Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget 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/<![CDATA[Microsoft lands an official software outlet in Iraq]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/29/microsoft-lands-an-official-software-outlet-in-iraq/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/29/microsoft-lands-an-official-software-outlet-in-iraq/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/29/microsoft-lands-an-official-software-outlet-in-iraq/#comments Image

Believe it or not, there hasn't been an official distributor for Microsoft software in Iraq in the near-decade since it's even been an option; if you wanted Windows or Office in the past several years, your choices were limited and seldom legal. Baghdad's Legend Lands is filling those big shoes through a deal with Microsoft that will see it provide both official copies, support, and other help for Iraqis that want to take the honest path. Stores across the country will take care of everything from large-scale government orders down to a Tikrit family's first home PC. The move won't completely quash piracy concerns, but it's a big step towards normalcy in technology for the desert nation.

[Image credit: Shbab4ever]

Microsoft lands an official software outlet in Iraq originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 04:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>distributiondistributoriraqlegend landsLegendLandsmicrosoftmicrosoft officemicrosoft windowsmicrosoft windows 7MicrosoftOfficeMicrosoftWindowsMicrosoftWindows7officepiracysoftwarewindowswindows 7Windows7Tue, 29 May 2012 04:07:00 EST<![CDATA[Google adds copyright takedowns to Transparency Reports, 1.2 million a month and growing]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/24/google-adds-copyright-takedowns-to-transparency-reports-1-2-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/24/google-adds-copyright-takedowns-to-transparency-reports-1-2-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/24/google-adds-copyright-takedowns-to-transparency-reports-1-2-mil/#comments Image

Google has been publishing what it's dubbed Transparency Reports for some time now -- detailing things like government requests to remove content from search results or requests for users' information -- and it's now added another big chunk of data to them in the interest of full disclosure. Starting today, you can see the number of removal requests it receives from companies over copyright and piracy concerns. As you can imagine, there's a lot -- over 1.2 million in the past month alone, a number that Google notes is increasing at a substantial rate. Among those asking for takedowns, Microsoft is by far the leader, filing well over half a million requests all by itself in the past month (the film and music industries are also, of course, well represented). You can pour through all the results yourself at the source link below.

Google adds copyright takedowns to Transparency Reports, 1.2 million a month and growing originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 20:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>copyrightcopyright infringementCopyrightInfringementgooglemicrosoftpiracysearchsearch resultsSearchResultstakedowntakedownsThu, 24 May 2012 20:24:00 EST<![CDATA[New DVD anti-piracy warning now packs double the nag]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/10/new-dvd-anti-piracy-warning/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/10/new-dvd-anti-piracy-warning/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/10/new-dvd-anti-piracy-warning/#comments New DVD anti-piracy warning now packs double the nag

Starting this week, you'll find any newly-minted DVDs and Blu-ray discs will now include a similarly fresh anti-piracy message. Homeland Security's special agent badge now partners up with the FBI's own emblem on the new warning played before DVDs -- and it looks like it'll still be unskippable. If this dynamic duo isn't enough to scare into legitimate media consumption, how about another warning screen to really bring it on home? This one features the National Intellectual Property Center, which follows the same "piracy is bad" message, offering a helpful link as to why -- one we're sure you're going to investigate in the middle of movie night. Interestingly, these new screens themselves are still not in the public domain and only the major US movie studios are authorized to use them. No news yet on whether the authorities plan to include another screen explaining this, but you can check that second warning that you'll soon be yelling at right after the break.

Continue reading New DVD anti-piracy warning now packs double the nag

New DVD anti-piracy warning now packs double the nag originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 May 2012 16:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anti-piracyBlu-RayDVDdvdsFBIgovernmenthdpostminiHomeland SecurityHomelandSecuritymediamoviesNational Intellectual Property CenterNationalIntellectualPropertyCenterpiracyThu, 10 May 2012 16:46:00 EST<![CDATA[UK High Court rules ISPs to block Pirate Bay, forgets it ain't the boss anymore]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/30/UK-isps-block-pirate-bay/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/30/UK-isps-block-pirate-bay/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/30/UK-isps-block-pirate-bay/#comments Image

The High Court has ruled that British ISPs must block web-browsing citizens from accessing the infamous Pirate Bay. The controversial ruling comes just six months after the European Court of Justice (a superior court) declared that companies like Sky and TalkTalk were protected against injunctions to block, filter or monitor internet traffic for that purpose. Virgin Media told the BBC that it would comply, before sensibly adding that censorship measures like this are ineffective in the long term.

UK High Court rules ISPs to block Pirate Bay, forgets it ain't the boss anymore originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BlockingBTCensorshipECJEuropean Court of JusticeEuropeanCourtOfJusticeHigh CourtHighCourtISPLawNewzbin2O2PiracyPirate BayPirateBaySkyTalkTalkUKVirgin MediaVirginMediaWeb FilteringWebFilteringMon, 30 Apr 2012 12:18:00 EST<![CDATA[Portuguese opposition party wants 'terabyte tax,' voters want a new opposition party]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/13/portugal-terabyte-tax/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/13/portugal-terabyte-tax/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/13/portugal-terabyte-tax/#comments ImagePortugal's opposition party, Partido Socialista, is pondering a tax on storage media under the flag of copyright protection. Under the proposal, consumers would pay €0.02 for every gigabyte of storage purchased, so a 1TB HDD would cost around €21 ($28) extra, plus an additional levy on devices over that size means a 2TB drive could cost an additional €103.2 ($135). It doesn't just stop at desktop platters: USB sticks, memory cards and even smartphones would also be charged, with any device packing 64GB of storage facing a surcharge of €32 ($42). A party member defended the idea, saying that the tax is aimed at professionals who use larger capacity drives -- but since most consumer HDDs come with a minimum size of 160GB and the legislation is also supposedly meant to tackle piracy, we're not entirely sure it adds up -- except maybe in government coffers.

Update: We're hearing that the bill titled PL118 has been withdrawn in the face of overwhelming common sense.

[Thanks, Ricardo]

Portuguese opposition party wants 'terabyte tax,' voters want a new opposition party originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CellphonesFlash DrivesFlashDrivesGovernmentHard DrivesiPod TaxIpodTaxMemory CardsMemoryCardsPiracyPiracy TaxPiracyTaxPortugalSci/TechSilly GovernmentSillyGovernmentTerabyte TaxTerabyteTaxUSB DrivesUSB flash driveUsbDrivesFri, 13 Apr 2012 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Carpathia wants to delete orphaned Megaupload data, pay the bills]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/23/carpathia-wants-to-delete-orphaned-megaupload-data-pay-the-bill/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/23/carpathia-wants-to-delete-orphaned-megaupload-data-pay-the-bill/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/23/carpathia-wants-to-delete-orphaned-megaupload-data-pay-the-bill/#comments The Federal shut down of Megaupload did more than jail its founders, scare its competitors and worry its users -- it also left Carpathia Hosting footing a $9,000 a day bill. The outfit previously agreed to preserve Megaupload's frozen data, but now that the service's unpaid bills are piling up, it's ready to change its tune. In a emergency motion filed with the U.S. Federal Court in Virginia, Carpathia asked the court to either take the data off its hands, pay it for retaining the data or else allow it to delete the data altogether after allowing users to reclaim their files. The hosting service won't take action on its own, it says, as that might "risk a claim by a party with an interest in the data," such as the Motion Picture Association of America. With any luck, the matter will be settled in a court hearing next month. If not? Well, we'll just take it as a lesson: back up locally, you never know when your files might get wrapped up in the legal system.

