Drm Free -- Engadget

drm-free posts

RIAA says consumers shouldn't expect DRM servers to run forever

by Nilay Patel posted Jul 30th 2009 at 5:44PM

Man, these Copyright Office triennial DMCA hearings seem to be some kind of competition for media-industry lawyers to present ridiculous arguments -- just a couple months after the MPAA tried to convince us that videotaping DVDs was an acceptable alternative to ripping, the RIAA's claiming that consumers shouldn't expect their DRM servers to stay online and allow them to play their music to play forever. No joke. The argument comes as the Copyright Office decides whether or not to allow a DMCA exemption for breaking DRM, and RIAA lawyer Steven Metalitz's position is that copyright owners shouldn't be required to "provide consumers with perpetual access to creative works," since "no other product or service providers are held to such lofty standards." Of course, that's only partially true, since properly maintained physical media and DRM-free content theoretically can be played forever, but why acknowledge reality when you can jack up your legal bills making completely absurd arguments that make your porcine, slowly-decaying clients seem even more doomed than before?

Video: Bookeen Cybook Opus ebook reader gets handled and adored

by Vladislav Savov posted Jul 7th 2009 at 12:25PM

The guys and gals at MobileRead have scored hands-on time with the Cybook Opus and early impressions are good. They were smitten with the ergonomics of the device and its "gorgeous" 5-inch e-ink display, but oddly neglected to point out any weaknesses. Equipped with an accelerometer, 1GB of storage, microSD expansion slot, and a user-replaceable battery, the Opus is able to read PDF and ePUB files -- with or without DRM -- and organize them into folders. There are rumors of a €250 ($349) asking price, but the exact details of when and where it will be available remain unknown. Click through for a video of the reader doing its thing or hit the read links for more extensive coverage.

[Via Slashgear]

Read - MobileRead exclusive : sneak preview of the Bookeen Opus
Read - Cybook Opus: Discovering the reader, video

Continue reading Video: Bookeen Cybook Opus ebook reader gets handled and adored

iTunes Store's new pricing scheme affects the charts, that Lightspeed Champion guy expresses surprise

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Apr 12th 2009 at 9:06PM

An interesting sidenote on the intersection of music and commerce: Billboard reported last week that the iTunes Store's new variable pricing plan has had a bit of an impact on sales rankings on individual tracks, giving $.99 songs an advantage over their $1.29 counterparts. According to the magazine, numbers for Wednesday, April 8, show that the iTunes Top 100 chart had 40 songs at the $1.29 price point, and 60 at $0.99 -- the premium songs slid an average of 5.3 places, while the $0.99 songs gained roughly 2.5 chart positions. On Thursday the trend continued, with the 53 songs priced at $0.99 rising roughly 1.66 places on the chart, while the remaining songs -- priced at $1.29 -- lost an average of two chart positions. None of which answers the most pressing question: When will Miley Cyrus's reign of terror come to an end?

iTunes Store now infected with variable pricing, Amazon still $0.99

by Thomas Ricker posted Apr 7th 2009 at 4:34AM

As promised, variable pricing has now been implemented at the iTunes music store. Already, we're seeing most of the top 10 singles and 33 of the top 100 hitting the top price-point of $1.29 (encoded as DRM-free 256kbps AAC). Interesting as Amazon's uncomfortably similar top 10 list has all these tracks priced at $0.99 (encoded as DRM-free 256kbps VBR MP3). A handful of tracks (nine in the top 100) do hit the higher $1.29 price further down Amazon's list. Now, if you believe Steve (someone who originally postured against this price structure), then it appears that the music labels are charging Apple more for the rights to sell its music than Amazon based on this quote attributed to Jobs in the Apple press release from January:

in April, based on what the music labels charge Apple, songs on iTunes will be available at one of three price points-69 cents, 99 cents and $1.29-with many more songs priced at 69 cents than $1.29.

Regardless, we know where we'll be purchasing our Miley Cyrus from now on.

[Thanks, Jesse]

Read -- January "Changes Coming to the iTunes Store" press release
Read -- iTunes top songs [Warning: iTunes App link]
Read -- Amazon top songs

Apple rumored to be turning iTunes into a DRM-free music store UPDATE: Not anytime soon

by Darren Murph posted Dec 8th 2008 at 11:11PM

We can't count the number of times we've heard from one random source or another that Apple was about to pull the trigger on a subscription-based / 100% DRM-free music service, and given how those have worked out in the past, we'd highly recommend taking this one with a huge dose of salt. French site ElectronLibre has it that Apple will finally offer up all of its music in DRM-free form starting as early as tomorrow, specifically calling out Sony, Universal and Warner as outfits who would join the protection-free cause. Should this happen, it would obviously be a dream come true for ole Steve, but we're still left to wonder what would happen to bitrates, prices and (potentially most important) all other iTMS content. Something tells us Hollywood isn't quite as ready to release its death grip.

