September 30, 2005

Jungsoft Muzio JMH-1000 4GB DAP

Filed under: All p2p networks — Administrator @ 10:19 am
mp3 player Jungsoft has announced a compact hard drive-based DAP with 4GB of storage, USB 2.0, and an attractive 1.5-inch color OLED display. The Muzio JMH-1000 can handle MP3, WMA, OGG, and ASF music formats along with MPEG1/2 video files, and is compatible with USB host devices.

Not too many notables here, other than the dual-headphone jacks and pitch control for matching beats in your head. Also no word on pricing or availability, but since we’ll never see one anyway, we’re not too concerned.

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Skype Updates With Call Forwarding, Ring Tones

Filed under: technology, software — Administrator @ 10:06 am

Skype Technologies has gone live with an updated version of its Internet telephony software, adding call forwarding and personalization options to its popular Voice over Internet Protocol service.

Skype version 1.4, which launched for beta testing in August, allows users to forward incoming Skype calls to another Skype name or to landline or mobile numbers. Calls forwarded to Skype names are free; calls sent to traditional phone numbers are charged at the company’s SkypeOut rates, which start at 2 cents per minute.

Personalized Service

The new version also introduces “Personalize Skype,” a customization service being managed by Qpass, a Seattle-based Skype partner. Personalize Skype offers consumers pictures to use as avatars and sound clips that can serve as ring tones or replace Skype’s default sounds. A limited number of pictures and sounds are available for free.

Qpass will handle content acquisition and billing for Personalize Skype, a service it manages and hosts. Qpass’s list of customers taking advantage of its add-on ring tones, images, and mobile games includes Cingular, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile, and Vodafone.

Windows Only, for Now

Skype’s update is currently available only for Windows users, though the company says it is working to bring the new features to its Macintosh, Linux, and Pocket PC editions.

Earlier this month, Luxembourg-based Skype agreed to be acquired by eBay for around $2.6 billion in cash and stock. The companies expect the deal to close by the end of the year. Skype advertises a registered user base of 56 million, with more than 3 million people simultaneously connected to its service at any given time.
Via news.yahoo.com

P2P network eDonkey to close

Filed under: software, All p2p networks — Administrator @ 9:59 am

MetaMachine throws in the towel following RIAA cease-and-desist letter
The company behind the popular peer-to-peer network eDonkey has announced that the site is to shut down.

In a testimony to the US Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Sam Yagan, president of MetaMachine, said that he had informed the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) that he would cease to support the network.

The news follows last week’s closure of the WinMX file sharing service.

“I would like to make it clear to the Committee that we have replied to the RIAA’s cease-and-desist letter and I have personally committed to [RIAA president] Cary Sherman, which I reiterate today, that we are in the process of complying with its request,” stated Yagan.

“Therefore I am not here as an active participant in the future of P2P, but rather as one who has thrown in the towel and with no interest in replaying past issues.”

Yagan insisted that he was not a “P2P zealot” and was actively seeking to resolve copyright issues. However he questioned the effectiveness of passing legislation against P2P systems, since seven of the top 10 major P2P software companies are located overseas.

Yagan was testifying at a special session of the Judiciary Committee started after the MGM v Grokster hearing, entitled Protecting Copyright and Innovation in a Post-Grokster World.
by Iain Thomson, vnunet.com 29 Sep 2005

“Free” DivX Create Bundle

Filed under: technology, software — Administrator @ 9:51 am
divx DivX is giving away its Create Bundle for free. But only for today.

With it, you can create and play DivX videos in the new DivX Media Format.

The bundle includes:

  1. DivX Converter
  2. DivX Pro codec
  3. DivX Player

Looks good, but as you’d expect, there are restrictions.

Its full name is the DivX Create Bundle trial, and it’s for Windows 2K/XP.

It includes a free 15-day trial of the DivX Converter and a free six-month trial of DivX Pro. Only the DivX Player doesn’t expire.

Anyhoo, you can get a download here
Via p2pnet.net

Canadian Copyright Law: Free!

Filed under: All p2p networks — Administrator @ 9:47 am

We’ve already told you about the Canadian Copyright Summit and Conference which starts today at 12:00 noon in Ottawa.

