VERY,VERY HOT READS, I Would Read The News In This Thread This Thead Is To post Any Thing Ye Want About The News,,NEWS WAS MOVED,READ MY FIRST POS...

Kiddie porn HD searches

p2p news / p2pnet: American police can search hard drives for kiddie porn if owners subscribe to sites selling the images, says a US appeals court.

"There is a 'fair probability' customers of child pornography Web sites receive or download the illegal images, opening the door for police searches, according to the ruling by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals," says Reuters, going on:

"The ruling affirmed a lower court's decision supporting an affidavit by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for its probe of Lolitagurls.com Web site and subscriber Micah Gourde who'd, 'sought to suppress more than 100 images of child pornography seized from his home computer, arguing an FBI affidavit did not establish probable cause he had violated child pornography laws to justify a search of his computers'."

But the majority opinion by Judge M. Margaret McKeown held there was a "reasonable inference" that supported a "fair probability" Gourde had downloaded banned images, says Reuters.

Also See:
Reuters - US court OKs computer searches for child porn, March 9, 2006

(Monday 13th March 2006)
http://p2pnet.net/story/8178

 

Japan Net suicide pacts

p2p news / p2pnet: Japanese authorities suspect nine people are the most recent victims of suicide pacts arranged online.

"The asphyxiated bodies of five men and a woman were found in a car at Chichibu, near Tokyo, while three more bodies were found near Hirosaki," says the BBC.

"Police are investigating whether the Chichibu six met via the internet."

Japan has one of the highest suicide rates in the world, and internet pacts are thought to appeal to those who are scared to die alone."

The number of Japanese committing suicide has been rising steadily and more than 34,000 Japanese took their own lives in 2003, according to the National Police Agency, says the story, adding:

"The number of people killing themselves in suicide pacts made over the internet - while still small - has been rising sharply."

Also See:
BBC - Japan 'suicide pacts' claim nine, March 10, 2006

(Monday 13th March 2006)
http://p2pnet.net/story/8179

 

New terrorist bill raises fears

p2p news / p2pnet: "Reporters who write about government surveillance could be prosecuted under proposed legislation that would solidify the administration's eavesdropping authority, according to some legal analysts who are concerned about dramatic changes in U.S. law," says an Associated Press story.

The subject is a draft bill principally sponsored by senator Mike DeWine but, "It in no way applies to reporters - in any way, shape or form," Mike Dawson, a senior policy adviser to DeWine, is quoted as saying. "If a technical fix is necessary, it will be made."

The existing take would, "add to the criminal penalties for anyone who 'intentionally discloses information identifying or describing' the Bush administration's terrorist surveillance program or any other eavesdropping program conducted under a 1978 surveillance law," says AP.

"Under the boosted penalties, those found guilty could face fines of up to $1 million, 15 years in jail or both."

Co-sponsors are senators Olympia Snowe, Lindsey Graham and Chuck Hagel of Nebraska.

"Existing U.S. law makes it a crime to disclose classified information to an unauthorized person, generally putting the burden on government officials to protect the information," says the story, adding:

"But a special provision exists to provide added protections for highly classified electronic - or 'signals' - intelligence. That would include U.S. intelligence codes or systems used to break them."

Also See:
Associated Press - Reporters Exempt From Eavesdropping Bill, March 10, 2006

(Monday 13th March 2006)
http://p2pnet.net/story/8172

 

Alberta 'Patriot Act' bill

p2p news / p2pnet: The government of Alberta in Canada has introduced a bill meant to stop "compelled disclosures" of personal information under America's Patriot Act.

Bill 20 creates fines of up to $500,000 for violating local laws.

"A person must not wilfully disclose personal information to which this Act applies pursuant to a subpoena, warrant or order issued or made by a court, person or body having no jurisdiction in Alberta to compel the production of information or pursuant to a rule of court that is not binding in Alberta," it states.

(4) A person who contravenes subsection (3) is guilty of an offence and liable

(a) in the case of an individual, to a fine of not less than $2000 and not more than $10 000, and

(b) in the case of any other person, to a fine of not less than $200 000 and not more than $500 000.

(Monday 13th March 2006)
http://p2pnet.net/story/8174

 

Class action lawsuit filed against music industry

3/13/2006 11:48:16 AM, by Nate Anderson

People have complained about the price of recorded music for decades. It's always seemed a little fishy that there was no price competition between the labels, and that CDs have always remained more expensive than cassettes, even though the discs are now dirt cheap to make. When music went digital, why did we see so few price points for individual tracks? Today, why are all the major labels simultaneously making noise about wanting Apple to offer variable pricing? The whole situation fueled paranoid claims about industry collusion and price-fixing that later turned out to be totally justified.