Carpathia wants to delete orphaned Megaupload data, pay the bills originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Mar 2012 08:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carpathia hostingCarpathiaHostingcloud lockercloud storageCloudLockerCloudStoragedojeffelectronic frontier foundationElectronicFrontierFoundationfile sharingfilesharinglegalmegauploadMotion Picture Association of AmericapiracySci/TechUnited States federal courtsFri, 23 Mar 2012 08:11:00 EST<![CDATA[In the wake of Megaupload crackdown, fear forces similar sites to shutter sharing services?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/23/in-the-wake-of-megaupload-crackdown-fear-forces-similar-sites-t/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/23/in-the-wake-of-megaupload-crackdown-fear-forces-similar-sites-t/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/23/in-the-wake-of-megaupload-crackdown-fear-forces-similar-sites-t/#comments The Feds put the smackdown on Megaupload and its whole executive team last week, charging them with criminal charges for copyright infringement and racketeering in addition to conspiracy to commit copyright infringement and money laundering. As a result, it appears that several other cloud locker companies have curbed their sharing ways to avoid similar DOJ entanglements. FileSonic and Fileserve have eliminated file sharing from their service menus, and Uploaded.to is no longer available to those of us in the US. Naturally, none of these companies have said that Megaupload's legal problems are the reason for the changes, but the timing suggests it's more than mere coincidence. Disagree? Feel free to speculate about the possibilities in the comments below, and let us know if any other online storage services have made similar moves while you're at it.

In the wake of Megaupload crackdown, fear forces similar sites to shutter sharing services? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cloud lockercloud servicecloud storageCloudLockerCloudServiceCloudStoragecopyright infringementCopyrightInfringementdojfile sharingfileserveFileSharingfilesoniclawsuitlegalmegauploadpiracyuploaded.toMon, 23 Jan 2012 19:42:00 EST<![CDATA[Federal prosecutors shut down Megaupload file-sharing site, founders charged]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/19/federal-prosecutors-shut-down-megaupload-file-sharing-site-foun/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/19/federal-prosecutors-shut-down-megaupload-file-sharing-site-foun/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/19/federal-prosecutors-shut-down-megaupload-file-sharing-site-foun/#comments
Details are still somewhat light at the moment, but reports are now coming out that the popular Megaupload file-sharing site has been shut down by Federal prosecutors in the US, and that the site's founders and other individuals have been charged with violating piracy laws. According to The New York Times, the indictment says that the company has cost copyright holders some $500 million in lost revenue, and that the site was at one time the 13th most popular on the internet. As the Times also notes, this news comes a day after Megaupload voluntarily blacked out its website to protest the SOPA and PIPA anti-piracy legislation now being considered by Congress.

Update: As The Verge reports, the indictment itself doesn't mince any words, calling Megaupload an "international organized criminal enterprise allegedly responsible for massive worldwide online piracy," and alleging that Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom et al generated more than $175 million in "criminal proceeds." Those charges also come with some potentially hefty prison sentences, including a maximum 20 years for conspiracy to commit racketeering, five years for copyright infringement, 20 years for money laundering, and five years for each of the substantive charges of criminal copyright infringement.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Federal prosecutors shut down Megaupload file-sharing site, founders charged originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>file sharingFileSharingmegauploadpiracyThu, 19 Jan 2012 15:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Google, Wikipedia and others protest SOPA / PIPA]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/18/google-wikipedia-protest-sopa-pipa/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/18/google-wikipedia-protest-sopa-pipa/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/18/google-wikipedia-protest-sopa-pipa/#comments At this point, SOPA needs no introduction. But if you've been diligently ignoring it up until this point, good luck getting through January 18th as an uninformed citizen. Google, Wikipedia and a host of other websites are either going dark or making huge, unmistakable statements on their homepages in protest. Google's tagline? "End Piracy, Not Liberty." Pretty much says it all, really. If you've spotted another site rebelling today, shout it out in comments below -- and while you're in the shouting mood, give your local officials a holler and let 'em know just how much you disapprove.

P.S. - An amazing breakdown of this whole thing can be found here at reddit.

Google, Wikipedia and others protest SOPA / PIPA originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 01:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>argumentcongressgooglegovernmentpipapiracyprotectprotestsopawikipediaWed, 18 Jan 2012 01:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft: UK Retailer 'sold 94,000 counterfeit copies of Windows' (Update: Comet responds)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/04/microsoft-uk-retailer-sold-94-000-counterfeit-copies-of-window/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/04/microsoft-uk-retailer-sold-94-000-counterfeit-copies-of-window/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/04/microsoft-uk-retailer-sold-94-000-counterfeit-copies-of-window/#comments
Microsoft has launched an attack on beleaguered electronics retailer Comet -- stating that the British chain pirated 94,000 copies of Vista and XP recovery discs. Comet, which was recently sold off for £2 ($3), allegedly produced the copies at a factory in Hampshire and bundled them with PCs sold at its stores. There's been no official response from Comet yet, but we can't imagine Microsoft would throw this sort of statement around lightly. If you're concerned you are running a counterfeit copy of Windows, check out the How To Tell site below and we'll keep our eyes on this one as the saga unfolds.

Update: Comet has issued the following response to Microsoft's statement which we've got for you in full, after the break.

Continue reading Microsoft: UK Retailer 'sold 94,000 counterfeit copies of Windows' (Update: Comet responds)

Microsoft: UK Retailer 'sold 94,000 counterfeit copies of Windows' (Update: Comet responds) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Jan 2012 06:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BusinessCometComet UKCometUkLawsuitMicrosoftMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows XPMicrosoftWindowsMicrosoftWindowsXpPiracyPirated Recovery DiscPiratedRecoveryDiscRecovery DiscRecoveryDiscSoftwareVistaXPWed, 04 Jan 2012 06:17:00 EST<![CDATA[Bell Canada will stop throttling your P2P traffic, might charge instead]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/25/bell-canada-will-stop-throttling-your-p2p-traffic-might-charge/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/25/bell-canada-will-stop-throttling-your-p2p-traffic-might-charge/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/25/bell-canada-will-stop-throttling-your-p2p-traffic-might-charge/#comments Since the CRTC took a swipe at net neutrality a few years back, Bell Canada internet customers have maligned its P2P packet-shaping ways. From March 1st, however, users can file-share at the speeds nature (or your ISP) intended. In a letter to the aforementioned regulator, Bell points out that improvements to its network and the proliferation of video streaming mean that the more nefarious traffic just isn't denting its capacity like it used to. As such, the firm will withdraw all P2P shaping for both residential and wholesale customers. So, those ISPs buying their bandwidth from Bell could see the amount they need go up, and with talk of a capacity-based billing model, this could mean charges passed on to users. At least, for now, all that legitimate sharing you do will go unhampered.

Bell Canada will stop throttling your P2P traffic, might charge instead originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 25 Dec 2011 08:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bandwidth cappingBandwidthCappingBayFilesbell canadaBellCanadaBitTorrentcanadacopyrightCRTCDRMfile hostingfile sharingFileHostingFileSharingillegallegalp2ppeer to peerpeer-to-peerPeerToPeerpiracythrottlingwholesaleSun, 25 Dec 2011 08:14:00 EST<![CDATA[SOPA hearings underway, tech policy wonks can stream it live]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/15/sopa-hearings-underway-tech-policy-wonks-can-stream-it-live/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/15/sopa-hearings-underway-tech-policy-wonks-can-stream-it-live/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/15/sopa-hearings-underway-tech-policy-wonks-can-stream-it-live/#commentsIPRLike any good tech geek you're probably at least interested in, if not a little concerned by SOPA -- the Stop Online Piracy Act. Well, today is its day in front of the House Judiciary committee. While this is hardly the last stop on the road towards becoming a law for the bill it is one that will be crucial in deciding its fate. Will it be toothless and unenforceable? Simply die in committee? Or will this become a powerful new tool in the battle against piracy? If you're the really wonky type hit up the source link to watch a live stream of the debate.

