006
p2p news / p2pnet: Japanese authorities suspect nine people are the most recent victims of suicide pacts arranged online.
"The asphyxiated bodies of five men and a woman were found in a car at Chichibu, near Tokyo, while three more bodies were found near Hirosaki," says the BBC.
"Police are investigating whether the Chichibu six met via the internet."
Japan has one of the highest suicide rates in the world, and internet pacts are thought to appeal to those who are scared to die alone."
The number of Japanese committing suicide has been rising steadily and more than 34,000 Japanese took their own lives in 2003, according to the National Police Agency, says the story, adding:
"The number of people killing themselves in suicide pacts made over the internet - while still small - has been rising sharply."
Also See:
BBC - Japan 'suicide pacts' claim nine, March 10, 2006
p2p news / p2pnet: "Reporters who write about government surveillance could be prosecuted under proposed legislation that would solidify the administration's eavesdropping authority, according to some legal analysts who are concerned about dramatic changes in U.S. law," says an Associated Press story.
The subject is a draft bill principally sponsored by senator Mike DeWine but, "It in no way applies to reporters - in any way, shape or form," Mike Dawson, a senior policy adviser to DeWine, is quoted as saying. "If a technical fix is necessary, it will be made."
The existing take would, "add to the criminal penalties for anyone who 'intentionally discloses information identifying or describing' the Bush administration's terrorist surveillance program or any other eavesdropping program conducted under a 1978 surveillance law," says AP.
"Under the boosted penalties, those found guilty could face fines of up to $1 million, 15 years in jail or both."
Co-sponsors are senators Olympia Snowe, Lindsey Graham and Chuck Hagel of Nebraska.
"Existing U.S. law makes it a crime to disclose classified information to an unauthorized person, generally putting the burden on government officials to protect the information," says the story, adding:
"But a special provision exists to provide added protections for highly classified electronic - or 'signals' - intelligence. That would include U.S. intelligence codes or systems used to break them."
Also See:
Associated Press - Reporters Exempt From Eavesdropping Bill, March 10, 2006
p2p news / p2pnet: The government of Alberta in Canada has introduced a bill meant to stop "compelled disclosures" of personal information under America's Patriot Act.
Bill 20 creates fines of up to $500,000 for violating local laws.
"A person must not wilfully disclose personal information to which this Act applies pursuant to a subpoena, warrant or order issued or made by a court, person or body having no jurisdiction in Alberta to compel the production of information or pursuant to a rule of court that is not binding in Alberta," it states.
(4) A person who contravenes subsection (3) is guilty of an offence and liable
(a) in the case of an individual, to a fine of not less than $2000 and not more than $10 000, and
(b) in the case of any other person, to a fine of not less than $200 000 and not more than $500 000.
People have complained about the price of recorded music for decades. It's always seemed a little fishy that there was no price competition between the labels, and that CDs have always remained more expensive than cassettes, even though the discs are now dirt cheap to make. When music went digital, why did we see so few price points for individual tracks? Today, why are all the major labels simultaneously making noise about wanting Apple to offer variable pricing? The whole situation fueled paranoid claims about industry collusion and price-fixing that later turned out to be totally justified.
You may remember that the industry was busted for off-line price-fixing a few years back. It was also outed (again) for a major payola scandal last year. This year, the industry is under the microscope for its pricing practices related to digital music. The feds have already launched an investigation and New York Attorney General Elliot Spitzer is making his own inquiries.
Like a shark smelling blood in the water, the latest round of investigations has attracted the lawyers. Prominent California attorney William Lerach has now launched a class action suit against the labels on behalf of consumers who have allegedly been overcharged for music. This in itself is not particularly surprising given the ongoing federal investigation into the same topic, but the lawsuit does contain some interesting tidbits. For instance, the suit claims that the music labels fought tooth and nail against the arrival of online music stores, and that they did so by launching their own poorly-conceived (on purpose) online ventures.
The suit also alleges that the record labels sought to shut down online music pioneer Napster at the same time they were introducing their own joint ventures to sell online music. MusicNet and pressplay "were not serious commercial ventures, but rather attempts to occupy the market with frustrating and ineffectual services in order to head off viable Online Music competitors from forming and gaining popularity after Napster's demise," according to the suit.
If this lawsuit gains any traction, it could be a major headache for the music industry, because similar suits could wind up being filed in countries all over the world. Given that many of the price-fixing allegations center on Apple's iTunes Music Store, the labels could find themselves in trouble in more than twenty countries. After all, intense dislike of getting screwed is not just an American phenomenon.