It’ll also feature the launch of In the Public Interest: The Future of Canadian Copyright Law, edited by professor Michael Geist and released by Irwin Law under a Creative Commons license, a first for a major Canadian publisher.

“And we’ve agreed to donate any royalties back to CC,” Geist tells p2pnet.

The book costs $50 and, “Hmm–is there an online version?” – asked Stief in a comment post. “Sounds like pretty essential reading, but by the time I finish reading it, I fear it will be out of date.”

No problem, Stief. Geist says the entire book can be downloaded for free.
And here’s a posting with more background.

…MORE…MORE…MORE…

Congress to legislate file swapping?

Filed under: All p2p networks — Administrator @ 9:43 am

A California senator has suggested that because file-sharing networks continue to house illegal files, they should be shut down.

Intellectual property protection “can’t function in a country where the high-tech services become such that you can’t protect copyright,” Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said Wednesday at a U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. The session centered on the landmark Supreme Court decision on MGM v. Grokster, which ruled that file-sharing services can be liable for their users’ infringing behavior.

Pointing to what she called a “rise in peer to peers” since the Grokster decision, Feinstein said current law is not effective enough to deter illegal file swapping and the government must enact stronger enforcement measures. “If we don’t stop it,” she said, “it’s going to destroy these intellectual property industries.”

It remained unclear what remedies the senator would seek, though she said she didn’t think any lawmakers supported an approach that would involve “going out and arresting high schoolers” who subvert copyright rules. Even so, her statements marked somewhat of a departure: When the Grokster decision initially came out, members of Congress said they were inclined to take a hands-off, wait-and-see approach.

Committee chair Arlen Specter, a Pennsylvania Republican, indicated that Congress was better suited than the courts to address the matter. But at the close of the hearing, he announced, “At least in the short term, I think we’ll carry out the wishes of those who want us to do nothing.”

(more…)

Google and Nasa in space venture

Filed under: technology — Administrator @ 9:40 am

Web search firm Google has formed a partnership with US space agency Nasa in an effort to harness new technology which could boost the space programme.

Google is to build a new office complex on the site of Nasa’s research facility in California, close to its own headquarters in Silicon Valley. The two companies will co-operate in a range of areas including IT solutions, data management and nanotechnology. It would look to “bring entrepreneurs into the space programme”, Nasa added.

Examples of areas of potential collaboration include the development of new types of remote sensors and improving analysis of engineering problems.

“Google and Nasa share a common desire, to bring a universe of information to people around the world,” said Eric Schmidt, Google’s chairman and chief executive.

Via ZeroPaid

eDonkey Second P2P To Toss In File-Sharing Towel

Filed under: software, All p2p networks — Administrator @ 9:37 am

A second major peer-to-peer file sharing service waved the white flag Wednesday. In testimony before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, the president of the company that distributes the eDonkey P2P software said that under legal pressure from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) he was giving up.

“Because we cannot afford to fight a lawsuit – even one we think we would win – we have instead prepared to convert eDonkey’s user base to an online content retailer operating in a ‘closed’ P2P environment,”

said Sam Yagan, the president of MetaMachine, Inc., in a statement before the committee.

“I expect such a transaction to take place as soon as we can reach a settlement with the RIAA. We hope that the RIAA and other rights holders will be happy with our decision to comply with their request and will appreciate our cooperation to convert eDonkey users to a sanctioned P2P environment,” added Yagan.

Yagan’s decision to take eDonkey to a private P2P model follows the demise of another file-sharing player, WinMX, whose Web site went offline last week. Both decisions were driven by letters sent Sept. 15 by the RIAA to seven prominent P2P networks, demanding that they either implement technology acceptable to the RIAA or shut down. eDonkey, which is owned by MetaMachine, received one of the letters, as did WinMX, LimeWire, BearShare, and others.
Via ZeroPaid

September 28, 2005

Clear Channel ‘instant’ CDs

Filed under: technology — Administrator @ 10:37 pm

Clear Channel’s Instant Live unit and France’s Universal Music Group are to produce CDs of live concerts by “mixing recordings on the spot and selling them to club-goers as they exit concerts,” says the IDG News Service.

This will, “allow these recordings to be better edited and distributed online, and then, sometime next year, sold as downloads for MP3 players and other devices,” says IDG.

