Wine, Cheese, and Copyright

New Year, New America

2008-02-04T23:44:00.001-05:00

Yes, it's been a year. But big things have happened in this last year and new things are on the horizon. Normally, I'm pretty personal with my political views, minus my discussions with close friends, but since my past employment opportunities have educated me on the importance of voting, I want to share this incredible video with all of you.

I understand that that this video supports Barack Obama (for whom I will be voting for come the Wisconsin Presidential Primaries); however, I believe that this video stands for more than just one political candidate. It speaks to a younger nation on the rise. Place who ever you want in this video and it still rings true.

The only way you can make a difference is to vote. Tomorrow is Super Tuesday. No matter your partisanship, I hope that is what you do.

Cheers.

Matt

The NEW BitTorrent

2007-02-28T15:44:00.000-05:00

On Monday, BitTorrent Inc. opened it’s new iTunes-like digital media store with minimal fanfare but a solid repertoire of material. This author took a little time to investigate the site, which can be found here. The new service is a’ la carte, with movies for rental and TV shows for purchase. All in all, the prices look pretty great. TV shows are priced comparably with iTunes at $1.99 while movie rentals are a cheap $2.99 (BTW, I hate Blockbuster and their $5 rentals…). If the service is technically sound, which I plan to try while I’m home over spring break, I see no reason why it can’t legitimately challenge iTunes, provided the media works on a solid portable media player (cough cough iPod cough).

The bonus…

Some of the content is DRM-free, as Digital Music News reports, though I can bet it won’t be major studios’ material.

Still, this is a pretty big step for the digital media market. Just imagine if something like this would’ve happened when Napster was around. We’d be so much further along in this digital transition, be it better/faster technology, more interoperability or cheaper prices. BitTorrent has been a four-letter word for many of the big media conglomerates, but now the studios and labels are willing to talk because they FINALLY see the dollar signs. Better late than never…

Well, That Didn't Take Long...

2007-02-28T15:42:00.000-05:00

HD-DVD and Blu-Ray aren’t even that popular yet, but a hacker at the heart of the DRM war has cracked Digital Rights Management for both new media formats. Wired.com (my new favorite website) provides proof of the hack and software that will allow implementation for both Windows and Mac OSX after this jump. However, this crack doesn’t mean that the average consumer will have unfiltered access to copy the High Def. DVDs like previous software such as DeCSS and DVD X Copy. The details are a bit technical for many to understand (including me), but this find generally ensures that the process isn’t impossible since every disc uses this now-public code. This is the second big break in the fight against DRM in as many weeks along with Steve Job’s essay calling for the abandonment of DRM by the major labels. Many experts are even speculating that the big 4 may be on the verge of dropping DRM for good quite soon.

More information regarding this issue is bound to be coming soon… stay tuned.

I Tend to Think of it as Natural Selection

2007-02-07T14:20:00.000-05:00

Don't parents teach their children at a very young age to look both ways before cross the street? Not to sound too insensitive (Really, it's terrible to lose someone you love), but maybe some people missed that. Even if you forgot that lesson, they have lighted signs that tell you when you can and can't cross the street.

CNN just posted this story that New York may ban the use of gadgets while crossing the street. The report states that three people in Brooklyn were killed by motorists after being distracted by their cell phones or iPods while crossing the street.

I can understand banning them while you drive. If you're not paying attention while driving, not only can you hurt yourself but you can also make your vehicle a bulldozer of sorts. But banning them while you walk? Other than these extreme cases which are generally rare, the worst you'll probably do is walk into a light post which will probably hurt your pride more than your face.

Surely we don't need the government to protect us from this. They need worry about protecting us from terrorism, global warming and the energy crisis, not slapping us on the hand when we walk across the street listening to music. I'll go out on a limb and say that there are less people dying from crossing the street while playing on their PSP or other gadget of choice than heart disease, cancer or even murder. Lets get those under control first, people...

Though this does shed new light on the phrase "walk and chew gum."

My Favorite Superbowl Commercials

2007-02-06T15:52:00.000-05:00

These were awesome. But the best is at the end. That's right. The Prince Halftime Show.

iTunes for Linux? Isn't that a Paradox?

2007-02-06T15:47:00.000-05:00

Yeah, yeah. I know. I haven't posted in long time. So sue me. It was finals, the holidays, and the start of a new semester. Give me a break. But here we go again. I'm back.

So I was getting my daily dish at Wired.com and I ran across this brief story. Basically, there’s a faction of Linux users working on a petition to have Apple release iTunes for the Linux operating system. Now, I don’t know too much about Linux (though I’m starting to try to learn and maybe I’ll actually make the switch sometime) but I do know this: Linux is an open-source based system. I 100% endorse that way of life, but why in the name of the RIAA would anyone who really, truly supports Linux and open-source want Apple software on their hard drive.

Seriously.

Have any of these people ever heard of DRM? Isn’t there a bible on Linux that specifically states that “any user found supporting Digital Rights Management of any kind shall be banished from the land of sharing and caring (okay, so I made that last part up) and uploaded to the Linux Banlist?” Maybe that’s why there’s only, at the time this article was published, 899 signatures. I will label these signers as “Linux Posers” from here on out.

The rest of the real supporters of Linux probably already found out how to circumvent the DRM on the iPods and uploaded all of their music to those nifty little machines. I’ll have to talk to one of them…

What's the Big Deal About Copyrights?

2006-12-09T20:49:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the long break everyone. With finals and homework, things have been pretty busy. However, that means that I've got a lot of content to put on here, including the following video me and some friends made for one of our classes regarding copyright. Hope you enjoy! More to come!

