http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/ Engadget Comments for DVD Jon's DoubleTwist to provide FairPlay for devices, too http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/http://www.thinkgeek.com/31fc/ in action. ;-)]]>Oct 24th 2006 5:34AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/Oct 24th 2006 5:37AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/Oct 24th 2006 5:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/
I don't buy songs from iTunes, or any other service for that same reason. I'm sure that most people complain about DRM because they fear it getting worse. It's still in the early stages now, but if digital media ever totally replaces physical media, then I'm sure we'll be faced with much tougher DRM laws.

Fishes,
narco. ]]>Oct 24th 2006 6:05AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/
Stranger things have happened!]]>Oct 24th 2006 8:22AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/
Steve Jobs does care if DRM is cracked. The iPod does sell itself, at the moment... but if Microsoft or Sandisk were to realease a better player, the only thing that would keep the iPod going is the fact that everyone has loads of songs that only work on iPod.
It's a closed system, and very clever. With DRM on their side, Apple can now safely assume that consumers will not move away from the iPod because it would be too hard - just as Microsoft once assumed that people would never stop using Windows (they are now rethinking that strategy and trying to make good products again).]]>Oct 24th 2006 9:31AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/
The iPod sells itself. iTunes is just a bonus.]]>Oct 24th 2006 8:53AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/Oct 24th 2006 9:34AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/
IMO your comments are closest to dead on.

While I do believe that apple has several additional advantages that are self perpetuating, DRM is probably number 1 on th list, for the reasons you state.

As to why no suits have been filed:
I believe that Apple really does NOT have a strong legal case against what Jon is doing and what real had done. On the other hand, apple can more easily fight this by changing their OS/ DRM behavior from time to time. This tends to cause enough trouble for hack users that it's less of a business threat. This is exactly what they did with rhapsody.

[Intrepid, I know you get this, but Many folks don't realize that Jon's hack does NOT violate the intellectual property rights of the content creator. These hacks do not aid piracy, and only the legal purchaser would benefit from the hack]

Pete]]>Oct 24th 2006 11:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/Oct 26th 2006 6:18PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/
Until the record companies change their views and practices toward digital content they need to feel like there is a legitamate effort going into protecting their investment and preventing piracy.

So far the structure that Apple has provided has been succesful(and maybe a little arm twisting)enough from a financial stantpoing to warrant continuing support. While everyone has their preference The Itunes store,Rap(shoddy) and the new Zune store all help the case that people want an easy one stop shop for digital music.

So while the efforts of DVD John and the like may be beneficial(arugably)in the short term consumers, how much content and options will be available if the industry pulls the plug? Will they seek even more restrictive DRM, will they step up prosecution of "criminals" or will they sign fewer bands and only sell and promote what they can control?]]>Oct 24th 2006 10:37AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/
While it might be a little difficult it is not impossible. There is nothing stopping those other companies from supporting AAC and since they already support MP3 I would suspect that most music could move from an iPod to any other player. What they can't implement is FairPlay. So, for those songs that reside on an iPod that were purchased from the iTunes Store one need only burn and re-rip to MP3 to make them work on another non-iPod player (granted it will degrade the quality a bit). There is really no barrier to moving from an iPod to another player. Apple is not holding on to its DRM to "lock" people into its own player. They do it because they must (and perhaps even think it is RIGHT and PROPER. I don't know.) in order to sell a product they don't hold the rights to and that is easily copied in its digital form.]]>Oct 24th 2006 11:06AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/
I agree that workarounds exist allowing users to change devices and keep their songs, despite DRM. From a corporate view, though they aren't relevant. I believe the vast majority would just stay put with their ipod rather than go through the burning, re-encoding process, and DRM succeeds fully as a protection for apple's franchise.

(Yes, I know this is not the primary purpose of DRM, just a nice side benefit for apple, due to the proprietary nature of fairPlay.)

Pete]]>Oct 24th 2006 12:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/
Hopefully DRM is just a fad that'll soon fade away... although without more public outcry, that's unlikely.]]>Oct 25th 2006 9:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/Oct 24th 2006 1:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/dvd-jons-doubletwist-to-provide-fairplay-for-devices-too/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FairPlay
Limitations of Apple's (Un)FairPlay Digital Rights Restrictions

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