[Thanks, Tyler]

SOPA hearings underway, tech policy wonks can stream it live originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>governmentHouse Judiciary Committeehouse of representativesHouseJudiciaryCommitteeHouseOfRepresentativesintellectual propertyIntellectualPropertyIPminipostpiracypoliticsSOPAstop online piracy actStopOnlinePiracyActThu, 15 Dec 2011 12:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Federal domain seizure raises new concerns over online censorship]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/09/federal-domain-seizure-raises-new-concerns-over-online-censorshi/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/09/federal-domain-seizure-raises-new-concerns-over-online-censorshi/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/09/federal-domain-seizure-raises-new-concerns-over-online-censorshi/#comments
It's been a little more than a year since the US government began seizing domains of music blogs, torrent meta-trackers and sports streaming sites. The copyright infringement investigation, led by US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorities, quickly raised eyebrows among many free speech and civil rights advocates, fueling a handful of legal challenges. Few are more compelling, or frightening than a case involving Dajaz1.com. As TechDirt reports, the popular hip-hop blog has been at the epicenter of a sinuous and seemingly dystopian dispute with the feds -- one that underscores the heightening controversy surrounding federal web regulation, and blurs the constitutional divide between free speech and intellectual property protection.

Dajaz1 was initially seized under the 2008 Pro IP Act, on the strength of an affidavit that cited several published songs as evidence of copyright infringement. As it turns out, ,any of these songs were actually provided by their copyright holders themselves, but that didn't stop the government from seizing the URL anyway, and plastering a warning all over its homepage. Typically, this kind of action would be the first phase of a two-step process. Once a property is seized, US law dictates that the government has 60 days to notify its owner, who can then choose to file a request for its return. If the suspect chooses to file this request within a 35-day window, the feds must then undertake a so-called forfeiture process within 90 days. Failure to do so would require the government to return the property to its rightful owner. But that's not exactly how things played out in the case of Dajaz1. For more details on the saga, head past the break.

Continue reading Federal domain seizure raises new concerns over online censorship

Federal domain seizure raises new concerns over online censorship originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blogconstitutioncopyrightcopyright infringementCopyrightInfringementcourtdajaz1domaindomain seizureDomainSeizurefedfederalfedsfirst amendmentFirstAmendmentgovernmenthearinghip hopHipHopICEImmigration and Customs EnforcementImmigrationAndCustomsEnforcementlawlegalmusicpiracypoliticsseizureSOPAtechdirtUS governmentUsGovernmentwebwebsiteFri, 09 Dec 2011 15:21:00 EST<![CDATA[Napster name will live on to irritate Lars Ulrich another day in UK, Germany]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/05/napster-name-will-live-on-to-irritate-lars-ulrich-another-day-in/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/05/napster-name-will-live-on-to-irritate-lars-ulrich-another-day-in/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/05/napster-name-will-live-on-to-irritate-lars-ulrich-another-day-in/#comments Those who declared the death of Napster have apparently underestimated the survival skills of the plucky headphone-wearing feline. The piracy-enabler-turned-legit-streaming-service will continue to live on under that moniker in the UK and Germany, in spite of its being swallowed up by the Rhapsody name here in the States, according to the company.

Napster name will live on to irritate Lars Ulrich another day in UK, Germany originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionminipostmusicmusic streamingmusic streaming serviceMusicStreamingMusicStreamingServicenapsterpiracyrhapsodystreamingMon, 05 Dec 2011 19:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Napster uses up another one of its lives, now fully merged with Rhapsody]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/02/napster-uses-up-another-one-of-its-lives-now-fully-merged-with/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/02/napster-uses-up-another-one-of-its-lives-now-fully-merged-with/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/02/napster-uses-up-another-one-of-its-lives-now-fully-merged-with/#comments
The last dozen years have been quite the roller coaster ride for the Napster crew. The service, which became synonymous with music piracy not all that long after its launch in 1999, made more than its share of high profile enemies, ranging from the RIAA to Metallica. It would soon shut its doors for a first time, thanks to a number of legal challengers. Napster was later reborn as a legit music streaming service, but the beginning of the end for that incarnation was marked earlier this year when Rhapsody, one of the company's chief competitors, announced plans to acquire the service. Yesterday marked the end of the road for Napster again -- the service now fully merged with Rhapsody. Why not pay your respects by breaking out some of the mislabeled, decade-old MP3s that are no doubt lurking on an unused hard drive in the back of your closet?

Continue reading Napster uses up another one of its lives, now fully merged with Rhapsody

Napster uses up another one of its lives, now fully merged with Rhapsody originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Dec 2011 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aquisitionmergermusicmusic streamingMusicStreamingnapsterpiracyrhapsodyFri, 02 Dec 2011 10:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Blu-ray video encryption cracked using $260 kit]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/28/blu-ray-video-encryption-cracked-using-260-kit/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/28/blu-ray-video-encryption-cracked-using-260-kit/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/28/blu-ray-video-encryption-cracked-using-260-kit/#comments When a master key for HDCP encryption surfaced last year, Intel hardly broke a sweat. It declared that nobody could use the key to unlock Blu-rays or other protected sources unless they got into the semiconductor business and "made a computer chip" of their own. Oh Mann, didn't they realize? That sort of language is like a red rag to a German post-grad, and now Ruhr University's Secure Hardware Group has produced the ultimate rebuttal: a custom board that uses a field programmable gate array (FPGA) board to sit between a Blu-ray player and TV and decode the passing traffic. Student price: €200, and no silly bodysuits required.

Blu-ray video encryption cracked using $260 kit originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 Nov 2011 06:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Blu-raycopyingCrackdown-2digital rights managementDigitalRightsManagementdrmencryptionfpgahackhackerHDCPhdmihdpostcrossIntelpiracypiraterippingRuhr universityRuhrUniversitysecure hardware groupSecureHardwareGroupsecurityvideovideo encryptionVideoEncryptionXilinxMon, 28 Nov 2011 06:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Court holds European ISPs can't be forced to filter traffic, users free to fly the jolly roger]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/24/court-holds-european-isps-cant-be-forced-to-filter-traffic-use/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/24/court-holds-european-isps-cant-be-forced-to-filter-traffic-use/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/24/court-holds-european-isps-cant-be-forced-to-filter-traffic-use/#comments It's been a sliver under a month since UK ISP British Telecom was ordered to cut all ties to filesharing site Newzbin 2. Now, a European court decision deals a counter blow to media owners by denying their demands to hustle ISPs into tracking freeloading downloaders. Specifically, the court held that it was illegal to force an ISP to install and maintain a system filtering all of its traffic as it could infringe customer privacy rights. While the decision will prove unpopular in big-wig boardrooms, joe public will no doubt be pleased with the court's upholding of both net neutrality, and of course not having to shred quite as many strongly worded letters from his or her ISP.

Court holds European ISPs can't be forced to filter traffic, users free to fly the jolly roger originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Nov 2011 18:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>btcopyrightdownloaddownloadingDownloadsEUeuropefilesharingillegal downloadsIllegalDownloadsinternet service providerInternetServiceProvideripisplegalmusicNet NeutralityNetNeutralitypeer to peerPeerToPeerpiracypiratePirate BayPirateBaypiratesprivacyThu, 24 Nov 2011 18:12:00 EST<![CDATA[STHoldings withdraws more than 200 record labels from Spotify, does so with gusto]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/21/stholdings-withdraws-more-than-200-record-labels-from-spotify-d/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/21/stholdings-withdraws-more-than-200-record-labels-from-spotify-d/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/21/stholdings-withdraws-more-than-200-record-labels-from-spotify-d/#comments STHoldings stormed its way out of Spotify this week, leaving only a trail of choice words in its wake. On Wednesday, the distributor boldly withdrew more than 200 of its record labels from Spotify, Rdio, Simfy and Napster, following the release of a study that cast the music subscription industry in a rather unfavorable light. According to the research, carried out by NPD Group and NARM, cloud-based services like Spotify and Rdio deter consumers from purchasing music via other channels. Amid concerns that these companies may "cannibalise the revenues of more traditional digital services," STHoldings decided to withdraw its catalogue of more than 200 labels. In fact, of the 238 labels consulted on the decision, just four expressed a desire to remain with Spotify, et al.