You may remember that the industry was busted for off-line price-fixing a few years back. It was also outed (again) for a major payola scandal last year. This year, the industry is under the microscope for its pricing practices related to digital music. The feds have already launched an investigation and New York Attorney General Elliot Spitzer is making his own inquiries.

Like a shark smelling blood in the water, the latest round of investigations has attracted the lawyers. Prominent California attorney William Lerach has now launched a class action suit against the labels on behalf of consumers who have allegedly been overcharged for music. This in itself is not particularly surprising given the ongoing federal investigation into the same topic, but the lawsuit does contain some interesting tidbits. For instance, the suit claims that the music labels fought tooth and nail against the arrival of online music stores, and that they did so by launching their own poorly-conceived (on purpose) online ventures.

The suit also alleges that the record labels sought to shut down online music pioneer Napster at the same time they were introducing their own joint ventures to sell online music. MusicNet and pressplay "were not serious commercial ventures, but rather attempts to occupy the market with frustrating and ineffectual services in order to head off viable Online Music competitors from forming and gaining popularity after Napster's demise," according to the suit.

If this lawsuit gains any traction, it could be a major headache for the music industry, because similar suits could wind up being filed in countries all over the world. Given that many of the price-fixing allegations center on Apple's iTunes Music Store, the labels could find themselves in trouble in more than twenty countries. After all, intense dislike of getting screwed is not just an American phenomenon.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060313-6368.html

 

Sony loses another round in DualShock lawsuit

3/13/2006 10:53:51 AM, by Ken "Caesar" Fisher

Sony's battle with Immersion Corporation over technology that makes gaming controllers vibrate has taken another turn as a federal judge dismisses Sony's latest attempt to shake free of the suit. The defeat could mean the end of the road for Sony's defense, which has been unsuccessful in its various attempts to rebut Immersion's claims.

Immersion Corp. is the holder of US patents 6,275,213 and 6,424,333, covering "haptic feedback," i.e., the use of computer-controlled vibrating motors to provide tactile feedback to a user in a game or other application. Filed in 1995 but not approved until 2000, the patent affects both controllers and games.

Sony's struggle with Immersion dates back to 2002, when Immersion came after Sony and its DualShock vibration feedback system for controllers. Immersion also pursued Microsoft and its controllers, but Microsoft settled with the company and entered into a licensing agreement, leaving Sony to fend for itself. In September of 2004, Sony lost a jury trial and was ordered to pay US$82 million in damages for infringing on Immersion's patents. Half a year later in March of 2005, Sony lost an appeal and damages were revised to nearly $91 million.

In this latest round, Sony argued that Immersion was holding back evidence and requested that the original verdict be tossed out. They argued that inventions of Craig Thorner—once a consultant for Immersion—were not fully and properly disclosed. Sony argued that the full body Thorner's work on haptic feedback reveals weaknesses in Immersion's patent claims, and that such weaknesses are grounds for a new trial.

US District Judge Claudia Wilken has sided with Immersion. The problem is Mr. Thorner. While Thorner did once work for Immersion, he has also received a $150,000 payment from Sony for royalties and a purchase option on another patent. Although the money in question appears to be technically unrelated to Thorner's testimony, Wilken wrote that Thorner's testimony was suspect and that it was quite possible that he viewed his testimony as a favor to Sony. Since Thorner's testimony serves as the basis for Sony's new attack on Immersion's patents, Wilken's ruling effectively puts this line of appeal to rest.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Immersion is considering pursuing Sony for their payment to Mr. Thorner, which they clearly view as an attempt to influence testimony.

Another appeal in the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit is expected to be heard this year. The appeal will be Sony's last chance to prove that Immersion's patents are inapplicable, or else be enjoined from selling a host of products, including games and controllers.

An often overlooked aspect of this case relates to the patents themselves. While vague in the way that patents sometimes are, they are not so vague as to cover any kind of tactile feedback present in a device. Sony's arguments have taken a two-pronged approached, both challenging the validity of Immersion's patents while also arguing that their own DualShock system is based on another set of technologies altogether, including some covered by patents owned by Logitech. These arguments have failed thus far, and Sony is now facing the real possibility of being forced to license Immersion's technology for a court-mandated fee, or halt the selling of a number of successful products. At a projected licensing cost of at least $30 million a year, Sony will likely fight on until the Appeals Gauge reads empty.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060313-6366.html

 

Do copy protection firms encourage piracy?