It will also “paves the way for production of live recordings with Universal’s various affiliate labels,” not to mention giving Universal a “template” agreement for “division of revenue and recording ownership”.

IDG points out that a “patent issue stirred controversy among bands and fans in 2004 when Clear Channel blocked bands from trying to make their own instant albums at ClearChannel venues,” claiming instant-recording and mixing system patent infringements.

But Instant Live’s Stephen Prendergast, “appears to want to make peace with bands that want to do their own recordings, and stressed that he will not use the patent as leverage,” says the story. “We want everyone to share it and use it, but we have to do it in a way that is feasible and is financial beneficial to all of us who are involved,” he said.

He said Instant Live will take a “service-oriented” approach, offering bands a list of options for on-site recording and production.
Via p2pnet.net

First MPAA FECA victim

Filed under: All p2p networks — Administrator @ 10:34 pm

The entertainment cartels have successfully elevated the act of copying a movie to the level of a major federal crime and Curtis Salisbury, 19, has the distinction of becoming the first victim.

On Monday, Salisbury admitted using a camcorder to tape movies in a St Louis, Missouri, theater and distributing the results online, says CNET News.

“When Salisbury worked in the box office of a theater, he and others entered the projection booth after-hours and used a camcorder and audio recorder to tape ‘The Perfect Man’ and ‘Bewitched’ in June,” according to a plea agreement, says the story, going on that Salisbury appears to have been the first person prosecuted under the Family Entertainment and Copyright Act (FECA), approved in April.
Transgressors can be fined up to $250,000 whether or not any downloading actually takes place.
Via p2pnet.net

Apple Faces Quality Problems

Filed under: technology — Administrator @ 2:08 pm

Apple is facing a quality crisis with its newly announced iPod Nano, according to reports from unhappy customers complaining about defective displays.

Apple Disgruntled Nano owner Mathew Peterson has even set up a specific website flawedmusicplayer.com to deal with the problem, after initially being accused by his retailer of having damaged it himself, “I know I never hit anything, as everyone, including Apple Store employees have accused me of doing” says Peterson on his website, later adding “It makes me sad to see Apple turn into Dell.”
The 2GB/4GB iPod Nano was heralded as a “revolutionary new design” from Apple at the beginning of September. However, owners are flocking to complain about quality problems, with the website receiving 30 emails an hour from anxious customers.

(more…)

A pulse on peer-to-peer

Filed under: All p2p networks — Administrator @ 1:59 pm

Does peer-to-peer networking pose security problems, or not?

P2P is seen as a security risk by more than half of companies, according to a survey by Sage Research.

While conducting the research for its Sage Market Pulse the company, in fact, found that 51 percent of respondents consider P2P a ‘major’ security threat.

Looking to get a handle on security, 44 percent of those surveyed plan to rate-limit use of P2P traffic through deep-packet inspection. That’s one way of alleviating some security issues that those 43 percent working to deliver commercial services via P2P just might embrace.

Additionally, 39 percent of respondents plan to facilitate P2P traffic on their networks by caching frequently accessed content.

But back to that first statistic: If 51 percent of companies somewhat or strongly agree that P2P is a major security threat, what about the other 49 percent?

Is IT really split down the middle on whether peer-to-peer has security issues?
Via weblog.infoworld.com

Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Computer Network Users Share Generosity in Wake of Hurricane Katrina

Filed under: All p2p networks — Administrator @ 1:57 pm

ATLANTA, Sept. 27 /CNW/ — Communities across America have
generously responded to the urgent needs of those impacted by Hurricane
Katrina. Now one of the newest communities — peer-to-peer (P2P) computer
network users — has joined in the efforts with the downloading and purchase
of a song dedicated to the storm’s victims.
To date, P2P users have contributed more than $4,000.00 to the American
Red Cross’s Disaster Relief Fund (www.redcross.org) with the purchase
of “This Too Will Pass,” written and performed by Internet-based singer-
songwriter Scooter Scudieri (www.firstrockstar.com). Recorded and
launched just four days after Katrina’s landfall, “This Too Will Pass” was
previewed more than 12,000 times in its first week alone. Following the free
preview, P2P users are able to purchase the song for 89 cents ($.89), with
80 cents ($.80) going directly to Red Cross relief efforts. Scudieri had
written the piece earlier this year and said that “given the healing power of
music, I knew something positive could result with the song’s release.”
“P2P users routinely employ file-sharing technology to acquire
entertainment media. It’s gratifying to see so many using it to tap into their
generosity as well,” commented Les Ottolenghi, president of INTENT MediaWorks
(www.intentmediaworks.com). The Atlanta-based company distributes
legitimate entertainment content over major open P2P networks including
BearShare, eDonkey, Grokster, Kazaa and TrustyFiles.
(more…)