"As a distributor we have to do what is best for our labels," STHoldings explained, in a statement. "The majority of which do not want their music on such services because of the poor revenues and the detrimental affect on sales. Add to that the feeling that their music loses its specialness by its exploitation as a low value/free commodity." The distributor went on to quote one of its labels with a line that rhymes with "duck modify." In comparatively subdued response, Spotify said it respects STHoldings' decision, but still hopes that the labels "will change their minds." The Swedish company also contested STHoldings' study-backed arguments against it, claiming that it has "already convinced millions of consumers to pay for music again," and assuring that artists' revenue streams will "continue to grow." Read more about the study, the stats and the spat at the links below.

STHoldings withdraws more than 200 record labels from Spotify, does so with gusto originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Nov 2011 06:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businessdistributordownloadindustrylabelmoneymusicmusic labelMusicLabelnapsterNARMNPD GroupNpdGrouppiracyrdiorecord industryrecord labelRecordIndustryrecording industryRecordingIndustryRecordLabelrevenueSpotifySTHoldingsstreamingstudysubscriptionMon, 21 Nov 2011 06:42:00 EST<![CDATA[Google, Facebook, Twitter and others speak out against the Stop Online Piracy Act]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/16/google-facebook-twitter-and-others-speak-out-against-the-stop/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/16/google-facebook-twitter-and-others-speak-out-against-the-stop/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/16/google-facebook-twitter-and-others-speak-out-against-the-stop/#comments
Earlier today, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the proposed Stop Online Piracy Act (or SOPA) which, depending on who you ask, is either a means to stop piracy and copyright infringement on so-called "rogue" websites, or the most serious threat of internet censorship that we've seen in some time. In the latter camp are some of the biggest internet companies around, including Google, Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo, eBay, LinkedIn, Mozilla, Zynga and AOL (full disclosure: Engadget's parent company), who today made their stance clear by taking out a full-page ad in The New York Times.

The ad itself is a letter sent by the nine companies to Congress, which states that while they support the stated goals of the bill and the related Protect IP Act, they believe that, as written, the bills "would expose law-abiding U.S. Internet and technology companies to new uncertain liabilities, private rights of action, and technology mandates that would require monitoring of web sites." The companies further went on to say that they believe the measures also "pose a serious risk to our industry's continued track record of innovation and job-creation, as well as to our Nation's cybersecurity." While they didn't all sign onto the letter, those companies also also joined by a host of others who have spoken out against the legislation, including Foursquare and Tumblr. The sole witness against the proposed measures at today's hearing, however, was Google's copyright policy counsel, Katherine Oyama -- you can find her testimony on Google's Public Policy Blog linked below.

Google, Facebook, Twitter and others speak out against the Stop Online Piracy Act originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Nov 2011 15:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AOcensorshipcongresseBayfacebookfoursquaregooglehearinghouselegislationLinkedInMozillapiracyprotect ip actProtectIpActsenatesopastop online piracy actStopOnlinePiracyActtumblrtwiiterTwitterYahooZyngaWed, 16 Nov 2011 15:43:00 EST<![CDATA[UK court orders ISP to block Newzbin 2 filesharing site within two weeks, Hollywood smiles]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/27/uk-court-orders-isp-to-block-newzbin-2-filesharing-site-within-t/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/27/uk-court-orders-isp-to-block-newzbin-2-filesharing-site-within-t/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/27/uk-court-orders-isp-to-block-newzbin-2-filesharing-site-within-t/#comments Pirates just can't catch a break these days. Way back in July, a British judge ordered telecom company BT to block its subscribers from visiting a site called Newzbin 2, on the grounds that the ISP had "actual knowledge" of customers using the platform access copyright infringing content. An appeal was soon filed, but yesterday, it was shot down by a high court. Under the order, BT will have 14 days to seal off access to Newzbin 2, and will have to do so on its own dime -- something the provider was aiming to avoid. The decision marks the first time that an ISP has been forced to block access to a filesharing site, something the Motion Picture Association heralded as "a win for the creative sector." BT, meanwhile, didn't have much to say about the ruling, stating only that "it is helpful to have the order now and the clarity that it brings." Less certain, however, is the impact this order will have on future copyright lawsuits and web censorship, in general. Find the ruling in its entirety at the coverage link, below.

UK court orders ISP to block Newzbin 2 filesharing site within two weeks, Hollywood smiles originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 09:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blockbritainbritishBTcensorshipcopyrightcopyright infringementCopyrightInfringementcourtenglandfile sharingFileSharinghigh courtHighCourthollywoodinternet service providerInternetServiceProviderISPjudgelawlegalmotion picture associationMotionPictureAssociationmoviesnewzbin 2Newzbin2piracypirateukunited kingdomUnitedKingdomURLwebThu, 27 Oct 2011 09:56:00 EST<![CDATA[Google to launch MP3 store in coming weeks?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/14/google-to-launch-mp3-store-in-coming-weeks/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/14/google-to-launch-mp3-store-in-coming-weeks/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/14/google-to-launch-mp3-store-in-coming-weeks/#comments Details are still scarce here, but the New York Times is reporting that Google is about to launch a new MP3 store, as part of its ongoing foray into the music business. According to sources within the industry, the platform, not surprisingly, would be directly linked to Google Music Beta and may launch within the next few weeks -- perhaps even before Apple unveils iTunes Match, at the end of this month. It remains to be seen, however, whether Big G will be able to finalize negotiations with record labels and publishers before launching the initiative in earnest -- a potentially major hurdle, considering Google's recent track record. As you may recall, previous negotiations over a proposed locker-type storage service ultimately broke down earlier this year, amid concerns over licensing and illegal file-sharing. As one label executive told the Times, the recording industry desperately wants to "make sure the locker doesn't become a bastion of piracy." An MP3 store, of course, isn't exactly a radical proposal, but its future will likely hinge upon Google's ability to mend relations with a sector it recently characterized as "unreasonable and unsustainable."

Google to launch MP3 store in coming weeks? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Oct 2011 13:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonapplebusinessfile sharingFileSharinggooglegoogle musicgoogle music betaGoogleMusicGoogleMusicBetaituneslabellicensingmoneymp3musicnegotiationsnew york timesNewYorkTimespiracyrecordrecord labelrecording industryRecordingIndustryRecordLabelretailrumorFri, 14 Oct 2011 13:04:00 EST<![CDATA[Ditching DRM could reduce piracy, prices, inconvenience]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/09/ditching-drm-could-reduce-piracy-prices-inconvenience/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/09/ditching-drm-could-reduce-piracy-prices-inconvenience/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/09/ditching-drm-could-reduce-piracy-prices-inconvenience/#commentsDown with DRMThis may run counter to what your common sense tells you but, a new paper out of Duke and Rice University says that ditching DRM could actually reduce piracy. The study, which relied on analytical modeling, showed that while copy protection made illegally sharing content more difficult it had a significantly negative impact on legal users. In fact, the researchers say, "only the legal users pay the price and suffer from the restrictions [of DRM]." Many consumers simply choose to pirate music and movies because doing simple things, like backing up a media collection, is difficult with DRMed content. Even the most effective DRM is eventually broken, and fails to deter those already determined to steal. Meanwhile, abandoning these restrictions could increase competition and drive down prices (as well as remove a serious inconvenience), encouraging more people to legitimately purchase content. You can check out the November-December issue of Marketing Science for more details.