Sony's battle with Immersion Corporation over technology that makes gaming controllers vibrate has taken another turn as a federal judge dismisses Sony's latest attempt to shake free of the suit. The defeat could mean the end of the road for Sony's defense, which has been unsuccessful in its various attempts to rebut Immersion's claims.
Immersion Corp. is the holder of US patents 6,275,213 and 6,424,333, covering "haptic feedback," i.e., the use of computer-controlled vibrating motors to provide tactile feedback to a user in a game or other application. Filed in 1995 but not approved until 2000, the patent affects both controllers and games.
Sony's struggle with Immersion dates back to 2002, when Immersion came after Sony and its DualShock vibration feedback system for controllers. Immersion also pursued Microsoft and its controllers, but Microsoft settled with the company and entered into a licensing agreement, leaving Sony to fend for itself. In September of 2004, Sony lost a jury trial and was ordered to pay US$82 million in damages for infringing on Immersion's patents. Half a year later in March of 2005, Sony lost an appeal and damages were revised to nearly $91 million.
In this latest round, Sony argued that Immersion was holding back evidence and requested that the original verdict be tossed out. They argued that inventions of Craig Thorner?once a consultant for Immersion?were not fully and properly disclosed. Sony argued that the full body Thorner's work on haptic feedback reveals weaknesses in Immersion's patent claims, and that such weaknesses are grounds for a new trial.
US District Judge Claudia Wilken has sided with Immersion. The problem is Mr. Thorner. While Thorner did once work for Immersion, he has also received a $150,000 payment from Sony for royalties and a purchase option on another patent. Although the money in question appears to be technically unrelated to Thorner's testimony, Wilken wrote that Thorner's testimony was suspect and that it was quite possible that he viewed his testimony as a favor to Sony. Since Thorner's testimony serves as the basis for Sony's new attack on Immersion's patents, Wilken's ruling effectively puts this line of appeal to rest.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Immersion is considering pursuing Sony for their payment to Mr. Thorner, which they clearly view as an attempt to influence testimony.
Another appeal in the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit is expected to be heard this year. The appeal will be Sony's last chance to prove that Immersion's patents are inapplicable, or else be enjoined from selling a host of products, including games and controllers.
An often overlooked aspect of this case relates to the patents themselves. While vague in the way that patents sometimes are, they are not so vague as to cover any kind of tactile feedback present in a device. Sony's arguments have taken a two-pronged approached, both challenging the validity of Immersion's patents while also arguing that their own DualShock system is based on another set of technologies altogether, including some covered by patents owned by Logitech. These arguments have failed thus far, and Sony is now facing the real possibility of being forced to license Immersion's technology for a court-mandated fee, or halt the selling of a number of successful products. At a projected licensing cost of at least $30 million a year, Sony will likely fight on until the Appeals Gauge reads empty.
Copy protection is not cool. That's the conclusion of Greg Vederman, editor-in-chief of PC Gamer, who recently had his own run-in with dysfunctional copy protection tech. Of course, no gamer is going to tell you that copy protection schemes enhance her enjoyment of Quake 4, but it's less usual to find a major gaming magazine taking on the issue directly. It's not necessarily the best way to maintain cozy relationships with game publishers, but when those game publishers bundle software which causes crashes and system instability with their programs, it's time to call them out.
It's not hard to see why the publishers use the stuff; after all, no one wants to spend a couple of years on a project only to see their efforts rewarded by flat sales and a robust pirate market. Still, in the quest for better protection, these copy protection schemes have grown in both sophistication and invasiveness. Some schemes now install their own hidden device drivers that monitor your computer's optical drive access, trying to prevent copying and other unapproved uses. (If this sounds familiar,it should. Game copy protection, after all, is just another form of DRM.)
Having entertainment titles muck about with the internals of your system isn't usually a recipe for stability, but what else is a software development company to do? Vederman has looked into his Magic 8-Ball, where all signs point to "Internet delivery."
"As for the larger issue of what happens when you've got an industry that is justifiably concerned about losing billions of dollars and consumers who are justifiably concerned about anti-piracy software making their lives difficult, well, you can bet that over the next several years, we're going to see even more games going the secure online-distribution route. For now, that's the only fool-proof piracy solution (that's also relatively headache-free for consumers) that anyone has been able to come up with."