BitTorrent goes legit

Filed under: All p2p networks — Administrator @ 1:53 pm

BitTorrent, the company that created this year’s hottest p2p file sharing software, is raising $8.75 million in venture capital from Menlo Park (Calif.)-based Doll Capital Management in order to create a legal digital distribution system using the technology. According to the business plan, content from big names and independent producers alike (Games, videos, films and music) would be gathered and licensed for distribution, and BitTorrent would make money by either charging for the content or by using client-side advertising. This doesn’t sound very different from anything that’s out there now, with the exception of the licensing bit.

If Bram Cohen (pictured), creator of BitTorrent, and his partner ex-Yahoo employee Aswin Navin manage to convince content suppliers to play ball, they’ll have achieved a pretty big win. But reassuring the licence holders of the safety of their content once on the network will be a challenge, despite Cohen agreeing to use any DRM technology the license holders require. More challenging still, will be convince a public used to the BitTorrent free ride that it’s time to part wish some cash. Hystorically, that’s where most customers turn away.
Via ZeroPaid

September 27, 2005

Intel, Microsoft Back Next-Generation DVDs

Filed under: technology — Administrator @ 9:08 am

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Intel Corp. and Microsoft Corp., the leading suppliers of chips and software for most of the world’s personal computers, are throwing their support behind the next-generation DVD standard known as HD DVD.

After taking a neutral stance for months in the battle between the competing HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc formats, the companies said Tuesday they have joined the HD DVD Promotion Group that includes Toshiba Corp., Universal Studios and others.

The move means upcoming PCs running Microsoft’s upcoming Windows Vista operating system or Intel’s Viiv entertainment technology will come with support for HD DVD drives.

“We want to make sure that whatever is put out on the market is going to be as consumer friendly as possible from the price and usability point of view,” said Blair Westlake, vice president of Microsoft’s Media/Entertainment and Technology Convergence Group.

The decision by Microsoft and Intel pits the two largest makers of equipment for PCs against many of the companies that build and sell computers. Blu-ray is backed by Sony Corp (NYSE:SNE - news)., Apple Computer Inc., Hewlett-Packard Co. and Dell Inc., along with a variety of other tech companies and studios.

“We don’t see this announcement as anything that will shift the momentum that Blu-ray Disc has experienced,” said Josh Peterson, HP’s director of strategic alliances and a Blu-ray spokesman.
(more…)

Decision-making and risk-taking

Filed under: technology — Administrator @ 9:04 am

Apple boss Steve Jobs “gave a rare insight into what drives his decision-making and risk-taking at Apple Computer” to Stanford University students, last summer, says The Times Online.

“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life,” he’s quoted as saying.

Jobs told the students he’d lived by his code that death “is life’s change agent”, since he was 17 and, “Last year the theory was put to the test. Jobs was told he had pancreatic cancer, and had no more than six months left to live.

“My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor’s code for prepare to die,” ther story has him saying. “It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you’d have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months . . . it means to say your goodbyes.”

But doctors found he had a very rare form of the disease that was treatable by surgery and the experience “reinforced his belief that you should take risks to achieve what you want and push for more — not play safe”

Let’s hope the dinosaurs running the entertainment and software cartels are listening.
Via p2pnet.net

Limewire preps ‘piracy-prevention’ barriers

Filed under: software, All p2p networks — Administrator @ 8:45 am

LimeWire developers are working of code modifications that will prevent users of future versions of the popular P2P client from sharing copyrighted works. Future versions of the software may check to see if material presented for sharing is copyrighted before blocking sharing if no suitable license can be found, Slyck reports. Users would still have the ability to trade their own work or files they have permission to distribute via a Creative Commons license.
Via www.tomshardware.com

September 26, 2005

MP3 players

Filed under: MP3 players — Administrator @ 9:54 am

mp3 players

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What’s an MP3 player?