3/13/2006 10:33:52 AM, by Nate Anderson

Copy protection is not cool. That's the conclusion of Greg Vederman, editor-in-chief of PC Gamer, who recently had his own run-in with dysfunctional copy protection tech. Of course, no gamer is going to tell you that copy protection schemes enhance her enjoyment of Quake 4, but it's less usual to find a major gaming magazine taking on the issue directly. It's not necessarily the best way to maintain cozy relationships with game publishers, but when those game publishers bundle software which causes crashes and system instability with their programs, it's time to call them out.

It's not hard to see why the publishers use the stuff; after all, no one wants to spend a couple of years on a project only to see their efforts rewarded by flat sales and a robust pirate market. Still, in the quest for better protection, these copy protection schemes have grown in both sophistication and invasiveness. Some schemes now install their own hidden device drivers that monitor your computer's optical drive access, trying to prevent copying and other unapproved uses. (If this sounds familiar,it should. Game copy protection, after all, is just another form of DRM.)

Having entertainment titles muck about with the internals of your system isn't usually a recipe for stability, but what else is a software development company to do? Vederman has looked into his Magic 8-Ball, where all signs point to "Internet delivery."

"As for the larger issue of what happens when you've got an industry that is justifiably concerned about losing billions of dollars and consumers who are justifiably concerned about anti-piracy software making their lives difficult, well, you can bet that over the next several years, we're going to see even more games going the secure online-distribution route. For now, that's the only fool-proof piracy solution (that's also relatively headache-free for consumers) that anyone has been able to come up with."

In the meantime, as our own Ben Kuchera put it when he first covered this story yesterday, "There has to be a better way." That better way would obviously be no copy protection whatsoever, but only dirty hippies and Communists would dare to release popular games without such restrictions. Or would they? Stardock Systems, the small developer of the highly popular new game Galactic Civilizations II, has released the program without any sort of copy protection at all—and it's doing very well. Their philosophy is refreshing: make it easy and compelling for users to stay legal, and they (mostly) will.

"Our primary weapon to fight piracy is through rewarding customers through convenient, frequent, free updates. If you make it easy for users to buy and make full use of your product or service legitimately then we believe that you'll gain more users from that convenience than you'll lose from piracy."

Apparently, such a model worries the makers of copy protection software. Starforce, makers of a product that has triggered much user wrath, went so far as to make a post on its own forums that contained a working URL where BitTorrent users could go to download illegal copies of Galactic Civilizations II (screenshot). This is the same company, after all, that threatens its critics with lawsuits, so such hardball tactics are not particularly surprising. If companies like Stardock can show the industry that good returns are possible without using draconian protection schemes, the protection makers may themselves soon be in need of protection.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060313-6365.html

 

New optical disc standard aims to provide high-definition at low cost
3/13/2006 2:53:06 PM, by Jeremy Reimer

CeBIT is a massive trade show with exhibitors from all over the world, and it can be difficult sometimes to pick out the wheat from the chaff. A US and UK-based company, New Medium Enterprises, stood out from the crowd by demonstrating an interesting twist on existing technology.

The device is an optical drive and media with a new format, titled Versatile Multilayer Disc (VMD). VMD drives use the same red lasers that power traditional CD and DVD drives, but with a difference: many more layers are embedded into the disc, dramatically increasing its storage capacity.

Standard single-layer DVDs store 4.7 gigabytes of data, while HD DVD manages 15GB and Blu-ray a whopping 25GB. All three formats can double their capacity by using two layers on the same disc, and may even hit their projected limits of 60GB and 200GB respectively by using more layers. VMD simply takes this multi-layer idea further, by adding up to ten layers on a single side. This results in a total storage capacity of nearly 50GB, while still using the same inexpensive red lasers as regular DVD drives.

In theory, this should allow for optical drives that can read the VMD format to be released for prices closer to US$150, rather than the US$500 that Blu-ray drives are likely to sell for.

New Medium Enterprises demonstrated a prototype VMD drive at the show, and claimed that they plan to launch the format in the third quarter of this year. However, they are not intending to fight directly against the two titans, Blu-ray and HD DVD. The company has more modest goals:

"We don't want to be in collision with the big guys," said Eugene Levich, chief technology officer, referring to HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc. He said NME will promote VMD first in China and India and then look to Eastern Europe, Russia, and South America. "It's enough for a small company like us. Those markets are a good chunk of business."

As far as content goes, New Medium has signed deals with companies in India and China. In India the deal is with Eros Group, which has a catalog of around 2600 Bollywood movies. There are planned to be 50 movies available on VMD by the end of 2006.