Ditching DRM could reduce piracy, prices, inconvenience originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 09 Oct 2011 20:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DRMDRM freeDrmFreedukeduke universityDukeUniversitypiracyresearchricerice universityRiceUniversitystudySun, 09 Oct 2011 20:22:00 EST<![CDATA[French court reverses DS flash cart ruling, Nintendo smiles]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/04/french-court-reverses-ds-flash-cart-ruling-nintendo-smiles/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/04/french-court-reverses-ds-flash-cart-ruling-nintendo-smiles/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/04/french-court-reverses-ds-flash-cart-ruling-nintendo-smiles/#commentsNearly two years ago, a French court dismissed a lawsuit that Nintendo filed against a group of vendors accused of illegally selling DS flash carts. At the time, the game-maker argued that sales of the cartridges should be halted on the grounds that they could be used to illegally pirate software, but the presiding judge thought differently, countering that the R4-like devices could be used to develop homebrews or other DIY projects. Last week, however, the Paris Court of Appeals overturned the ruling, in a decision that Nintendo has met with understandable delight. In a statement released today, the company confirmed that Divineo SARL and five other flash cart retailers must pay a total of €460,000 in criminal fines, along with €4.8 million in damages to Nintendo, as ordered by the appeals court. Details behind the ruling remain vague, though Nintendo hailed it as a "strong message to French companies... that such activities are illegal and will not be tolerated," and that convicted vendors will "risk prison terms, face substantial fines and obligations to pay damages." Sail past the break to read Nintendo's statement, in full.

Continue reading French court reverses DS flash cart ruling, Nintendo smiles

French court reverses DS flash cart ruling, Nintendo smiles originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 18:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appealappealsappeals courtAppealsCourtcopycourtdamagesdivineodivineo SARLDivineoSarlDIYDSflash cartflash cartridgeFlashCartFlashCartridgefrancefrenchgamehomebrewjudgemagicommoneynintendoNintendo DSNintendoDsoverturnparispiracyR4softwareTue, 04 Oct 2011 18:13:00 EST<![CDATA[Voltage Pictures dismisses 90 percent of defendants in Hurt Locker file-sharing lawsuit]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/03/voltage-pictures-dismisses-90-percent-of-defendants-in-hurt-lock/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/03/voltage-pictures-dismisses-90-percent-of-defendants-in-hurt-lock/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/03/voltage-pictures-dismisses-90-percent-of-defendants-in-hurt-lock/#comments
That record-breaking Hurt Locker lawsuit may not be so impressive after all, now that Voltage Pictures has slashed a major chunk of defendants from its file-sharing complaint. Last week, the company voluntarily dismissed about 90 percent of the 24,583 defendants originally named in the suit, according to documents filed with the US District Court for the District of Columbia. The dismissals were made without prejudice, meaning they could theoretically be re-targeted in the future, though the number of those that reached settlements with Voltage remains unclear. The company also identified some of the alleged file-sharers by name, but acknowledged that 2,278 IP addresses remain anonymous. For more details, check out the coverage from TorrentFreak, where you'll find the full list of dismissed IP addresses, along with the recently-named defendants.

Voltage Pictures dismisses 90 percent of defendants in Hurt Locker file-sharing lawsuit originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Oct 2011 05:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>complaintcourtdefendantdismissalfile sharingfile-sharingFileSharinghurt lockerHurtLockerIP addressIpAddressISPlawlawsuitlegalminipostmoviemoviespiracythe hurt lockerTheHurtLockerUS District CourtUsDistrictCourtvoltage picturesVoltagePicturesMon, 03 Oct 2011 05:01:00 EST<![CDATA[European Union extends Beatles' copyright, still gonna have to buy the White Album]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/14/european-union-extends-beatles-copyright-still-gonna-have-to-b/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/14/european-union-extends-beatles-copyright-still-gonna-have-to-b/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/14/european-union-extends-beatles-copyright-still-gonna-have-to-b/#comments
If you've been waiting for the hits of the '60s to lapse into the public domain, prepare to be disappointed. The European Union has agreed to extend the term of protection for sound recordings -- which previously lasted for 50 -- to 70 years. That means the White Album won't be free to own until 2038. The extension was granted to guarantee income for performers in their old age who would otherwise lose out, such as impoverished multi-millionaire Sir Paul McCartney. Opinions are divided, with record companies praising the move and open-rights groups being a lot less enthusiastic. An interesting point to note is that the move was done in spite of government-funded research to the contrary. Either way, ever increasing copyright legislation means it's far more likely we'll see even more extreme anti-piracy adverts, just like the one after the break.

Continue reading European Union extends Beatles' copyright, still gonna have to buy the White Album

European Union extends Beatles' copyright, still gonna have to buy the White Album originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 20:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>139721160s Copyright60sCopyrightCopyrightCopyright ExtensionCopyrightExtensionEuropean UnionEuropean Union CopyrightEuropeanUnionEuropeanUnionCopyrightMusicOpen RightsOpenRightsPiracyRecord LabelsRecordLabelsSir Paul McCartneySirPaulMccartneyThe BeatlesThe IT CrowdTheBeatlesTheItCrowdvideoWed, 14 Sep 2011 20:39:00 EST<![CDATA[WikiLeaks cables shed light on Apple's battle against counterfeit wares]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/01/wikileaks-cables-shed-light-on-apples-battle-against-counterfei/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/01/wikileaks-cables-shed-light-on-apples-battle-against-counterfei/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/01/wikileaks-cables-shed-light-on-apples-battle-against-counterfei/#comments Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but if you're Rolex, Gucci or Apple, you probably aren't very interested in being flattered. Due to Apple's intense popularity, an entire industry has arisen that thrives on knocking off the iconic wares Designed in Cupertino. We've seen plenty in our day, and while it may strike some as if Apple's doing absolutely nothing to curtail the aping, a new WikiLeaks release confirms otherwise. According to an electronic memo from the Beijing embassy dated September 2008, Apple began to put obvious and deliberate pressure on China to act against businesses who were copying its wares a few years back. As it turns out, knocking out the knockoffs isn't exactly high on China's list of governmental priorities, and progress on halting the KIRF extravaganza has been sluggish at best. The entire story is quite the exhausting read, but it's worth delving into if you're curious -- per usual, you can get educated in the links below.

WikiLeaks cables shed light on Apple's battle against counterfeit wares originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Sep 2011 18:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AppleasiachinacounterfeitcounterfeitingfakeiosipadiphoneJohn TheriaultJohnTheriaultKIRFknock offKnockOffleakleakspiracyrip offRipOffwikileaksThu, 01 Sep 2011 18:41:00 EST<![CDATA[Pirate Bay founders launch 'copyright respecting' BayFiles sharing site, still dream of a life on Sealand]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/01/pirate-bay-founders-launch-copyright-respecting-bayfiles-shari/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/01/pirate-bay-founders-launch-copyright-respecting-bayfiles-shari/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/01/pirate-bay-founders-launch-copyright-respecting-bayfiles-shari/#comments It ain't often that the hated few have a genuine change of heart, but it sounds as if the folks who founded The Pirate Bay are tired of sailing the same seas. After years of turning a blind eye to content mavens across the globe, Fredrik Neij and co. have launched what appears to be a legitimate file-sharing site -- one that's "respectful of copyrights." For all intents and purposes, BayFiles is yet another alternative to RapidShare and MegaUpload, acting as a cyberlocker that allows anyone with a web browser to upload files to share via a unique URL. Unregistered users will be limited to a 250MB upload, while standard members get bumped to 500MB and paying 'Premium' members can share up to 5GB per link. According to the terms of service, content that "violates third-party copyrights" cannot be uploaded, and folks who routinely ignore said words could face account termination. Head on down to the source to get started, and if you fall in love, you can pony up €5 a month, €25 for six months, or €45 for 12 months to claim your membership.

