Archive for June 7th, 2006
International Trade, Russia & MP3 Files
“Rising consumer popularity is turning AllofMP3.com, a music downloading service based in Moscow, into a global Internet success story, except for one important detail: The site may well be illegal.
“So great is the official level of concern about AllofMP3 that U.S. trade negotiators darkly warned that the Web site could jeopardize Russia’s long- sought entry into the World Trade Organization.
“Operating through what music industry lobbyists say is a loophole in Russia’s copyright law, AllofMP3 offers a vast catalogue of music that includes artists not normally authorized for sale online — like the Beatles and Metallica — at a small fraction the cost of services like Apple Computer’s iTunes Music Store. And unlike iTunes and other commercial services, songs purchased with AllofMP3’s downloading software have no restrictions on copying.”
Thomas Crampton. Allegations of Piracy Hit Popular Music Web Site. International Herald Tribune. June 2, 2006.
CopyCense™: The law, business, and technology of digital content. A business venture of Seso Digital LLC.
Microsoft to Challenge JPEG Image Format
“If it is up to Microsoft, the omnipresent JPEG image format will be replaced by Windows Media Photo.
“The software maker detailed the new image format last week at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference in Seatlle. Windows Media Photo will be supported in Windows Vista and also be made available for Windows XP. In a presentation, the Windows Media Photo product manager showed an image with 24:1 compression that visibly contained more detail in the Windows Media Photo format than the JPEG and JPEG 2000 formats compressed at the same level.
“Still, the image in the Microsoft format was somewhat distorted because of the high compression level. Typically digital cameras today use 6:1 compression. Windows Media Photo should offer better pictures at double that level, according to Microsoft. Not only does compression save storage space, which is especially important for devices such as cell phones and digital cameras, a smaller file can also print faster, transfer faster and help conserve battery life on devices.”
Joris Evers. Microsoft Shows Off JPEG Rival. News.com. May 24, 2006.
CopyCense™: The law, business, and technology of digital content. A business venture of Seso Digital LLC.
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