New Medium may be aiming to repeat the success of the Video CD format (VCD) which enjoyed widespread adoption in Asia a few years back, when regular DVD players were still quite expensive. VCD used MPEG-1 compression technology at a relatively low resolution, but was able to use standard CDs to play movies. However, with VMDs requiring new drives and new media, and with the technology still largely untested, it may be a tougher sell.

More likely to inherit VCD's crown is yet another standard from a Chinese firm, Beijing E-World, which has been promoting a format called Enhanced Versatile Disc (EVD) for a few years now. EVD uses standard DVD media, but utilizes a more enhanced, proprietary version of the standard MPEG-2 compression format to squeeze higher resolution (1920x1080 interlaced or 1280x720 progressive) video on a single disc. Attempts by Chinese companies to produce new worldwide standards have met with mixed results. However, companies such as Jiangsu Shinco Electronics Group are already working on players that will handle both EVD and VMD formats.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060313-6370.html

 

Dell sells file server to man with two PCs
You've heard of direct selling...
By John Oates
Published Monday 13th March 2006 16:36 GMT
Get breaking Reg news straight to your desktop - click here to find out how

Dell's growth figures have long been envied by others flogging boxes, but a posting on a forum reveals just how they manage to increase sales so fast.

A poster on Digital Spy forum, normally concerned with Big Brother gossip and Freeview hacks, revealed that a friend rang Dell to buy two PCs. Then the naive punter asked Dell to sell him something to link the two machines so they could share files and a printer.

So Dell sold him a PowerEdge server.

According to the poster, his friend didn't even know what a server was when he phoned Dell. We can only hope he does now.

To make matters worse, Dell will not offer refunds to business customers.

Buyer beware indeed.

You can see the posting here.

We phoned Dell to ask them for comment and they very nearly sold us a $6,000 storage array. ®
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/03/13/dell_overssells/

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/03/13/dell_overssells/

go here to read it all
http://forum.digitalspy.co.uk/board/showthread.php?t=353477

 

Will France crack Apple DRM?

p2p news / p2pnet: "No other country in the world has discussed the issue of sharing files over the Internet as much as France," Pascal Regard, director general of the Society of Authors and Dramatic Composers, a French organization with roots dating to 1777, is quoted as saying in the International Herald Tribune.

"I suppose that as the inventors of copyright, it is not surprising that we take the lead in exploring the implications on the Internet."

What began in 2005 as an effort by France to ratify the European copyright standard could now produce, "some of the weakest penalties in the world for Internet music piracy - the equivalent of a parking ticket," says the story.

"In France, they are talking about changes that are more radical than what has happened in the U.K. or anywhere else in Europe," it has London lawyer Denis Potemkin saying

"Some of the changes under discussion would force the content industry to rethink their business models."

And Apple, which uses its seriously misnomered CRAP FairPlay DRM to ram punters into line – its line - will be among those compelled to do so.

"France is pushing through a law that would force Apple Computer Inc to open its iTunes online music store and enable consumers to download songs onto devices other than the computer maker's popular iPod player," says Reuters.

"Under a draft law expected to be voted in parliament on Thursday, consumers would be able to legally use software that converts digital content into any format. It would no longer be illegal to crack digital rights management - the codes that protect music, films and other content - if it is to enable to the conversion from one format to another, said Christian Vanneste, Rapporteur, a senior parliamentarian who helps guide law in France."

The move could push Apple and Microsoft into a "digital detente," says Macworld. "The fact that songs bought from iTunes won't work on devices powered by Microsoft and that Microsoft Windows Media songs won't play on an iPod has been subject to criticism.

"Some critics state that the lack of interoperability between the two firms and their competing standards is holding the digital music industry back."

Meanwhile, March 16 has been set as the day the French Parliamentary debate is slated to end, says the Thomas Crampton's excellent Herald Tribune report. A vote would follow soon after, and the results could become law within weeks of passage by the French Senate, whose vote is set for early May, he says, adding:

"No matter what the exact outcome, those distributing music or videos within France will almost certainly face a different landscape, said Xavier Buffet-Delmas, the partner at the Freshfields law firm in charge of the intellectual property practice in France.

"Buffet-Delmas said that, even if iTunes songs could be downloaded to any player, Apple could maintain a digital music business.

"But a government mandate that all systems be able to operate together and a slap-on-the-wrist approach to piracy would force Apple and others to work harder to attract and keep customers."

The underlying business model for platforms like iTunes might not be undermined,"But anyone selling music over the Internet in France will certainly need to adapt to a radical change of environment."

And of course, any French disconnection of Apple's CRAP will echo loudly in the rest of the world.

Stay tuned.