Update: Don't hold your breath -- CNET says that while Apple is in negotiations with the bigs to go DRM-free, nothing's set in stone and changes are unlikely before the end of the year. Amazon it is!

[Via AppleInsider]

Amazon's DRM-free MP3 store goes international with quiet UK opening

by Darren Murph posted Dec 3rd 2008 at 9:21AM

By our calculations, December isn't exactly "near" June, but it seems the rumors from long, long ago were at least somewhat factual. Without any fanfare whatsoever, Amazon has quietly fired up its MP3 store over in the UK, marking the first time the e-tailer has sold jams outside of the United States of America. The page doesn't look all that dissimilar to the one we Americans have grown used to, and of course, every one of the three million 256kbps MP3 files are DRM-free. At first glance, we're already seeing some tasty singles for £0.59 ($0.86) and whole albums for £3 ($4.39). Looks like it's about time to open that digital wallet, UKers.

[Via Pocket-lint]

SanDisk's slotMusic albums and $20 Player now ready to be ignored

by Thomas Ricker posted Oct 15th 2008 at 1:51AM

When you're digging a hole for yourself, you might as well keep digging in hopes of emerging from the other side. Today SanDisk unearthed its Sansa slotMusic Player -- specially designed for those ill-fated slotMusic microSD cards pre-loaded with DRM-free music from "dozens of popular artists" (a bit over 3 dozen to be exact) at $15 a pop. It'll also play your self-loaded music on microSD cards (currently maxing out at 16GB) just as long as it's loaded in either MP3 and unprotected WMA formats. The tiny, display-less, 2.8 x 1.4 x 1.4-inch (that can't be right, but that's what the press release says) player sells for $20 (or $35 for artist branding and 1GB slotMusic card album) and is available immediately along side a smattering of accessories from US shops like Best Buy and fittingly, Wal-Mart. Headed to Europe and other global destinations sometime in 2009 assuming the whole format isn't scrapped after disappointing holiday sales are tallied.

Read -- slotMusic Player
Read -- slotMusic Artists

Walmart has a change of heart, decides to maintain DRM servers

by Darren Murph posted Oct 10th 2008 at 12:59AM

Back by popular demand, it's the Walmart DRM servers! You heard right -- just days after Wally World announced its plans to turn the screw on its digital rights management servers, we're now being shown a big "just kidding." According to an e-mail (posted in full after the break) sent out to previous downloaders, the mega-corp be leaving things as-is for the foreseeable future, and it's all because of "feedback from the customers." In other words, those actions it urged you to take late last month are no longer required, though we'd still back those tracks up on CD just in case. Can't be too careful, you know.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading Walmart has a change of heart, decides to maintain DRM servers

Walmart shutting off DRM servers, turning over a new leaf

by Darren Murph posted Sep 28th 2008 at 5:38PM

Walmart began selling DRM-free tracks in its music store in August of last year. 13 months later, the mega-corp has decided to follow the footsteps of so many others and hit the kill switch on its DRM management servers. As noted in an e-mail to customers, Wally World will be making the final transition into a fully DRM-free MP3 store on October 9th, and in order to keep those DRM-laden files playable on anything, it's recommended that you burn protected files on a CD on the double. If you choose to ignore this message, you'll be unable to "transfer your songs to other computers or access your songs after changing or reinstalling your operating system or in the event of a system crash." Heed the warning, kids.

Amazon: 6 million DRM-free songs on T-Mobile G1

by Thomas Ricker posted Sep 23rd 2008 at 8:40AM

It's true, Amazon just announced that its MP3 music store will be pre-loaded as an application on the T-Mobile G1. Users will be able to search, download, buy and play music from Amazon MP3 -- that's a selection of 6 million DRM-free MP3 songs from all four major labels and many independents. The pre-loaded Amazon MP3 application provides G1 owners with a phone-optimised view of the Amazon MP3 store -- WiFi is required to download music, but searching, browsing, and listening to samples can be done over 3G "the T-Mobile network." Tracks cost around $0.89 with most albums priced between $5.99 and $9.99. How you like them Apples, Apple.