Pirate Bay founders launch 'copyright respecting' BayFiles sharing site, still dream of a life on Sealand originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Sep 2011 15:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BayFilesBitTorrentcopyrightDRMfile hostingfile sharingFileHostingFileSharingillegallegalMPAAp2ppeer to peerpeer-to-peerPeerToPeerpiracyPirate BayPirateBayRIAAThe Pirate BayThePirateBayThu, 01 Sep 2011 15:43:00 EST<![CDATA[British judge doesn't like the cut of Newzbin 2's jib, orders BT to block it]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/29/british-judge-doesnt-like-the-cut-of-newzbin-2s-jib-orders-bt/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/29/british-judge-doesnt-like-the-cut-of-newzbin-2s-jib-orders-bt/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/29/british-judge-doesnt-like-the-cut-of-newzbin-2s-jib-orders-bt/#comments Shiver-me-timbers, it looks like the movie studios' latest legal broadside just scored a direct hit against the big bad pirate ship. A UK judge has ordered telecoms giant BT to block its subscribers from visiting Newzbin 2, a site which aggregates Usenet downloads, on the simple basis that BT knows some of its customers are using the site to breach copyright law and therefore has a duty to stop them. This counts as an unprecedented victory for the Motion Picture Association, who brought the case, and it potentially arms them with a new weapon to force ISPs to block other sites in future. Could that be Newzbin 3 we spy on the horizon?

British judge doesn't like the cut of Newzbin 2's jib, orders BT to block it originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jul 2011 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blockBritish TelecomBritishTelecomBTcopyrightcopyright infringementCopyrightInfringementcourt caseCourtCaseHigh CourtHighCourtillegal downloadsIllegalDownloadsinfringementisplegallegal caselegal proceedingsLegalCaseLegalProceedingsMotion Picture AssociationMotionPictureAssociationnewsbinnewzbin 2Newzbin2piracypiratepirate sitespiratesPirateSitesUK high courtUkHighCourtusenetFri, 29 Jul 2011 08:01:00 EST<![CDATA[China's Baidu licenses music from major US record labels for streaming and downloads]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/19/chinas-baidu-licenses-music-from-major-us-record-labels-for-str/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/19/chinas-baidu-licenses-music-from-major-us-record-labels-for-str/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/19/chinas-baidu-licenses-music-from-major-us-record-labels-for-str/#comments In a move suggesting they might be ready to accept the realities of the internet era, major US record labels have reached a deal with Chinese search engine company Baidu. The agreement between the search giant and One-Stop China, a joint venture of Universal, Warner and Sony BMG, will result in licensed tracks popping up in searches instead of pirated ones and resolve years of legal wrangling between the two sides. Baidu launched its ting! social music service earlier this year with support from local labels and EMI, while this new deal will see labels paid per-play, per-download and from advertising. Between this and the recent launch of Spotify in the US the cheap and easy fun of music piracy is slipping away rapidly, if record labels continue to act sensibly then illegal downloads will soon be limited to hipsters ironically cracking open vintage editions of Soulseek.

Continue reading China's Baidu licenses music from major US record labels for streaming and downloads

China's Baidu licenses music from major US record labels for streaming and downloads originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Jul 2011 08:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>baiduchinalicensingmucispiracyriaasonysony bmgSonyBmgtinguniversaluniversal music groupUniversalMusicGroupwarnerwarner musicWarnerMusicTue, 19 Jul 2011 08:32:00 EST<![CDATA[ISP's agree on Copyright Alert System, plan to notify you to death for piracy infringements]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/08/isps-agree-on-copyright-alert-system-plan-to-notify-you-to-dea/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/08/isps-agree-on-copyright-alert-system-plan-to-notify-you-to-dea/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/08/isps-agree-on-copyright-alert-system-plan-to-notify-you-to-dea/#comments Too little, too late, we're afraid. For the past decade or so, the RIAA (amongst others) have spent every waking hour figuring out how to best sue and frighten every internet-connected human that even dares think about an illegal download. Now that said practice has failed miserably, it's finally resorting to something sensible. The entity announced today that AT&T, Verizon, Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Cablevision have teamed up with the RIAA and MPAA in order to agree upon a six-stage notification system that'll electronically alert internet users whenever their account is used for wrongful downloading. It's actually not all that much different than the systems that have been in place at Suddenlink for what feels like eons, but at least this creates a standard protocol that the whole lot can adhere to. Oh, and before you ask -- under no circumstances will any of these notices result in termination of your broadband connection. There's no way an ISP would agree to such a thing, and indeed, they haven't here. The full run-down can be delved into below, but it's worth noting that no extra "watching" procedures are being put into place; your ISP will only drop you a line if a content overlord asks 'em to. Good times, no?

Continue reading ISP's agree on Copyright Alert System, plan to notify you to death for piracy infringements

ISP's agree on Copyright Alert System, plan to notify you to death for piracy infringements originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 Jul 2011 09:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>attbittorrentbroadbandCablevisionComcastcopyrightcopyright alertcopyright alertsCopyrightAlertCopyrightAlertsdownloaddownloadingdrmfile sharingFileSharingfiosillegalillegal downloadsIllegalDownloadsinternetispmpaap2ppiracyriaaTime Warner CableTimeWarnerCableu-verseVerizonwarningFri, 08 Jul 2011 09:12:00 EST<![CDATA[Warner brings Pay-Per-View, Video on Demand to China, hopes people will actually pay for it]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/15/warner-brings-pay-per-view-video-on-demand-to-china-hopes-peop/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/15/warner-brings-pay-per-view-video-on-demand-to-china-hopes-peop/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/15/warner-brings-pay-per-view-video-on-demand-to-china-hopes-peop/#comments Piracy may run rampant in China, but that hasn't stopped Warner Bros. from launching the country's first national Pay-Per-View and Video on Demand service. Under the program, movies like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 1 will be broadcast on You On Demand's platform, and distributed to Chinese living rooms in cooperation with China Home Cinema -- a branch of CCTV-6. According to You On Demand's estimates, the service should be available in about three million homes by the end of this summer, and will have the potential to reach a full 200 million cable-equipped households. That's certainly a huge market, and one that could provide some serious revenue -- assuming, of course, that people are actually willing to pay for movies. Full PR after the break.

Continue reading Warner brings Pay-Per-View, Video on Demand to China, hopes people will actually pay for it

Warner brings Pay-Per-View, Video on Demand to China, hopes people will actually pay for it originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Jun 2011 04:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businesscablecctv-6chinachina home cinemaChinaHomeCinemachinesedealdistributiondistribution dealDistributionDealentertainmentfilmmoneymoviepay per viewPayPerViewpeoples republic of chinaPeoplesRepublicOfChinapiracyvideo on demandVideoOnDemandwarnerwarner brosWarnerBrosWed, 15 Jun 2011 04:26:00 EST<![CDATA[Tennessee bill broadens scope of 'theft,' wide enough to include web-based subscription services?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/03/tennessee-bill-broadens-scope-of-theft-wide-enough-to-include/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/03/tennessee-bill-broadens-scope-of-theft-wide-enough-to-include/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/03/tennessee-bill-broadens-scope-of-theft-wide-enough-to-include/#comments
This week, Tennessee signed a bill that made waves across the web, with many sites claiming that sharing your log-in credentials for services such as Netflix could soon land you in the slammer. The actual story isn't that simple. The bill essentially adds onto laws pertaining to the theft of 'services' in the legal sense by covering more things that can be defined under the title. For instance, the original list included cable services, to keep folks from jacking free HBO -- now, stealing "entertainment subscription services" can make you a felon as well.

Tennessee has always been a hotspot for the recording industry, so there's almost no question about what this bill was meant to fight; during a senate hearing for the bill, the RIAA itself explained that online music services could be pirated via password sharing. It also added, though, that users who share passwords "en-masse" are the focus, rather than individual cases like it had pursued in the past.