In the meantime, as our own Ben Kuchera put it when he first covered this story yesterday, "There has to be a better way." That better way would obviously be no copy protection whatsoever, but only dirty hippies and Communists would dare to release popular games without such restrictions. Or would they? Stardock Systems, the small developer of the highly popular new game Galactic Civilizations II, has released the program without any sort of copy protection at all?and it's doing very well. Their philosophy is refreshing: make it easy and compelling for users to stay legal, and they (mostly) will.
"Our primary weapon to fight piracy is through rewarding customers through convenient, frequent, free updates. If you make it easy for users to buy and make full use of your product or service legitimately then we believe that you'll gain more users from that convenience than you'll lose from piracy."
Apparently, such a model worries the makers of copy protection software. Starforce, makers of a product that has triggered much user wrath, went so far as to make a post on its own forums that contained a working URL where BitTorrent users could go to download illegal copies of Galactic Civilizations II (screenshot). This is the same company, after all, that threatens its critics with lawsuits, so such hardball tactics are not particularly surprising. If companies like Stardock can show the industry that good returns are possible without using draconian protection schemes, the protection makers may themselves soon be in need of protection.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060313-6365.html
New optical disc standard aims to provide high-definition at low cost 3/13/2006 2:53:06 PM, by Jeremy Reimer
CeBIT is a massive trade show with exhibitors from all over the world, and it can be difficult sometimes to pick out the wheat from the chaff. A US and UK-based company, New Medium Enterprises, stood out from the crowd by demonstrating an interesting twist on existing technology.
The device is an optical drive and media with a new format, titled Versatile Multilayer Disc (VMD). VMD drives use the same red lasers that power traditional CD and DVD drives, but with a difference: many more layers are embedded into the disc, dramatically increasing its storage capacity.
Standard single-layer DVDs store 4.7 gigabytes of data, while HD DVD manages 15GB and Blu-ray a whopping 25GB. All three formats can double their capacity by using two layers on the same disc, and may even hit their projected limits of 60GB and 200GB respectively by using more layers. VMD simply takes this multi-layer idea further, by adding up to ten layers on a single side. This results in a total storage capacity of nearly 50GB, while still using the same inexpensive red lasers as regular DVD drives.
In theory, this should allow for optical drives that can read the VMD format to be released for prices closer to US$150, rather than the US$500 that Blu-ray drives are likely to sell for.
New Medium Enterprises demonstrated a prototype VMD drive at the show, and claimed that they plan to launch the format in the third quarter of this year. However, they are not intending to fight directly against the two titans, Blu-ray and HD DVD. The company has more modest goals:
"We don't want to be in collision with the big guys," said Eugene Levich, chief technology officer, referring to HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc. He said NME will promote VMD first in China and India and then look to Eastern Europe, Russia, and South America. "It's enough for a small company like us. Those markets are a good chunk of business."
As far as content goes, New Medium has signed deals with companies in India and China. In India the deal is with Eros Group, which has a catalog of around 2600 Bollywood movies. There are planned to be 50 movies available on VMD by the end of 2006.
New Medium may be aiming to repeat the success of the Video CD format (VCD) which enjoyed widespread adoption in Asia a few years back, when regular DVD players were still quite expensive. VCD used MPEG-1 compression technology at a relatively low resolution, but was able to use standard CDs to play movies. However, with VMDs requiring new drives and new media, and with the technology still largely untested, it may be a tougher sell.
More likely to inherit VCD's crown is yet another standard from a Chinese firm, Beijing E-World, which has been promoting a format called Enhanced Versatile Disc (EVD) for a few years now. EVD uses standard DVD media, but utilizes a more enhanced, proprietary version of the standard MPEG-2 compression format to squeeze higher resolution (1920x1080 interlaced or 1280x720 progressive) video on a single disc. Attempts by Chinese companies to produce new worldwide standards have met with mixed results. However, companies such as Jiangsu Shinco Electronics Group are already working on players that will handle both EVD and VMD formats.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060313-6370.html
Dell sells file server to man with two PCs You've heard of direct selling...
By John Oates
Published Monday 13th March 2006 16:36 GMT
Get breaking Reg news straight to your desktop - click here to find out how
Dell's growth figures have long been envied by others flogging boxes, but a posting on a forum reveals just how they manage to increase sales so fast.
A poster on Digital Spy forum, normally concerned with Big Brother gossip and Freeview hacks, revealed that a friend rang Dell to buy two PCs. Then the naive punter asked Dell to sell him something to link the two machines so they could share files and a printer.