Also See:
International Herald Tribune - Will France, birthplace of copyright, go soft on piracy?, March 13, 2006
CRAP FairPlay DRM - Apple and its C.R.A.P., March 4, 2006
Reuters - French plan would open iTunes to other devices, March 13, 2006
Macworld - Apple may be forced to open up iTunes, March 14, 2006

(Tuesday 14th March 2006)
http://p2pnet.net/story/8185

 

Tired of C.R.A.P.?

p2p news / p2pnet: "Mad about DRM techs or the DMCA?" – asks ZDNet's David Berlind.

"Are you sick of and tired of C.R.A.P.?"

You'll recall that CRAP is Berlind's acronym for "Cancellation, Restriction, and Punishment" aka DRM.

"Do you feel like Hollywood, the record industry, and the government have gone too far with the Digital Millenium Copyright Act?" he goes on. "Do you want to see broadcast flag legislation stopped (and you should)? What about the law enforced obsoletion of that new HDTV you just bought. You know. The one where, if it lacks the new secret decoder ring (which most HDTV diplays do), it will only playback HiDef broadcasts in LoDef."

Berlind also wonders if, like him, you want to do something but you don't have the time to draft your own letter to your congressperson or George W.

"Then maybe you should check out the Home Recording Rights Coalition (HRRC) Web site," he suggests.

"After entering your zip code, the HRRC's Web site figures out who your Congressional representatives are, and then, with a few more clicks, generates an email to them as well as to President Bush on the issues of your choice (see the partial screen shot below). In the course of doing your civic duty, you can be in and out of the site in a matter of minutes. Regarding your privacy (since you have to provide some personal information), the HRRC's Web site says."

Also See:
Berlind's acronym - Apple and its C.R.A.P., March 4, 2006
gone too far - Mad about DRM techs or the DMCA?, March 13, 2006

(Tuesday 14th March 2006)
http://p2pnet.net/story/8186

 

Da Vinci Code and copyright

p2p news / p2pnet: In 1982 Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh wrote the non-fiction The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail in which they theorize Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married, had a child, and that their family line survived.

American author Dan Brown wrote The Da Vinci Code thriller which says much the same thing, and now Baigent and Leigh are suing Brown in a case that could change the face of copyright.

Brown is testifying in London's High Court and on Monday, said he was shocked by the "absurd" allegations, says the Times Online.

"I went out of my way to mention them for being the ones who brought the theory to mainstream attention," he says in a statement. "For them to suggest, as I understand they do, that I have hijacked and exploited their work is simply untrue."

Random House and Brown, "deny the claim, but there is no denying its ramifications if Baigent and Leigh prevail," says the Times.

"In The Holy Blood, Baigent and Leigh argued that Jesus Christ survived crucifixion and escaped to France to sire a dynasty with Mary Magdalene; it is this hypothesis which, they say, forms the overriding 'architecture' of their work, only to be 'lifted' by Brown.

"In essence, therefore, the claimants are seeking to extend the law of copyright into uncharted waters. The legal maxim that 'there is no copyright in an idea' is being tested, just as, in televisual media, there have been successive attempts to claim format rights in reality television shows."

If Baigent and Leigh win, gaining an injunction to bar the use of their material, the May 19 release of the movie The Da Vinci Code could also be blocked.

Also See:
Times Online - Creating stories: do all writers reinterpret and retell?, March 14, 2006

(Tuesday 14th March 2006)
http://p2pnet.net/story/8183

 

France is pushing a law to zap DRM & add fines for illegal P2P
Posted by Seán Byrne on 14 March 2006 - 00:53 - Source: Yahoo Technology News

So far, France is having quite a tough time deciding on what to allow or prohibit in its proposed version of the EUCD. An earlier amendment in France aimed at legalising the use of file sharing networks has already been held back due to fierce opposal by the entertainment industries. Under the current draft law, anyone who sells or develops software for illegal file-sharing and downloading would be subject to penalties, including a maximum fine of €300,000 along with up to 3 years in jail. Any consumer caught downloading or sharing copyrighted material illegally would be subject to a €38 or €150 fine respectively.

Despite the fairly tough penalties for illegal file sharing, this law aims to abolish DRM copy protection systems to allow consumers to legally use software to get around copy protected content restrictions to play this on their portable hardware. For example, those who purchase iTunes music would no longer be forced into using an iPod to play their music and would be freely entitled to convert the music to any format that suits their needs. On the other hand, if this law goes into effect, it could push Apple out of France as they could no longer restrict iTunes customers from redistributing their music due to the lack of restrictions.

