Listening Post

With all of this talk about the Zune's DRM situation, it must be pointed out again that the device can play unprotected MP3 and WMA files. To those who say it's more closed than the iPod DRM-wise, I respond that while the Zune limits playback of friend-obtained songs to three listens within three days, the iPod doesn't allow you to give songs to your friends at all.

NBC to offer free video podcasts of news shows

He still believes that on-demand, ad-supported streaming video is what most users really want.
For the nightly news?  I rather agree.

Best Buy tries to copyright sales prices

FatWallet's case was dismissed with the judge ruling that the bargain-hunting site had not suffered injury because of the takedown notice.
I'm not sure ad images shouldn't be copyrightable, but this ruling sets a high bar for DMCA abuse challenges.

Coming Zune: the Zune experience still missing several key pieces

First, the points system points to more. What trusted sources tell us is that part of the impetus behind the points system was to make purchasing music easy from within the Zune itself.

Every Vista computer can have its own domain name

Simply put, Computer Name allows users to identify their machine by a unique name, rather than an IP address, from anywhere on the planet.
Boon for piracy, or boon for catching casual pirates?

RIAA: we love fair use. No, really!

He goes on to note that fair use is intended for criticism, comment, news reporting, and scholarship, saying that "it is certainly not an excuse to boost the sales of electronic devices and services on the backs of hard-working creators."
Redfinition as insidious attack on fair use.

Lycos Cinema ties chat to movies; content library, technical details disappoint

For me, the inability to go full-screen detracted from the viewing experience, and I suppose the chat function could be fun with friends and family, but I only had total strangers with whom to bounce oddball comments.

Fox to sell low-cost DVDs in China to combat piracy

The first studio to announce such a strategy was Time Warner, which said in August that it planned to start releasing cheap DVDs in China in an attempt to fight piracy. The movies were to be released on DVD soon after their theatrical release for about 10 yuan (approximately $1.25) apiece. 10 yuan is close to the typical price for a pirated movie in China.

Google sees a future with free, ad-supported cellphones

Google CEO Eric Schmidt said that cell phone price subsidies should increase in tandem with the amount of advertising delivered over cellular networks. "Your mobile phone should be free," Schmidt said to Reuters. "It just makes sense that subsidies should increase."

Slashdot | Making the Jump From Web To TV

The former host of Rocketboom, one of the most popular of the video blogs, with roughly 211,000 daily viewers, has a new gig as a contributor for ABC. She's not alone.

Slashdot | VR Cures Amputees' Phantom Limb Pain

Scientists have developed a virtual world like Second Life where real-life amputees have their limbs restored.
Incredible to see that this works.  Phantom limbs are fascinating, crippling, well-studied, and uncured.  Score one for the video games.

Slashdot | iPod Seat-Back Video Coming To Flights

Apple announced partnership agreements with Air France, Continental, Delta, Emirates, KLM, and United that will let you display video from your iPod on the screen of the seat in front of you.

Bloglines | My Feeds (26) (1)

We alleged a change in perhaps the most fundamental "traditional contour" of copyright protection -- the shift from the opt-in system that copyright was from 1790=1976 to the opt-out system that copyright has become in the period since.

--Ari