Former Dead Kennedys vocalist Jello Biafra has torn into the RIAA, likening them to the mafia, threatening to leave a horse’s head in the beds of old women and children alike, whilst destroying the education of student file-sharers. Don’t even get him started on the media: Goebbels would be proud,
he said
Reporters Without Borders condemns the decision by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to block access YouTube. Claiming that the proportion of non-Islamic objectionable video
had increased on YouTube, the PTA, the official Internet regulatory body, ordered all Pakistani ISPs to block access to the web site until further notice
It has been three months since the popular (semi)private BitTorrent tracker Demonoid went offline. Since then, there has been a lot of speculation about its future, and many feared that the site would never return. Totally out of the blue, however, the tracker is now responding again
Apple just issued a cease and desist order to the ISP hosting the Hymn-inspired Requiem software. DrmBytes, a hymn moderator, posted that hymn-project.org will no longer allow links to DRM-stripping software, writing We’ve complied with the C&D and removed all DRM breaking software from the site
— via The Unofficial Apple Weblog
A new silicon chip, dubbed the Gi-Fi
, developed in Melbourne is predicted to revolutionise the way household gadgets like televisions, phones and DVD players talk to each other. The tiny five-millimetre-a-side chip can transmit data through a wireless connection at a breakthrough five gigabits per second over distances of up to 10 metres. An entire high-definition movie from a video shop kiosk could be transmitted to a mobile phone in a few seconds, and the phone could then upload the movie to a home computer or screen at the same speed
Research shows that a savvy attacker with a can of compressed air and good timing can access encryption keys used by Vista’s BitLocker, the Mac’s FileVault, and other well-known encryption tools
Yahoo search has resumed linking to file-sharing web site The Pirate Bay without explaining why the site disappeared from its search results
Google will begin storing the medical records of a few thousand people as it tests a long-awaited health service that’s likely to raise more concerns about the volume of sensitive information entrusted to the internet search leader
The Church of Scientology can delete auctions from eBay with no supervision under the VeRO program, and has used this to delete all resale of the e-meters Scientologists use. This is to stop members from buying used units from ex-members instead of buying from the official (and very expensive) source. Given Scientology’s record of fraud and abuse, should eBay give them this level of trust? Will this set a precedent for other companies that want to stop the aftermarket resale of their products? — via Slashdot
The Mozilla Foundation has opened Mozilla Messaging, a new subsidiary focused on developing its free, open-source Thunderbird e-mail software. Mozilla Messaging will initially focus on developing Thunderbird 3, which aims at improving several aspects of the software, including integrated calendaring, better search, as well as enhancements to the overall user experience
Jon DVD Jon
Johansen and friends launched doubleTwist today — a project that removes DRM from music and allows it to be synched to a variety of devices — via Boing Boing
A 2,000-year-old mechanical computer salvaged from a Roman shipwreck has astounded scientists who have finally unravelled the secrets of how the sophisticated device works
Over the past four weeks, the City of Sydney Council has been trialling the provision of free Wi-Fi services in its libraries. With only a fortnight to go before the hotspots are switched off, a spokesperson has said that users won’t have long to wait before access becomes a permanent fixture
As the internet threatens to kill the established music industry, the Rudd Government is considering a three-strikes policy against computer users who download songs illegally. The Government will examine new legislative proposals being unveiled in Britain this week to target people who download films and music illegally. ISPs there might be legally required to take action against users who access pirated material. Under the three-strikes policy, a warning would be first issued to offenders who illegally share files using peer-to-peer technology to access music, TV shows and movies free of charge. The second strike would lead to the offender’s internet access being suspended; the third would cancel the offender’s internet access
Panasonic has designed a plasma TV which it reckons will withstand the force of a fiercely flung Wii Remote. The TV’s display surface can absorb a hit packing up to four Joules of kinetic energy, thanks to a special transparent coating sprayed on the screen
For years, ISPs have watched with envy as the likes of Google, Yahoo and Microsoft sliced up the online advertising pie. Selling Internet access has been a decent business, but selling Web advertising has been an even better one. Now three ISPs in Britain have gotten together to try to grab a plump piece of online advertising for themselves. Last week, BT, Carphone Warehouse and Virgin Media announced a deal with a company called Phorm, whose technology tracks Web users and serves them ads related to their interests
BBC is bringing its shows to iTunes UK, with some already appearing on the store. Shows initially showing up include Torchwood, Spooks, The Mighty Boosh, Life on Mars, The Catherine Tate Show, Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps and finally Little Britain. All the episodes cost the regular UK pricing of £1.89 will be available to download and buy 8 days after broadcast
Toshiba is planning to stop production of equipment compatible with the HD DVD format for high-definition video, allowing the competing Blu-Ray camp a free run. Toshiba is expected to suffer losses amounting to tens of billions of yen (hundreds of millions of dollars) to scrap production of HD DVD players and recorders and other steps to exit the business. No one at Toshiba could be reached for comment
The entire Yahoo Design Innovation Team, aka yHaus, has been axed en masse. The team had been working on next generation design projects. This week, more than 1,000 Yahoo employees have been let go as the troubled Web portal struggles to cope with operating costs that are rising much faster than revenue is growing. The layoffs mean the end of a font of design innovation at the beleaguered web giant, which is currently trying to fend off a hostile takeover bid by Microsoft
Firefox 3.0’s memory consumption is dramatically improved
, claimed Mozilla’s chief engineer, because developers have aggressively attacked the open-source browser’s notorious memory leaks
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