So Dell sold him a PowerEdge server.
According to the poster, his friend didn't even know what a server was when he phoned Dell. We can only hope he does now.
To make matters worse, Dell will not offer refunds to business customers.
p2p news / p2pnet: "No other country in the world has discussed the issue of sharing files over the Internet as much as France," Pascal Regard, director general of the Society of Authors and Dramatic Composers, a French organization with roots dating to 1777, is quoted as saying in the International Herald Tribune.
"I suppose that as the inventors of copyright, it is not surprising that we take the lead in exploring the implications on the Internet."
What began in 2005 as an effort by France to ratify the European copyright standard could now produce, "some of the weakest penalties in the world for Internet music piracy - the equivalent of a parking ticket," says the story.
"In France, they are talking about changes that are more radical than what has happened in the U.K. or anywhere else in Europe," it has London lawyer Denis Potemkin saying
"Some of the changes under discussion would force the content industry to rethink their business models."
And Apple, which uses its seriously misnomered CRAP FairPlay DRM to ram punters into line ? its line - will be among those compelled to do so.
"France is pushing through a law that would force Apple Computer Inc to open its iTunes online music store and enable consumers to download songs onto devices other than the computer maker's popular iPod player," says Reuters.
"Under a draft law expected to be voted in parliament on Thursday, consumers would be able to legally use software that converts digital content into any format. It would no longer be illegal to crack digital rights management - the codes that protect music, films and other content - if it is to enable to the conversion from one format to another, said Christian Vanneste, Rapporteur, a senior parliamentarian who helps guide law in France."
The move could push Apple and Microsoft into a "digital detente," says Macworld. "The fact that songs bought from iTunes won't work on devices powered by Microsoft and that Microsoft Windows Media songs won't play on an iPod has been subject to criticism.
"Some critics state that the lack of interoperability between the two firms and their competing standards is holding the digital music industry back."
Meanwhile, March 16 has been set as the day the French Parliamentary debate is slated to end, says the Thomas Crampton's excellent Herald Tribune report. A vote would follow soon after, and the results could become law within weeks of passage by the French Senate, whose vote is set for early May, he says, adding:
"No matter what the exact outcome, those distributing music or videos within France will almost certainly face a different landscape, said Xavier Buffet-Delmas, the partner at the Freshfields law firm in charge of the intellectual property practice in France.
"Buffet-Delmas said that, even if iTunes songs could be downloaded to any player, Apple could maintain a digital music business.
"But a government mandate that all systems be able to operate together and a slap-on-the-wrist approach to piracy would force Apple and others to work harder to attract and keep customers."
The underlying business model for platforms like iTunes might not be undermined,"But anyone selling music over the Internet in France will certainly need to adapt to a radical change of environment."
And of course, any French disconnection of Apple's CRAP will echo loudly in the rest of the world.
Stay tuned.
Also See:
International Herald Tribune - Will France, birthplace of copyright, go soft on piracy?, March 13, 2006
CRAP FairPlay DRM - Apple and its C.R.A.P., March 4, 2006
Reuters - French plan would open iTunes to other devices, March 13, 2006
Macworld - Apple may be forced to open up iTunes, March 14, 2006
p2p news / p2pnet: "Mad about DRM techs or the DMCA?" ? asks ZDNet's David Berlind.
"Are you sick of and tired of C.R.A.P.?"
You'll recall that CRAP is Berlind's acronym for "Cancellation, Restriction, and Punishment" aka DRM.
"Do you feel like Hollywood, the record industry, and the government have gone too far with the Digital Millenium Copyright Act?" he goes on. "Do you want to see broadcast flag legislation stopped (and you should)? What about the law enforced obsoletion of that new HDTV you just bought. You know. The one where, if it lacks the new secret decoder ring (which most HDTV diplays do), it will only playback HiDef broadcasts in LoDef."
Berlind also wonders if, like him, you want to do something but you don't have the time to draft your own letter to your congressperson or George W.
"Then maybe you should check out the Home Recording Rights Coalition (HRRC) Web site," he suggests.
"After entering your zip code, the HRRC's Web site figures out who your Congressional representatives are, and then, with a few more clicks, generates an email to them as well as to President Bush on the issues of your choice (see the partial screen shot below). In the course of doing your civic duty, you can be in and out of the site in a matter of minutes. Regarding your privacy (since you have to provide some personal information), the HRRC's Web site says."