Sony Ericsson's PlayNow Arena: 1 million, DRM-free songs on Monday

by Thomas Ricker posted Aug 22nd 2008 at 3:07AM

What was just a footnote to 2007 has finally come to fruition. Sony Ericsson just went live with details for the August 25th, Nordic launch of its PlayNow Arena media download site. Initially the site will offer 1 million, DRM-free songs (ramping up to 5 million) from Sony BMG, Warner Music, and EMI. It will also offer games, ringtones, applications, and themes for your mobile downloading pleasures. Other European countries will come on board later this year before it goes global in 2009. Tracks are expected to be "on par" with Apple's iTunes ($0.99 / €0.99) pricing and will cost SEK9 (about $1.43, credit card required) for the Swedish introduction. Full press release after the break.

Continue reading Sony Ericsson's PlayNow Arena: 1 million, DRM-free songs on Monday

Sony BMG launching (DRM-free?) subscription music service this year

by Thomas Ricker posted Mar 25th 2008 at 4:43AM

Sony BMG boss, Rolf Schmidt-Holtz, was just quoted in an interview saying that Sony BMG is "working on an online music subscription service." The service would cost between €6 to €8 per month (about $9 to $12) when launching later in the year and provide full access to its entire music catalog. He goes on to say that customers could own "some songs" even after the subscription was canceled. Interesting on its own, right? Now the kicker: it will work "for all digital players, including Apple's iPod." That means DRM-free unless Apple agrees to license its FairPlay DRM... which it won't. Hell, Sony BMG is already offering DRM-free MP3s to Amazon. If true, then the move could almost turn public sentiment positive in the wake of Sony BMG's "rootkit" fiasco and its handling of the Jammie Thomas affair. Almost.

Sony BMG will reportedly offer DRM-free music

by Evan Blass posted Jan 4th 2008 at 10:23AM

In a move that could finally sound the death knoll for the universally-hated digital leech known as DRM, Sony BMG Music will reportedly become the last of the top four major labels to offer unprotected tracks for download. Citing people familiar with the arrangement, BusinessWeek.com reports that full details of the label's plan will be released "in the coming weeks," although at least part of its catalog will supposedly be available without DRM sometime this quarter. If this does indeed pan out, Sony would follow EMI, Vivendi Universal, and Warner in moving towards a much more consumer-friendly music distribution model.

[Thanks, Mack S.]

Neuros develops "Unlocked Media" brand for DRM-free stuff

by Paul Miller posted Dec 18th 2007 at 6:59PM

It's just a little element in the ongoing fight against DRM, but every part helps, and we're kind of digging the idea. Neuros has developed a name and logo for DRM-free media to allow companies to brand their products in such a way that consumers know they're getting a fully portable file. "Unlocked Media" might not be super catchy as far as names go, but we like the idea of a positive move that consumers and companies can latch onto; promote the benefits of DRM-free, rather than just decry the evils of copy protection. The branding is available to "any entity that uses media using open standard technology which is available to all on a non-discriminatory basis." Neuros hopes some independent third party will step in to manage the trademark. Oh, and if all this is too optimistic for you, there are some grating explanatory videos after the break that will have you running back to the open arms of "Big Media" in a heart beat.

Continue reading Neuros develops "Unlocked Media" brand for DRM-free stuff

Wal-Mart, Amazon ratchet up anti-DRM pressure

by Donald Melanson posted Dec 3rd 2007 at 11:47AM

Both Wal-Mart and Amazon have already made their positions on DRM pretty well known, but it looks like each are now taking some further steps to ratchet up the pressure on the remaining hold-out record labels. For its part, Wal-Mart has reportedly told the record labels point blank that they must offer DRM-free MP3 versions of all their music, a matter that Sony BMG is apparently still the biggest hold out on. Amazon, on the other hand, is looking to give its download service (and, in turn, DRM-free downloads) a boost by giving away up to a billion free downloads in a promotion with Pepsi that's its set to launch during the Super Bowl in February. You'll need to guzzle quite a bit a Pepsi if you want to get your quota of those MP3s, however, as you'll apparently need to collect five bottle caps for each download. According to Billboard, Amazon has approached all the major record labels about participating in the promotion, but some are apparently balking at the 40 cents per track Amazon is willing to give 'em, which is a sizable cut from the 65 to 70 cents they currently receive.

[Via Gadget Lab]