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EuropeApple drops copy protection from iTunes
The millions of songs available for download from Apple will no longer be tied only to iPods and customers will be able to transfer their tracks freely.Apple today announced that its entire iTunes music catalogue will soon be available without any copy protection, after agreeing a new deal with the world's major record labels.The move means customers will soon be able to buy songs via iTunes ? the world's dominant digital music retailer ? without being locked into using an iPod.Music fans will be able to buy tracks without digital rights management (DRM) from iTunes and easily transfer them between computers, many different brands of music player or even onto their mobile phones.Later this year, Apple said, the company will add a further 8m new unprotected tracks to iTunes, and shortly afterwards expects its entire library to follow suit."By the end of the quarter all 10 million songs will be DRM free in iTunes and iTunes plus," said Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide product marketing.DRM was originally designed to prevent downloaders from sharing files illegally, but it has become a divisive issue.Customers can already download some unprotected files from iTunes, and from other retailers, but the news marks a significant shift for Apple. It has struggled to convince the record labels to agree to drop DRM for iTunes downloads in a power struggle over who controls the future of the music industry.The plan to drop copy protection was accompanied by the news that Apple would also allow variable pricing for the first time ? meaning tracks could be sold for prices other than the standard 79p. In the UK, tracks will be available for 59p, 79p and 99p.The move is thought to have been part of a deal to convince the major record labels to offer their music libraries for sale without copy protection mechanisms. Until now Apple has refused to incorporate pricing flexibility, but it is thought that the music industry's increasing support for competitors such as online retailer Amazon's MP3 store helped it change its mind.According to the usually furious rumour mill surrounding Apple announcements, the company's final keynote address at the Macworld Expo in San Francisco had all the hallmarks of being a damp squib. Early speculation had focused instead on the health of its talismanic chief executive, rather than the products that the company might unveil.But even without the presence of Steve Jobs ? who finally admitted yesterday to health problems caused by his cancer surgery ? Apple did its best to please fans today, with a slew of new products and services.The task of delivering Apple's valedictory address fell to Schiller, who started off by thanking the audience for their presence. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate you all showing up," he joked.Among the other announcements were an updated 17-inch MacBook Pro laptop and new versions of the company's iLife and iWork software.The new MacBook Pro was widely expected following updates to the company's smaller models late last year, and will go on sale starting at $2,799 (£1,900).It claims to be the world's thinnest and lightest 17in laptop, with a larger built-in battery that can hold up to 8 hours of charge.Updates to iLife, due at the end of this month, include a new version of iPhoto incorporating face recognition, an improved version of iMovie, and the addition of downloadable music lessons to Garageband, featuring artists including Sting and Norah Jones.Schiller also announced a beta version of iWork.com, an online document sharing service, intended to compete with Google Docs, Microsoft Office Live and others.The crowd, famous for whooping with excitement at every utterance from Jobs, did their best to recreate the traditional atmosphere ? but things were noticeably subdued compared to the usual furore of Apple's January announcements.In comparison to previous years ? which have seen the unveiling of the iMac, iBook, iPod mini and iPhone ? this year's address was devoid of significant breakthrough.Many of the products predicted by analysts and industry observers ? including a low-cost Apple laptop and a smaller, cheaper version of the iPhone ? failed to materialise.A small group of fans queued overnight to make sure they got places inside San Francisco's Moscone Center, but there was little sign of the enormous lines and crowds that usually mark the occasion.Apple's decision to end its involvement with the conference , which is organised by an independent company, IDG, left many preparing themselves for the eventual death of the 24-year-old expo ? despite insistences from the organisers that there would be "many successful years of Macworld to come"."This is my first Macworld and possibly my last, because if Apple's not presenting then it's not necessarily 100% worth it to make the trip all the way down here," said Nik Lensander from Santa Barbara, California, who was the first in the queue.Apple's legion of obsessive followers, however, still regretted that there was no surprise appearance from Jobs."I actually made plans to come here to watch him, and when I found out he wasn't I was disappointed," said Alex Lee, who travelled from Dubai to attend. "However, life moves on."MacworldAppleitunesSteve JobsMusic and the internetAppleguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Published: Tue, 06 Jan 2009 19:41:29 GMT - Source: Guardian.Co.Uk - Read the articleMotorsportsA Sting in the Tale: Wasps 24-18 Harlequins
I awoke this morning full of excitement, trepidation and a few questions: Which Wasps team would turn up? Would the groundsman remember to turn the undersoil heating on? Would my nerves be frayed come full-time?
We arrived in the ground with moments to spare before kick-off -
Published: Tue, 06 Jan 2009 11:00:27 GMT - Source: Rugbynetwork.Net - Read the articleLiteratureReal life superheroes in the news
Articles in Rolling Stone and The Sunday Times this month introduce us to real life superheroes, basically vigilantes in spandex with names like Terrifica, Mr. Invisible, Master Legend, and The Ace. From Rolling Stone: Although Master Legend was one of the first to call himself a Real Life Superhero, in recent years a growing network of similarly homespun caped crusaders has emerged across the country. Some were inspired by 9/11. If malevolent individuals can threaten the world, the argument goes, why can't other individuals step up to save it? "What is Osama bin Laden if not a supervillain, off in his cave, scheming to destroy us?" asks Green Scorpion, a masked avenger in Arizona. True to comic-book tradition, each superhero has his own aesthetic. Green Scorpion's name is derived from his desert home, from which he recently issued a proclamation to "the criminals of Arizona and beyond," warning that to continue illegal activities is to risk the "Sting of the Green Scorpion!" From The Sunday Times: In recent weeks, prompted by heady buzz words such as ?active citizenry? during the Barack Obama campaign, the pace of enrolment has speeded up. Up to 20 new ?Reals?, as they call themselves, have materialised in the past month. The Real rules are simple. They must stand for unambiguous and unsponsored good. They must create their own Spandex and rubber costumes without infringing Marvel or DC Comics copyrights, but match them with exotic names ? Green Scorpion in Arizona, Terrifica in New York, Mr Xtreme in San Diego and Mr Silent in Indianapolis. They must shun guns or knives to avoid being arrested as vigilantes, even if their nemeses may be armed. Their best weapon is not muscle but the internet ? an essential tool in their war on crime is a homepage stating the message of doom for super-villains. "The Legend of Master Legend" (RollingStone.com), "Amateur crimefighters are surging in the US" (TimesOnline.co.uk, thanks COOP!) Previously:Coop essay on real life 70s superheroes - Boing Boing Photos of immigrant workers dressed as superheroes - Boing Boing Science of becoming Batman - Boing Boing...
Published: Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:12:00 GMT - Source: Boingboing.Net - Read the article
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