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drm

Microsoft Joins Apple In Offering DRM-Free Music

By consumeristcarey 4.8.07

Following Apple’s lead, Microsoft has announced that the Zune Marketplace will offer DRM-free downloads from EMI’s catalogue. Microsoft also claims to be discussing similar arrangements with other music labels.

“The EMI announcement on Monday was not exclusive to Apple,” said Katy Asher, a Microsoft spokeswoman on the Zune team, in an e-mail to the IDG News Service today. She said Microsoft has been talking with EMI and other record labels “for some time now” about offering unprotected music on its Zune players in an effort to meet the needs of its customers.

Microsoft has kept mum on the specifics. We don’t yet how the price or quality of Microsoft’s music will stack up against Apple’s offering, nor do we know when the DRM-free music will be made available on the Zune Marketplace. — CAREY GREENBERG-BERGER

record companies

EMI To Go DRM-Free

By consumeristcarey 4.2.07

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that EMI, a Big Four music label and RIAA member, will release “significant amounts of its catalogue” unencumbered by DRM. The announcement from EMI is expected at an 8 a.m. EST press conference in London, featuring Apple CEO Steve Jobs.

Privately most labels rejected the idea out of hand, but EMI, the world’s third-largest music company by sales, was already quietly exploring the idea of dropping DRM. EMI has struggled to overcome poor results and a laggard digital strategy, potentially contributing to its willingness to take a bold stance on DRM.

EMI will make the DRM-free portions of its catalogue available for download via iTunes. We wonder how the RIAA will react. — CAREY GREENBERG-BERGER

rhino

How I Became A Music Pirate

By Meg Marco 3.20.07

Does DRM drive even honest well-meaning people to piracy? Yes, of course it does.

drm

Explain DRM To Your Dad

By Meg Marco 2.17.07

Ever try to explain why DRM is bad for consumers to someone who just didn’t get it? Wired’s Listening Post Blog has a bunch of good examples. We don’t know if they’d work on your Dad (does Dad give a crap about Linux and Region 2 DVDs?), but they are nice examples of ways that DRM gets in the way of consumer goals. —MEGHANN MARCO

drm

EMI May Unshackle Catalogue, Usher In Second Dawn Of DRM-Free Music

By consumerist.com 2.11.07

The New York Times reports that EMI, one of the Big Four labels, may soon release its music without DRM. The third largest label behind Universal and Sony, murmurs of EMI intentions come on the heels of Steve Jobs’ appeal for DRM-free music.

edgar bronfman

Warner Music CEO Says Jobs' DRM Free Proposal Lacks "Logic or Merit."

By Meg Marco 2.9.07

Bronfman said the proposal was without “logic or merit.”—MEGHANN MARCO

apple

RIAA Responds To Jobs' Open Letter Applauding Him For Agreeing To License FairPlay, Except He Didn't

By Meg Marco 2.7.07

Apple has concluded that if it licenses FairPlay to others, it can no longer guarantee to protect the music it licenses from the big four music companies.

apple

Steve Jobs Open Letter On The State Of DRM

By Meg Marco 2.6.07

It seems that with legal challenges to Apple’s iTunes DRM flying at him left and right, Steve Jobs just can’t ignore it any longer. He’s penned an open letter addressing the state of DRM, and it contains some interesting news:

internet

Walmart's Video Download Service Predictably Sucks

By Meg Marco 2.6.07

We tried to take a look at Walmart’s new video download service, but hey, guess what. It doesn’t work in Firefox. So our review is this:

ftc

Sony BMG Settles FTC Charges; Customers to Get $150

By Meg Marco 1.31.07

U.S. regulators said Tuesday Sony BMG Music Entertainment agreed to reimburse consumers up to $150 for damage to their computers for selling CDs with hidden anti-piracy software.

drm

DRM-Free Music in “One to Two Years”?

By Meg Marco 1.23.07

The New York Times has an article today detailing the MIDEM music industry conference, and are reporting that at least 4 major record companies “could move toward the sale of unrestricted digital files in the MP3 format within months.”

apple

iPhone Locked To Cingular, But “Bad Guys” Might Unlock It

By consumerist.com 1.11.07

iPhones will be sold locked to Cingular, but it’s possible “bad guys” will unlock them, says

apple

Consumers Buy Only 23 Songs Per iPod

By Meg Marco 12.26.06

USA Today has an analysis of the supposed iTunes meltdown that was widely reported at the beginning of the month. The author thinks the trouble isn’t with iTunes, it’s with DRM. “Since iPods went on sale people are consistently buying about 20 iTunes per iPod. There’s been a small uptick to 23 lately, but that’s it.”

drm

Bill Gates: Don’t Buy DRM Music

By Meg Marco 12.15.06

drm

Walmart to Offer Video Downloads

By Meg Marco 11.28.06

CNNMoney is reporting that Walmart will begin offering video downloads, beginning with an exclusive “Superman Returns” DVD bundle containing a video download option with purchase of the physical DVD:

drm

Windows Media Player 11 is Big Brother?

By Meg Marco 9.22.06

Watch out! Don’t burn that Shania Twain CD with Microsoft Windows Media Player 11, or it might encode whatever you rip with DRM.

drm

Microsoft DRMifies Your Own Music

By consumerist.com 9.18.06

You might have caught the Zune swoon in the blogosphere last week. For those who didn’t catch it, Zune is Microsoft’s planned iPod-killer: a device that is as often nifty (built in WiFi that allows you to share music with friends on the go) as it is underwhelming (30 gig hard drive, max.)

lawsuits

UPDATE: RIAA Sucks Own Loogie Off File-Sharer’s Grave

By consumerist.com 8.15.06

Apparently mortified by the negative publicity they have received for suing the children of a dead man who is accused of file infringement (and obviously in no position to defend himself), the RIAA has declared a “temporary suspension” of the “productive settlement discussions” they were having with the grieving.

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