According to Vanneste, this draft law aims to help fight piracy and encourage digital music services. Last year, France's physical media sales of music fell by 8%, yet their digital music sales rose fivefold. By doing away with DRM restrictions and relying on the law to punish those who illegally redistribute copyrighted content means that consumers are more likely to choose legal services without worrying about the dreaded DRM restrictions in place or hardware compatibility. Finally, the law aims to allow consumers to make a limited number private copies copies of their purchased content.

PARIS (Reuters) - France is pushing through a law that would force Apple Computer Inc to open its iTunes online music store and enable consumers to download songs onto devices other than the computer maker's popular iPod player.

Under a draft law expected to be voted in parliament on Thursday, consumers would be able to legally use software that converts digital content into any format.

It would no longer be illegal to crack digital rights management -- the codes that protect music, films and other content -- if it is to enable to the conversion from one format to another, said Christian Vanneste, Rapporteur, a senior parliamentarian who helps guide law in France.

This proposed legislation seems to be fairly well thought of, particularly with doing away with the pesky DRM restrictions that the entertainment industries constantly insist on using. On the other hand, while the fines may seem low for downloading or sharing copyrighted content, this likely indicates that these fines could be applied automatically, much like getting a parking fine for not paying the meter. When it comes to file sharing software, this new draft completely overturns the original proposal by subjecting those who develop or sell file sharing software for redistributing copyrighted material a hefty penalty.

Feel free to discuss about file sharing software, its legal issues and alternatives on our forum.
http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/13185

 

Verbatim announces printable 16x DVD+/-R media spindles
Posted by Dan Bell on 14 March 2006 - 14:13 - Source: Verbatim

The following text is a complete press release, unmodified by CD Freaks. If you don't want to view these kind of news posting you can disable them in your preferences page once logged in. Please send your press releases to news@cdfreaks.com

Verbatim Announces New Printable Surface 16x DVD+/-R Media Spindles

Verbatim Corporation, the market leader in premium-quality printable media, has announced the immediate availability of their white inkjet printable 16X DVD+/-R media. The discs feature a matte white printable surface and fast drying times with ultra-reliable, high-speed recording technology and broad read compatibility.

With the ability to record at about 21 MB/sec, these high speed Verbatim DVD discs can store 4.7GB of video, photos, music or data files in about five minutes. Verbatim has worked closely with verification authorities and leading drive manufacturers to produce this high-performance DVD media, certified for 1-16X DVD writing.

The key component in achieving 16X speed DVD media that delivers optimum performance, superior quality and the broadest compatibility is the proprietary recording layer technology developed by Verbatim, Advanced AZO. By using the proven dye technology incorporated in its 8X DVD media as the platform for the new, more sensitive Advanced AZO technology, Verbatim engineers not only achieved 16X write speed, they ensured that the new media will maintain backward compatibility with existing DVD recorders and 1-8X DVD burners.

Offering exceptional true-to-life colour reproduction of high-resolution photos, graphics and other images, Verbatim inkjet media ensures excellent ink absorption and longer lasting vibrant colours. No bleeding, fading, or deterioration that is common with inferior media. Verbatim inkjet printable media is certified for use with colour inkjet printers including Primera, Epson, Canon and Microboards. The complete Verbatim inkjet line-up consists of a range of printable DVDR and CDR media with a variety of options for the end user, including matte-white or silver inkjet surfaces and standard or hub-printable (full surface edge-to-edge) options.

Reliable, high-speed recording and broad compatibility makes Verbatim’s new Inkjet Printable 16X DVD discs ideal for sharing computer data, home videos, photos, and music. The printable surface allows you to create unique discs that are perfect for music compilations, digital photo albums and business presentations. With write-once security and 4.7 GB of capacity, the media is also an excellent storage solution for fast backups and archiving.

Availability Backed by a limited lifetime warranty, Verbatim’s Inkjet Printable 16X DVD media is now available in 50 pack spindles through leading retailers, authorised resellers and distributors across the country (P/N: DVD+R 95136; DVD-R 95137). Recommended retail price for both DVD +/- R media is $42.95. A 100 pack spindle (P/N 95145) DVD+R will be available in April, with an expected street price of $79.95. About Verbatim Verbatim® Corporation, a Mitsubishi® Chemical Media Company, is an international organisation that develops and markets innovative, high-quality products for storing, moving and using digital content. Known for its leadership in the removable storage media and related accessories markets, the company provides reliable, unique technologies and products that are highly sought after and broadly distributed worldwide. For more information, visit the company's web site at www.verbatim.com.au.
http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/131

 

Netflix adds HD-DVD to rentals - Wal-mart cancels pre-orders
Posted by Dan Bell on 14 March 2006 - 14:43 - Source: Video Business

The movie rental company Netflix has added capability for customers to set up a queue for HD-DVD rentals through their accounts. Unfortunately, it looks as though the HD-DVD launch, scheduled for March 28 is going to be delayed, so at the moment, there are no titles to rent. We had just read yesterday, that at least one studio, Warner Brothers, was holding off releases for a short period due to a variety of reasons.