However, this bill covers more than online services and could even extend to physical media such as magazines, another example vulnerable to this type of theft. Furthermore, while sharing passwords to these "entertainment services" may be illegal after its enactment on July 1st, that's not what this legislation is technically about; the RIAA would still need to prove that password sharing equates to theft in a court of law. You can check the links down below for more details.

Tennessee bill broadens scope of 'theft,' wide enough to include web-based subscription services? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Jun 2011 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>debunkdownloadentertainment subscription serviceEntertainmentSubscriptionServicehb 1783Hb1783moviesmusicNetflixpiracyriaasb 1659Sb1659servicesstealingtennesseetheftFri, 03 Jun 2011 09:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Hurt Locker lawsuit targets a record-breaking 24,583 IP addresses]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/27/hurt-locker-lawsuit-targets-a-record-breaking-24-583-ip-addresse/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/27/hurt-locker-lawsuit-targets-a-record-breaking-24-583-ip-addresse/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/27/hurt-locker-lawsuit-targets-a-record-breaking-24-583-ip-addresse/#comments
It's been almost a year since the producers of The Hurt Locker filed a lawsuit against 5,000 alleged pirates suspected of distributing the film via BitTorrent. Now Voltage Pictures has updated its complaint, adding almost 20,000 IP addresses to the list of defendants. That makes it the largest file-sharing lawsuit of all time -- a crown previously held by the company behind The Expendables, according to Wired. The plaintiff has already reached agreements with Charter and Verizon to identify individual users, but no such deal with Comcast, who owns nearly half the supposedly infringing addresses. Linking those addresses with user accounts would let Voltage manage individual settlements -- probably somewhere between $1,000-$2,000 -- rather than continue legal action. All of this eerily echoes the Oscar-winning film's plot, about an adrenaline junkie who couldn't resist downloading just one more movie. Or defusing one more bomb. We're a little fuzzy on the details, but venture into TorrentFreak to scan for familiar IP addresses.

Hurt Locker lawsuit targets a record-breaking 24,583 IP addresses originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 May 2011 15:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BitTorrentchartercomcastcopyright infringementCopyrightInfringementhurt lockerHurtLockerlaw suitLawSuitlegallitigationmoviespiracypiratesuitthe hurt lockerTheHurtLockertorrentverizonvoltagevoltage picturesVoltagePicturesFri, 27 May 2011 15:11:00 EST<![CDATA[The Protect IP Act: Google's Eric Schmidt squares off against RIAA and MPAA]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/22/the-protect-ip-act-googles-eric-schmidt-squares-off-against-ri/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/22/the-protect-ip-act-googles-eric-schmidt-squares-off-against-ri/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/22/the-protect-ip-act-googles-eric-schmidt-squares-off-against-ri/#comments The Protect IP Act: Google's Eric Schmidt squares off against RIAA and MPAA Protecting intellectual property sounds like such a noble cause that you'd have to be a anarchistic free-market extremist to be against the idea, right? Actually, we don't think Google CEO Eric Schmidt is particularly extreme in any definable way, yet this past week he spoke with gusto, railing against the proposed Protect IP Act, which was designed to "prevent online threats to economic creativity and theft of intellectual property." If passed into law, it would give the government the right to shut down any "Internet site dedicated to infringing activities" -- "infringing activities" largely being of the sort that allows dude A to download copyrighted item B from dude C when it's unclear whether dude C has legal rights to be distributing B in the first place.

So, you know, it's targeting the Pirate Bay and its ilk, giving government officials greater power to sweep in and snag the domains of such sites. Schmidt calls this approach a set of "arbitrarily simple solutions to complex problems" that "sets a very bad precedent." The precedent? That it's okay for democratic governments to go and kill any site they don't like, something Schmidt says would only encourage restrictive policies in countries like China. While we don't think China really needs any sort of encouragement at all to keep on building up its Great Firewall, we tend to agree that this is a much more complicated problem than the Act makes it out to be. That said, one must admit that Schmidt's opinions are necessarily somewhat swayed by the knowledge that any such law would also have a negative impact on the business of search engines in general.

But of course no such volley of words could go unanswered from the two shining knights of copyright protection, the MPAA and RIAA, which mounted up their corporate blogs, rode down from twin castles full of lawyers, and collectively told Schmidt he's full of it. The MPAA spun Schmidt's comments into some sort of act of civil disobedience, saying that "Google seems to think it's above America's laws." Meanwhile, the RIAA called the statement "a confusing step backwards by one of the most influential internet companies." Obviously it's only going to get nastier from here, so buckle your seatbelts, place your bets, and hang on to your BitTorrent clients.

The Protect IP Act: Google's Eric Schmidt squares off against RIAA and MPAA originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 May 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>copyrightcopyright protectionCopyrightProtectioneric schmidtEricSchmidtgooglegovernmentinternetlawmpaapiracypirateprotect ipProtectIpriaaSun, 22 May 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Some Xbox 360s won't read discs; Microsoft to comp owners with a new system, year of XBL (Update)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/18/some-xbox-360s-wont-read-new-discs-microsoft-to-comp-owners-wi/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/18/some-xbox-360s-wont-read-new-discs-microsoft-to-comp-owners-wi/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/18/some-xbox-360s-wont-read-new-discs-microsoft-to-comp-owners-wi/#comments There may have been a good reason for that wide beta test Microsoft ran to test out its new disc format for the Xbox 360. While it will allow for an extra 1GB of storage space for new games and (it hopes) stop piracy, apparently some consoles contain drives that cannot read the new XGD3 discs. The details can be seen in the email pictured above posted by Reddit user Avery Penn and were verified as real by the Xbox Support Twitter account, but now it's responding to inquiries by saying the replacements are in response to a previous update and not the upcoming one that has been in beta. Adding to the confusion, Microsoft Europe confirmed the initial report and points affected users towards the support page to get sorted out. One way or another, affected owners can expect to be mollified by getting their Xbox 360s replaced with new 250GB Xbox 360S models plus a free year of XBL for the trouble. We haven't gotten an official response about the plan yet but are still checking, so your plan to hoard old consoles and get free replacements en masse is probably equal parts premature and Seinfeldian genius.

Update: Microsoft has responded, confirming that the earlier statement was incorrect and this is not related to the update being beta tested. If you're wondering how many people are in for a swap, all we could find out is that something less than 10,000 of the 50 million or so Xbox 360s sold worldwide are affected. Check after the break for the official word, but if you have one of the boxes and are connected to XBL you should expect to receive a notice in your email.

Continue reading Some Xbox 360s won't read discs; Microsoft to comp owners with a new system, year of XBL (Update)

Some Xbox 360s won't read discs; Microsoft to comp owners with a new system, year of XBL (Update) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 May 2011 11:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>360sdisc formatDiscFormatdvdmicrosoftpiracyreplacementreplacementsswapxbox 360xbox 360 sXbox360Xbox360Sxgd3Wed, 18 May 2011 11:52:00 EST<![CDATA[What stalled negotiations between Google and the music industry? (Hint: money)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/12/what-stalled-negotiations-between-google-and-the-music-industry/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/12/what-stalled-negotiations-between-google-and-the-music-industry/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/12/what-stalled-negotiations-between-google-and-the-music-industry/#comments It's no secret that negotiations between Google and the recording industry haven't been going very well. Perhaps even less surprising are the reasons behind the stalemate. According to the Hollywood Reporter, discussions between the two parties have sputtered thanks to three usual suspects: money, file-sharing and concerns over competition. During licensing talks, Google agreed to pay upfront advances to all participating labels, but the major players wanted bigger guarantees. That prompted the indie contingent to ask for similar money, unleashing a snowball of stakes-raising. The two sides also failed to agree on how to handle pirated music, with the industry demanding that Google not only ban illegally downloaded files from users' lockers, but that it erase P2P sites from its search results, as well.