Also See:
Berlind's acronym - Apple and its C.R.A.P., March 4, 2006
gone too far - Mad about DRM techs or the DMCA?, March 13, 2006
p2p news / p2pnet: In 1982 Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh wrote the non-fiction The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail in which they theorize Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married, had a child, and that their family line survived.
American author Dan Brown wrote The Da Vinci Code thriller which says much the same thing, and now Baigent and Leigh are suing Brown in a case that could change the face of copyright.
Brown is testifying in London's High Court and on Monday, said he was shocked by the "absurd" allegations, says the Times Online.
"I went out of my way to mention them for being the ones who brought the theory to mainstream attention," he says in a statement. "For them to suggest, as I understand they do, that I have hijacked and exploited their work is simply untrue."
Random House and Brown, "deny the claim, but there is no denying its ramifications if Baigent and Leigh prevail," says the Times.
"In The Holy Blood, Baigent and Leigh argued that Jesus Christ survived crucifixion and escaped to France to sire a dynasty with Mary Magdalene; it is this hypothesis which, they say, forms the overriding 'architecture' of their work, only to be 'lifted' by Brown.
"In essence, therefore, the claimants are seeking to extend the law of copyright into uncharted waters. The legal maxim that 'there is no copyright in an idea' is being tested, just as, in televisual media, there have been successive attempts to claim format rights in reality television shows."
If Baigent and Leigh win, gaining an injunction to bar the use of their material, the May 19 release of the movie The Da Vinci Code could also be blocked.
Also See:
Times Online - Creating stories: do all writers reinterpret and retell?, March 14, 2006
France is pushing a law to zap DRM & add fines for illegal P2P Posted by Seán Byrne on 14 March 2006 - 00:53 - Source: Yahoo Technology News
So far, France is having quite a tough time deciding on what to allow or prohibit in its proposed version of the EUCD. An earlier amendment in France aimed at legalising the use of file sharing networks has already been held back due to fierce opposal by the entertainment industries. Under the current draft law, anyone who sells or develops software for illegal file-sharing and downloading would be subject to penalties, including a maximum fine of ?300,000 along with up to 3 years in jail. Any consumer caught downloading or sharing copyrighted material illegally would be subject to a ?38 or ?150 fine respectively.
Despite the fairly tough penalties for illegal file sharing, this law aims to abolish DRM copy protection systems to allow consumers to legally use software to get around copy protected content restrictions to play this on their portable hardware. For example, those who purchase iTunes music would no longer be forced into using an iPod to play their music and would be freely entitled to convert the music to any format that suits their needs. On the other hand, if this law goes into effect, it could push Apple out of France as they could no longer restrict iTunes customers from redistributing their music due to the lack of restrictions.
According to Vanneste, this draft law aims to help fight piracy and encourage digital music services. Last year, France's physical media sales of music fell by 8%, yet their digital music sales rose fivefold. By doing away with DRM restrictions and relying on the law to punish those who illegally redistribute copyrighted content means that consumers are more likely to choose legal services without worrying about the dreaded DRM restrictions in place or hardware compatibility. Finally, the law aims to allow consumers to make a limited number private copies copies of their purchased content.
PARIS (Reuters) - France is pushing through a law that would force Apple Computer Inc to open its iTunes online music store and enable consumers to download songs onto devices other than the computer maker's popular iPod player.
Under a draft law expected to be voted in parliament on Thursday, consumers would be able to legally use software that converts digital content into any format.
It would no longer be illegal to crack digital rights management -- the codes that protect music, films and other content -- if it is to enable to the conversion from one format to another, said Christian Vanneste, Rapporteur, a senior parliamentarian who helps guide law in France.
This proposed legislation seems to be fairly well thought of, particularly with doing away with the pesky DRM restrictions that the entertainment industries constantly insist on using. On the other hand, while the fines may seem low for downloading or sharing copyrighted content, this likely indicates that these fines could be applied automatically, much like getting a parking fine for not paying the meter. When it comes to file sharing software, this new draft completely overturns the original proposal by subjecting those who develop or sell file sharing software for redistributing copyrighted material a hefty penalty.
Verbatim announces printable 16x DVD+/-R media spindles Posted by Dan Bell on 14 March 2006 - 14:13 - Source: Verbatim
The following text is a complete press release, unmodified by CD Freaks. If you don't want to view these kind of news posting you can disable them in your preferences page once logged in. Please send your press releases to news@cdfreaks.com
Verbatim Announces New Printable Surface 16x DVD+/-R Media Spindles
Verbatim Corporation, the market leader in premium-quality printable media, has announced the immediate availability of their white inkjet printable 16X DVD+/-R media. The discs feature a matte white printable surface and fast drying times with ultra-reliable, high-speed recording technology and broad read compatibility.