The good news is Netflix is not going to charge extra for the high definition movies. They also said to check back later for Blu-ray titles.

The additional Netflix feature comes as a delay is increasingly likely for the HD DVD format launch, which is set for later this month. Last week, Walmart.com stopped taking pre-orders for HD DVDs, sending an e-mail to those who had already ordered that said the titles were canceled (VB, 3-10).

Netflix is allowing users to alter their account set-up so that they can receive HD DVD rentals, however, the company doesn’t say when those high-definition films will become available. Users must click that they have the necessary equipment to play HD DVDs before choosing whether to set the HD DVD format as their first choice format for discs they rent.

Already we can read in the last line of that quote, that soon after the launch, people will begin to complain that the movies wont play, or they wont play in full resolution over thier sets and the vendors know it is coming. So it's pretty clever of Netflix to make the customer declare they are "HD ready". We can assume you will fill out similar forms or darken checkboxes at the rental establishments in town.

On a side note, does anyone remember back in the days of the VHS-Betamax wars that you could rent a player as well as a tape when you were at the rental store? Could this be coming for the brick and mortar stores for Blu-ray and HD-DVD players? It would sure give them an edge over mail order!
http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/13188

 

Sony UK PSP ad campaign reaches new heights in lows
test
3/13/2006 6:09:57 PM, by Jeremy Reimer

Sony's advertising agency in the United Kingdom has been going on a bit of a rampage lately, creating a series of advertisements for the Playstation Portable (PSP) that have many people scratching their heads.

The ads are fairly simplistic—capital red letters on a white background—but the textual messages are at best confusing, and at worst downright offensive. One offers gamers a glimpse at "Strong language and scenes of a sexual nature." Another offers gamers a way to "Spend a night in Paris," which could refer to a French-themed vacation game, but in today's pop cultural climate is most likely a reference to a vacuous and promiscuous heiress.

Take a running jump

Then things started to get really ugly. An advertisement on the London Underground (not the band, but the rapid transit system) enticed players to "Take a running jump here," a message that was considered in such poor taste that some transit employees actually covered it up with tape. The idea of making light of disturbing and violent public suicides clearly appealed to someone at the ad agency, but few members of the public shared this enthusiasm.

Undeterred, the ad campaign offered up the piece de resistance: a billboard 100 feet across, visible from a quarter of a mile away and obscuring an Anglican cathedral. The message? "Your girlfriend's white bits here." For those unfamiliar with UK slang, "white bits" is an anachronistic term referring to the untanned portions of a woman's body normally covered by a bathing suit. Monty Python once referred to these, much more amusingly, as "naughty bits."



White bits?

So what's going on here? Has Sony marketing finally flipped? One could argue that the ads have accomplished their intended purpose, which was to get people talking about Sony and the PSP. However, any publicity is not always good publicity. After all, Nokia tried the same thing with their "extreme" advertisments for the ill-fated N-Gage, including ads in transit stations boasting of "the night where Lara and I went all the way." Such "shock" ads could not save the N-Gage from oblivion. The PSP, on the other hand, is clearly here to stay, and while sales may not have quite lived up to Sony's expectations, the product does appear to be doing fairly well. In this light, such ads seem just as unnecessary and unwelcome as Sony's earlier experiment with graffiti-based marketing.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060313-6373.html

 

Disney considering HD DVD support, sees Blu-ray as eventual winner

3/13/2006 6:43:47 PM, by Ken "Caesar" Fisher

With the ground war phase of the next-generation optical format tussle only weeks away, you might think that the battle lines are clearly drawn. Strangely enough, they're not. Before the real battles have even begun, a long-time studio Blu-ray backer is considering embracing HD DVD—a first for a format that has seen its own supporters largely slide to the competition.

The "who's who" of studios is a confusing morass when it comes to next-generation support, but it hasn't always been this way. In the early days of the brewing conflict there were three positions to take: HD DVD, Blu-ray, or "wait and see." The big studios originally lined up behind either HD DVD or Blu-ray, while a few notable giants such as Twentieth Century Fox waited a little longer to see how things would shake out.