Hovering above all this bargaining was a thick cloud of destabilizing uncertainty. Some execs welcomed the idea of a new iTunes competitor, while others were less enthusiastic, amid concerns that Google Music wouldn't deliver new revenue streams. The ultimate question, of course, is how negotiations will proceed now that Google's already launched the service. The labels were warned that Tuesday's I/O announcement was coming, but the search giant didn't do much to mend fences when it effectively blamed the record execs for holding up negotiations. It's hard to say whether Google's bravado will help or hurt matters, but according to a source from a major label, "People are pissed."

What stalled negotiations between Google and the music industry? (Hint: money) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 May 2011 16:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cloudentertainmentfilesharinggooglegoogle ioGoogle IO 2011google musicGoogleIoGoogleIo2011GoogleMusicIllegalDownloadsiTuneslaunchlicenselicensinglockermoneymusicnegotiationsp2ppiracyrecordrecord industryRecordIndustryRecordLabelsearchThu, 12 May 2011 16:12:00 EST<![CDATA[Is Comcast blocking the Pirate Bay? (updated: it isn't just Comcast)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/12/is-comcast-blocking-the-pirate-bay/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/12/is-comcast-blocking-the-pirate-bay/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/12/is-comcast-blocking-the-pirate-bay/#comments Is Comcast blocking the Pirate Bay? We've received numerous reports this morning from users indicating that good 'ol Comcast is at it again. Word on the web is that Comcast ISP subscribers are unable to access torrent site the Pirate Bay, a situation that we've been able to confirm internally. That said, we're not entirely sure it's Comcast's fault. Pings and DNS lookups seem to be resolved correctly, but users are unable to get to the site. Additionally, we're seeing reports that users on other ISPs and in other parts of the world are also having issues connecting, making us wonder if some other piece of rope further toward the topmast has come unraveled. What say you?

Update: Comcast just got back to us reaffirming that it is not the cause of this issue. "We're not blocking PirateBay and reports online indicate users from several ISPs around the world are affected." As we originally mentioned we're seeing those reports too, and many of you in the poll below are showing this isn't necessarily a Comcast-specific thing. So the question remains: what kind of a thing is it?

View Poll



[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Is Comcast blocking the Pirate Bay? (updated: it isn't just Comcast) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 May 2011 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>comcastISpynet neutralityNetNeutralitypiracypiratepirate bayPirateBaypiratesthe pirate bayThePirateBaytorrentThu, 12 May 2011 08:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft asks state lawmakers to make domestic companies pay for foreign firms' software piracy]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/27/microsoft-asks-state-lawmakers-to-make-domestic-companies-pay-fo/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/27/microsoft-asks-state-lawmakers-to-make-domestic-companies-pay-fo/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/27/microsoft-asks-state-lawmakers-to-make-domestic-companies-pay-fo/#comments Microsoft's pirated software police have been going after companies abroad for years, but getting those far-away folks into US courtrooms isn't easy. What is easy, however, is suing the folks in your own back yard -- which is why Microsoft is lobbying to get laws passed in several states that'll put US businesses on the hook for the pirating ways of their foreign suppliers. For example, if a manufacturer uses pirated software in the "manufacture, distribution, marketing, or sales" of products sold in Washington, Microsoft could sue the vendor of those products and get an injunction to stop the goods from being sold. So Washington widget retailers would be liable for the piracy of their foreign widget manufacturers, even if the illicit act was merely creating the sales invoice on a counterfeit copy of Word.

The Washington state Senate and House have already approved different versions of the bill, and the legislature is in the process of merging the two together for final approval. Louisiana passed a similar law last year, and analogous bills have been proposed in Oregon and several other states as well. Numerous companies -- including Dell, IBM, Intel, and HP -- oppose the laws, as they see them giving Microsoft the power to not only drag them into court, but also futz with their supply chains. (There's bound to be some counterfeit software being used in Shenzhen, right?) As Microsoft's latest anti-piracy scheme unfolds, there should be plenty more legislative action to come. Evidently the crew in Redmond doesn't see piracy as a problem to be fixed by lowering prices.

Microsoft asks state lawmakers to make domestic companies pay for foreign firms' software piracy originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 Mar 2011 09:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>copyrightcopyright infringementCopyrightInfringementcounterfeithouselawlegallegislaturepatentpatent infringementPatentInfringementpatentspiracypiratedsenatesoftwarewashington state housewashington state senateWashingtonStateHouseWashingtonStateSenateSun, 27 Mar 2011 09:12:00 EST<![CDATA[Piracy is a problem of 'global pricing,' not enforcement, claims new report]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/15/piracy-is-a-problem-of-global-pricing-not-enforcement-claims/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/15/piracy-is-a-problem-of-global-pricing-not-enforcement-claims/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/15/piracy-is-a-problem-of-global-pricing-not-enforcement-claims/#comments The smart cookies at the Social Science Research Council have spent three years researching media and software piracy in so-called emerging economies -- countries like Brazil, Russia, India and Mexico -- which has this past week resulted in a comprehensive report aimed at establishing the trends and causes of the unauthorized consumption of intellectual property. The major theme of the report is that ever more stringent enforcement of IP rights has proven ineffective in countering the growing tide of content piracy, and it is instead a problem of "global pricing" that needs to be tackled first. Content distributors' primary concern is argued to be the protection of existing pricing structures in the honeypot nations of Western Europe and North America, which has resulted in prices in locales like Eastern Europe and South America being artificially inflated relative to the purchasing power of their population. Consequently, squeezed out of buying media the legal way, consumers have found themselves drawn to the, erm, grayer end of the market to sate their entertainment needs. There's plenty more to this report, including a proposed solution to fixing these broken economics, but you'll have to check out the links below for the full scoop.

Piracy is a problem of 'global pricing,' not enforcement, claims new report originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Mar 2011 19:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>academiaenforcementlawlegalmediamedia piracymedia piracy projectMediaPiracyMediaPiracyProjectmoviesmusicopinionpiracypricepricingproblemresearchsocial science research councilSocialScienceResearchCouncilsoftwaresolutionTue, 15 Mar 2011 19:17:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo can remotely brick your 3DS after flash card use?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/10/nintendo-can-remotely-brick-your-3ds-after-flash-card-use/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/10/nintendo-can-remotely-brick-your-3ds-after-flash-card-use/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/10/nintendo-can-remotely-brick-your-3ds-after-flash-card-use/#comments Bad news for those that plan on using a flash card with their 3DS -- if Nintendo detects that you've been dabbing with one, the company might send a firmware update that could possibly brick your system. According to GoNintendo, Japanese retailer Enterking posted a warning message on their site, suggesting that your system might be unbootable after a software update if Nintendo detects you've been using an R4. Enterking is not buying used 3DSs that have a history of using an illegal cartridge -- a transparent indication that it's not taking any chances here. We can't know for sure if Nintendo will dish out said update or how Enterking might tell -- however, Nintendo did issue this statement to Eurogamer in response to their story on the topic:
"We do not discuss product security details (for obvious reasons), nor can we discuss the details of countermeasures available in the Nintendo 3DS system. Nintendo 3DS has the most up-to-date technology. The security has been designed to protect both the creative works in the software and to protect the Nintendo 3DS hardware system itself.
Nintendo, like most companies, takes a palpable stance against piracy. We recommend that those fortunate enough to own a 3DS stay away from the flash cards altogether, just in case.

Update: Flash cards aren't illegal to use per se -- homebrew, anyone? -- although certain countries have banned them from import and sale, and their widespread use for illegal activity makes them a dubious proposition quite often.

Nintendo can remotely brick your 3DS after flash card use? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 04:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3d3dsbrickcartcartridgedownloadfirmwareflashflash cartridgeflashcartFlashCartridgeillegalmodifiednintendonintendo 3dsNintendo3dspiracyr4softwaresoftware updateSoftwareUpdateThu, 10 Mar 2011 04:48:00 EST