An MP3 player is a portable, light weight device that plays MP3 files as well as other digital audio formats downloaded from your computer. All our MP3 players plug into the USB port, and work just like an extra harddrive. You simply drag your files onto the drive.

Q2. How Long Does Delivery Take?

We ship worldwide using fedex. Delivery to most countries takes about 3 days.

Q3. Do You Guarantee Your Players?

Yes all players have a 12 guarantee, should your player malfunction or stop working, send it back and we will send you a new one!
(more…)

Brightside’s DR37-P extreme dynamic range LCD

Filed under: technology — Administrator @ 9:26 am

Monitors OnLine

The Canadians up at the appropriately named Brightside Technologies have created what they claim is the “World’s First Extreme Dynamic Range Display.” How extreme? We’re talking about a 200,000:1 contrast ratio here, people. The DR37-P is actually capable of creating a pure black pixel, making the true ratio infinite. It also shows an amazing 16-bits of color by layering a traditional 8-bit LCD onto of an array of LED backlights. The 37-inch display has 1920 x 1080 of those sexy little pixels and accepts all the normal connections, including DVI. Too bad the bezel is large enough to noticeably alter the gravitational make-up of your living room. The price for all this contrasty goodness is similarly large at $45,000 US.

Brightside’s DR37-P

Monitors OnLine

Fake torrents showing up

Filed under: All p2p networks — Administrator @ 9:16 am

About 50 new torrents of The Wedding Crashers, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and the first three The OC have been released from what myBittorrent admin Rex calls “fake” trackers (~31 in total).

Is it part of a plan to infiltrate the BitTorrent community with intentionally corrupt files? Slyck thinks so.

The titles are “specifically designed to report false information to trackers, thereby gaining artificially inflated popularity” and, “In a very short period of time, these false torrents have become most of my top downloads,” it has Rex saying. “I’ve never seen anything else before like it.”

Transfers stop at around 97%-98%, says Slyck, going on, “Some titles are published as ‘DVD-rips’ while others are pushed as ‘XviDs’. Others are presented as an English or French releases to disguise the origin of the torrent, and to present “a diverse array of choices”.

According to Rex, the torrent originating from false trackers are intentionally reporting false information, says the post.

“For example, a corrupt torrent will report 400 seeds with 3000 leeches. Since the more individuals having a file are indicative of the file’s download speed, it becomes a highly downloaded torrent and aids in its popularity. The ruse is additionally disguised by spreading the torrent release from over 31 different trackers. Interestingly enough, although the identified trackers have different sub domains, they all originate from the same IP address.”

Although myBittorrent has so far been on the sharp end, “ these types of corrupt torrents have begun to appear on Mininova as well,” says Slyck, adding:

“Since the threat has been identified, the administration of myBittorrent has begun eliminating any torrent files originating from the identified trackers. At this time, the origins of the attack are unknown. But their initial goal of gaining maximum exposure certainly did work, if only for a short while.”
Via p2pnet.net

LimeWire Works to Block Unlicensed Material

Filed under: All p2p networks — Administrator @ 9:00 am

The current version of LimeWire is 4.9.30. As of this version, no impediments exist that disallows the free sharing of information. The occassional nag screen may pop up once and a while, however this is little more than a mere nuisance for the average user. If the occassional nag screen is truly a bother, there are plenty of other Gnutella clients to choose from.

However, LimeWire has become and remains to this day one of the premier Gnutella clients. Its population is often situated at 2 million plus simultaneous users - easily outstripping the peak populations of Napster and WinMX. Its large resource of mainstream and non-mainstream music has made this a client of choice for new comers and veteran file-traders alike.

While things may seem rosy, it appears this constant is about to change.

On June 26, 2005, the United States Supreme Court remanded the MGM vs. Grokster lawsuit back to the lower courts. In a 9-0 ruling, the court stated “We hold that one who distributes a device with the object of promoting its use to infringe copyright, as shown by clear expression or other affirmative steps taken to foster infringement, is liable for the resulting acts of infringement by third parties.”