With the ability to record at about 21 MB/sec, these high speed Verbatim DVD discs can store 4.7GB of video, photos, music or data files in about five minutes. Verbatim has worked closely with verification authorities and leading drive manufacturers to produce this high-performance DVD media, certified for 1-16X DVD writing.
The key component in achieving 16X speed DVD media that delivers optimum performance, superior quality and the broadest compatibility is the proprietary recording layer technology developed by Verbatim, Advanced AZO. By using the proven dye technology incorporated in its 8X DVD media as the platform for the new, more sensitive Advanced AZO technology, Verbatim engineers not only achieved 16X write speed, they ensured that the new media will maintain backward compatibility with existing DVD recorders and 1-8X DVD burners.
Offering exceptional true-to-life colour reproduction of high-resolution photos, graphics and other images, Verbatim inkjet media ensures excellent ink absorption and longer lasting vibrant colours. No bleeding, fading, or deterioration that is common with inferior media. Verbatim inkjet printable media is certified for use with colour inkjet printers including Primera, Epson, Canon and Microboards. The complete Verbatim inkjet line-up consists of a range of printable DVDR and CDR media with a variety of options for the end user, including matte-white or silver inkjet surfaces and standard or hub-printable (full surface edge-to-edge) options.
Reliable, high-speed recording and broad compatibility makes Verbatim?s new Inkjet Printable 16X DVD discs ideal for sharing computer data, home videos, photos, and music. The printable surface allows you to create unique discs that are perfect for music compilations, digital photo albums and business presentations. With write-once security and 4.7 GB of capacity, the media is also an excellent storage solution for fast backups and archiving.
Availability Backed by a limited lifetime warranty, Verbatim?s Inkjet Printable 16X DVD media is now available in 50 pack spindles through leading retailers, authorised resellers and distributors across the country (P/N: DVD+R 95136; DVD-R 95137). Recommended retail price for both DVD +/- R media is $42.95. A 100 pack spindle (P/N 95145) DVD+R will be available in April, with an expected street price of $79.95. About Verbatim Verbatim® Corporation, a Mitsubishi® Chemical Media Company, is an international organisation that develops and markets innovative, high-quality products for storing, moving and using digital content. Known for its leadership in the removable storage media and related accessories markets, the company provides reliable, unique technologies and products that are highly sought after and broadly distributed worldwide. For more information, visit the company's web site at www.verbatim.com.au.
http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/131
Netflix adds HD-DVD to rentals - Wal-mart cancels pre-orders Posted by Dan Bell on 14 March 2006 - 14:43 - Source: Video Business
The movie rental company Netflix has added capability for customers to set up a queue for HD-DVD rentals through their accounts. Unfortunately, it looks as though the HD-DVD launch, scheduled for March 28 is going to be delayed, so at the moment, there are no titles to rent. We had just read yesterday, that at least one studio, Warner Brothers, was holding off releases for a short period due to a variety of reasons.
The good news is Netflix is not going to charge extra for the high definition movies. They also said to check back later for Blu-ray titles.
The additional Netflix feature comes as a delay is increasingly likely for the HD DVD format launch, which is set for later this month. Last week, Walmart.com stopped taking pre-orders for HD DVDs, sending an e-mail to those who had already ordered that said the titles were canceled (VB, 3-10).
Netflix is allowing users to alter their account set-up so that they can receive HD DVD rentals, however, the company doesn?t say when those high-definition films will become available. Users must click that they have the necessary equipment to play HD DVDs before choosing whether to set the HD DVD format as their first choice format for discs they rent.
Already we can read in the last line of that quote, that soon after the launch, people will begin to complain that the movies wont play, or they wont play in full resolution over thier sets and the vendors know it is coming. So it's pretty clever of Netflix to make the customer declare they are "HD ready". We can assume you will fill out similar forms or darken checkboxes at the rental establishments in town.
On a side note, does anyone remember back in the days of the VHS-Betamax wars that you could rent a player as well as a tape when you were at the rental store? Could this be coming for the brick and mortar stores for Blu-ray and HD-DVD players? It would sure give them an edge over mail order!
http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/13188