Over the course of the last year things have become more complex as studios seemed to rethink their commitments to either standard. Original HD DVD supporters Paramount and Warner Bros. both announced last year that they would also support Blu-ray, leaving Universal as the only major studio backing HD DVD alone. On the Blu-ray side of the fence, Sony, Disney, MGM, and others all appeared to be strongly committed to the Blu-ray push. The landscape looked particularly favorable to Blu-ray owing to the fact that practically all major studios have plans for Blu-ray products, while only half have plans for HD DVD. Those looking at studio support alone have given that column's checkmark to Blu-ray.

Now it appears as though a Blu-ray backer may opt for a bit of neutrality as well. During the company's annual meeting with shareholders last week, Disney CEO Robert Iger said that HD DVD support is a real possibility. Saying that "we're very exited about next generation DVD formats," Iger made it clear that Disney has been supporting Blu-ray because they believe it "offers more features and higher quality than the competing format." However, before saying that that company still believes that Blu-ray is going to ultimately prevail, Iger admitted that the company "will probably publish in both formats." That is, Disney will likely release titles in both HD DVD and Blu-ray.

As of yet no formal announcement has been made, and there is a chance that Disney will ultimately not tap HD DVD as a next-generation optical format. Iger's comments, however, indicate a willingness to support both formats and that is perhaps a bit surprising. With HD DVD launching in North America later this month and Blu-ray's launch scheduled for the end of May, now might not seem like the best time to ponder changes in allegiance. Yet with analysts predicting a format war that could last years on account of consumer confusion and mixed studio support, content producers such as Disney may be concerned about limiting their options to one side of the divide. If HD DVD sees a strong launch, more Blu-ray-only studios may ultimately show where their true allegiances lie: making money.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060313-6374.html

 

Nice article & video on the Airbus A380 :
per,mwillett

http://www.flightglobal.com/Article... takes off to mark 1,000h of flight test.html

 

Windows Live parental controls due this summer


By Joris Evers
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
Published: March 13, 2006, 9:00 PM PST
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Microsoft expects to release a first version of new, no cost parental control software for Windows XP by the end of June, the company said Monday.

As reported earlier, Windows Live Family Safety Settings software is designed to help keep Web content that parents deem inappropriate from reaching their children. A preview version of the tool is currently available to testers.

The first version of the new software will let people filter online content and get activity reports on Web sites that were visited by others, Microsoft representatives said.

An update, which Microsoft said will come out later this year, will add a feature called "contact management," which lets parents approve contacts on Windows Live Mail and Windows Live Messenger, an e-mail and instant messaging service, respectively. The feature also gives control over who can access their kids' blogs on Microsoft's Spaces service.

In addition to the Live safety filter, which works with Windows XP, Microsoft is building parental controls into Windows Vista, the next version of the operating system due by year's end.

"These products are designed to be complimentary," said Alan Packer, a product unit manager at Microsoft. "We developed them together."

The software will compete with other filtering products, including Safe Eyes from SafeBrowse.com and CyberPatrol from SurfControl.

Just more than half of U.S. families with Net-surfing teens use filtering programs, with more than 12 million copies of such software in use, according to a study conducted last year by the Pew Internet and American Life Project.

Announced in November, Microsoft is using Windows Live branding for a number of online services. The company also is working on Office Live, a collection of Web hosting and business applications for small companies.
http://news.com.com/Windows+Live+pa...+summer/2100-7355_3-6049294.html?tag=nefd.top

 

Deleting could get you sued

IAC allowed to sue former employee

By Nick Farrell: Tuesday 14 March 2006, 08:28
A BLOKE who deleted personal data from his work’s laptop can be sued by his former employer, a court has decided.

Jacob Citrin was employed by International Airport Centers and given a laptop to use in his company's business. However, according to the company, he was also doing a bit of work on the side, which the IAC said violated his employment contract.

Citrin left the IAC and did a secure delete on his personal data before handing it into the company on his last day.

The IAC tried to do an undelete on the lappie to prove that Citrin had been doing some work on the side but when it found that he had done a secure delete they couldn’t find out what he had been up too.

Instead, it sued him claiming that he was a hacker for doing the secure delete. Citrin tried to get the case thrown out but now it seems that a court has agreed that the case should be allowed to proceed.

Judges in the Seventh Circuit Court ruled that deleting files from a laptop would count as "damage" under anti-hacking legislation.

They also agreed that Citrin's case that he was allowed to delete files under terms of his contract was not valid if his employer proves that the contract was null and void because he had run off to set up another business.

The case is not over yet. The Judges were only ruling on whether or not the IAC has the right to sue Citrin, according to news.com. µ

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=30268