This opinion, written by Justice David H. Souter has caused great confusion and uncertainty in the P2P development community. The confusion raised has led to various results, such as BearShare halting development, while Neo-Modus has completely vanished. It also led to a disturbing message from LimeWire CEO Mark Gorton.
(more…)

September 25, 2005

Wholesale mp3 players

Filed under: technology — Administrator @ 12:56 pm

mp3 players

Sony Ericsson’s W850/S800/Sakura and Nikon D200

Filed under: technology — Administrator @ 12:37 pm

We’re pretty sure this is the same device as the Sony Ericsson W850, which we saw those covertly taken shots of yesterday, but now we’ve supposedly got a codename on it (”Sakura,” which jibes with what we’ve heard; also “Ophira”), and understand it’s to be something more like a lovechild of the fantabulous S700 and the W800 Walkman phone. The details are a little fuzzy right now and we don’t have word on how high resolution the camera is, but the Ophira will supposedly have a QVGA screen, 3G, capabilities, a frontal video-conferencing camera, and Walkman phone features like dedicated playback buttons and their music software. Count on us to keep you up to the minute on this one. Oh, and apparently Club SE also has it that the Hermione will feature WiFi and 3G (which we knew), GPS, a 3 megapixel camera, and Blackberry email and UIQ 3.0 software.
Sony Ericsson’s W850/S800/Sakura

Phones OnLine

The Nikon D200
Is Nikon quietly prepping its response to Canon’s new EOS 5D? Nothing confirmed as of yet, but supposedly they’re getting ready to introduce the D200, a new 12.4 megapixel digital SLR with a 2.5-inch LCD (incidentally, it sounds like this is a totally different camera than the Nikon D200 we first heard some rumors about last year).
Nikon D200

Digital Cameras OnLine

Copyright in a digital world

Filed under: All p2p networks — Administrator @ 12:24 pm

Nicholas Bentley is an interesting person - a genuine renaissance man. He’s a designer and ebéniste (cabinet maker) living in France. But he spends all his spare time thinking about intellectual property issues.

“In my previous life I was a flight simulator engineer for British Airways, and before that I was trained in information processing,” he told p2pnet. “Hence, I’m an artist and engineer who always has the sharing and communication of information in the back of my mind. And this brings me to my current project of the last six years where I recognise that DRM will probably never work satisfactorily (you probably know all the issues), and that the Internet, technology and services such as p2p offers great opportunities, but also that artists and creators need to and ought to get paid.

“Analogue copyright achieved a balance between the technology (printing) and artists getting paid by limiting the production of physical copies and hence gave copies a trading value that was a substitute for the trade of intangible intellectual works. My proposed ‘DIPR Rights Office’ system makes the rights to a work (to reproduce it, to transfer rights, to trade rights, the right to adsorb the work) the trading commodity and regulates this trade with an infrastructure of peer-to-peer ‘offices’ on the Internet that act as rights agents for producers, distributors and consumers. Once this trade in rights becomes established copies become unimportant and the technology such as P2P is free to optimise the transfer of copies to whomever has the ‘right’ to access the work.

“This is a complex philosophy that is not clear to many in the IP field. Copyright lawyers and the DRM folks can’t think of anything other than regulating copies, it is called COPYright after all.

“On the other side, the Creative Commons and the free software types are sure I must be slipping DRM (ie, control of copies) into the system somewhere and hence don’t want to discuss it.”

Is copyright still on the right track? - he asks. Are DRM systems and Creative Commons licences the only solutions that can support copyright in the digital world?

“I’d like to open up the discussion ……”

…MORE…

Turmoil in the world of p2p

Filed under: All p2p networks — Administrator @ 12:21 pm

WinMX is down, eDonkey seems to have moved over to the opposition, StreamCast ceo Mike Weiss isn’t talking, BearShare is keeping shtum, Warez P2P isn’t saying anything except ‘watch this space’, LimeWire has its head in the sand, Grokster will probably end up being eaten by corporate download firm Mashboxx.

Does all this mean the indie p2p industry is on the verge of collapse?

Nope. It just means it’s on the verge of change.

eDonkey has joined Sharman Networks in a move which’ll be far more advantageous to the latter than the former. On the fact that it’s signed up Sharmans’ DCIA, which touts DRM and Kazaa, “We believe that DCIA has many of the right ideas,” the company’s Sam Yagan told us yesterday. “But we don’t in any way agree with every position it takes.”

And on the fact the lamescream media were all a-twitter because eDonkey’s New York office wasn’t answering the phone? That’s not because eDonkey is going, or has gone, under, says Yagan. “We haven’t been in our NYC offices for many months, so this is a case of creative journalism.”
(more…)

Glickman ousted in anti-p2p role

Filed under: All p2p networks — Administrator @ 12:19 pm

The movie studios have clearly lost faith in Dan ‘Jedi’ Glickman’s ability to effectively lead the good fight against p2p and file sharers.

From October 1, ex-Screen Actors Guild (SAG) stalwart Bob Pisano steps up to take charge of the anti-p2p effort as president and operations boss of the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America), says the movie studio pseudo-kop unit.

He’ll have day-to-day responsibility “operations, domestic and international, other than Washington, DC-based external and governmental affairs,” says the MPAA.

Glickman, meanwhile, will, “lead the motion picture industry’s voluntary rating system, the Classification and Rating Administration (CARA) and its companion Advertising Administration,” says the MPAA.

But ex-MPAA boss Jack Valenti continues to lurk in the background.

“I consult with Jack a lot - he’s still my mentor - and he advised me that I needed to do what was best for me,” the SAG Watchdog has Glickman saying.

“I’m not Jack, and this is what I need to do.”
Via p2pnet.net

Bittorrent with $8.5 million round

Filed under: technology, All p2p networks — Administrator @ 12:17 pm

Om Malik and Daniel Primack both confirm the first institutional round for (in) famous BitTorrent:

“Om Malik heard a rumor last month that P2P digital content company BitTorrent had raised some venture dollars from DCM-Doll Capital Management. BitTorrent poobah Ashwin Navin, however, said that while his company would be “opportunistic,” it had not taken any outside money. Well, opportunity has now formally knocked, BitTorrent answered, invited it in and served it dinner. According to a regulatory filing dated September 12, the company has raised $8.75 million in a Series A funding round led by. yup, DCM-Doll Capital Management.”
(more…)

New Breed of Corrupt Torrent Infiltrates BitTorrent

Filed under: software, All p2p networks — Administrator @ 12:13 pm

myBittorrent is a popular BitTorrent listing site used by tens of thousands of individuals each day. It also has become the focus of an individual or group of individuals looking to undermine the integrity of the BitTorrent community. Although false and corrupt files have been a part of the BitTorrent community since its beginning, a new kind is emerging that aims for maximum exposure.

“I think they are doing this to give BitTorrent a bad name,” Rex, the administrator of myBittorrent told Slyck.com.

Of course the proverbial “they” is the real question. According to Rex, about 50 new torrents have been released from what he calls “fake” trackers (~31 in total.) These trackers are seemingly part of an elaborate plot to infiltrate the BitTorrent community with intentionally corrupt files. These movie and film titles are specifically designed to report false information to trackers, thereby gaining artificially inflated popularity.
(more…)

September 23, 2005

Super Power Saver

Filed under: technology — Administrator @ 12:56 pm

We Recommend:

What is the Super Power Saver?
The PowerSaver stabilizes voltages and reduces currents, enhances power efficiency of electrical equipment, avoids waste of the supplies, saves electrical energy, and extends the life of appliances. As a result, the electricity bill will be reduced and money saved.

This product is the result of the technical cooperation between Taiwan and Kawahara Electric Works, Ltd. Japan (The largest and most famous manufacturer of industrial power saving equipment in Japan, with over 30 years of energy saving experience.)

Why use Super Power Saver?

Power Saver All electric equipment/appliances efficiency reduces with time, sometimes as new as 3-month-old appliances. As the appliances age, they will consume more power without being realized, hence higher electricity bills.

SKU : 17-superpowersaver
Weight : 5.000

Super Power Saver OnLine

The Double Face Mouse

Filed under: technology — Administrator @ 12:46 pm

It’s hard to imagine any peripheral that has seen more innovation thrown at it than the computer mouse. Now we present to you the $55, Double Face Mouse — a mild mannered wireless mouse which also likes to have its optical mouse ball thumbed. Probably a good option for couch riding Media Center users, big arm-waving corporate presenters, or peripheral pervs. Very little in the way of details here but at least we get to say “mouse ball” with impunity.

Computers Accessories OnLine

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