Matt's Holiday Gift Guide

2006-11-22T11:45:00.000-05:00

So here it is. I know you've been waiting for it. Matt's 2006 Holiday Gift Guide. You can't go wrong if you get any of your loved ones, friends or famliy anything I suggest. Yeah, it's that good. The hardest part might be finding them, though...

PlayStation 3

Let me just preface this by saying that you'll have to shell out around $2k for this one. You can't get it in stores, just the price gouging website Ebay.

Still, this is THE gift of the year. The technology is amazing. Blu-Ray, 1080p display, the wicked processors, Wi-Fi, internet and the list goes on. Sure it might not be totally perfect at launch, but it will be awesome. If you haven't heard about this system, you're out of the loop. You must not be reading the news. If anyone wants to make this guy happy, get me one of these. Just be careful you don't get mugged bringing it home. It happens here.

Other ideas related to the PS3 - Nintendo Wii or the X Box 360

iPod Shuffle

These are probably a little eaiser to get than the PS3, but not by much. They're selling for an easy $79 and are a great stocking stuffer. Cheap, gets people in on the iPod fad and are wonderfully tiny to bring along anywhere. Apparently Apple will sell between 6 and 8 million of these things this year. They can't keep them on the shelves. Don't believe me? Read here.

Other ideas that you should totally avoid - Microsft Zune (What a piece of junk)

The Sopranos DVDs

I just started watching this show and it's been incredible. I know the Sopranos fad has kind of worn off, but if you haven't seen the first episode, you need to. And when I travel by bus and train to and from Boston, I'm gonna watch more. Incredible. TV is getting so damn good all the time. There are too many other shows to see.

Other great ideas - Prison Break, LOST or South Park on DVD or iPod Video

Those are my top 3 ideas, but there's always pleanty of gadgets that I could fall in love with - cameras, TVs, cell phones - just too many to name. Here's the general rule to live by for Christmas shopping: when in doubt, go hi-tech.

It's coming...

2006-11-15T17:08:00.000-05:00

The iPhone will be here before you know it. And I'll be one of the first in line for it. Tech specs aren't available, but this article from Forbes.com gives a little detail on the contract between Apple and Tiwan-based Hon Hai. Jobs and Co. have placed an order for 12 million handsets that also work as an mp3 player. The iPhone (or so it has been dubbed) will be released in the first half of next year.

Personally, I want this thing to have video too. I've just recently been turned on to the TiVo and video iPod world and now I want one device to do it all. I want the Archos 604 WiFi features to download content direct from my TV. I want to surf the net and check my email on the go. I want to call my friends and tell them what an amazing device I have. I want to listen to my favorite PodCasts. I want to download the new single from my favorite band right onto my device, not through a computer. I want to be able to put all of my content on any hardware that I own.

And I want competition between businesses that are trying to give it to me. That way, prices are cheaper and products are better.

Coming soon... analyzing the Microsoft/Zune deal, NBC sticking with Studio 60 and my picks for holiday gifts for 2006! (wink wink anyone who might be thinking of getting me something for Christmas or my birthday in February!)

CMJ, the Recording Academy, and the Archos 604

2006-11-08T14:16:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the delay in posts. It's getting closer to crunch time for this semester. Added to that, the CMJ Marathon was last week. Totally a blast, minus the fact that you have to get to the big shows 3 or more hours early to get in. I couldn't get into the Shins because they gave preferential treatment to ticket holders over the CMJ badges. Wait, aren't these the badges that most people paid $500 for? Why are they even selling tickets? Of course they'd pack the house still.

Oh well... I only paid $35 anyway. On to better things.

The Recording Academy was at CMJ as well. While there, they released a report entitled "What's the Download Survival Guide". The report, which can be found here discusses digital download "etiquette" as well as downloading trends and a history of downloading. The report, as DigitalMusicNews.com states, "continues a kindler, gentler tone... less aligned with the RIAA approach... [which] has succeeded in fostering a negative perception of the music industry." The Academy summarized its views with this statement:

In order to compete with copyright infringing P2P sites, record labels, artists, and publishers need to make every sound and video recording available and easily accessible for purchase. In return, technology companies must resolve the issues surrounding compatibility and interoperability among portable devices and downloading services.

What a novel idea. Working WITH consumers to improve the marketplace? Wow. Never would've thought of that. Meanwhile, the RIAA continues it's lawsuit crusade, this time going against the children of Patricia Santangelo.

When will they learn...

Finally, a new digital music player has entered the market. Archos has released a Wi-Fi enabled video player ahead of Microsoft's Zune. The device, dubbed the "604" has 30 GBs of storage space, touch screen controls to access the internet and email, and device to device compatibility. The big kicker for me is its ability to connect to set-top cable boxes and DVD players to record video. Portable DVR maybe? I'm not sure exactly how well the Wi-Fi and its device compatibility will be, but it looks like it could be a real buy.

Either way, it's still going up against Apple and Microsoft. Maybe good technology will find a way...

Cheers!

Thanks to DigitalMusicNews.com

2006-11-02T11:06:00.000-05:00

James Lipton does Kevin

Thank you, K-Fed. I love you.

Something Interesting I Found

2006-10-25T14:50:00.000-04:00

On Rags Gupta's blog, which can be seen on DigitalMusicNews.com, Gupta makes an interesting point about the music industry fighting against the "free" business model in regards to P2P downloading and other online music services.

"One can compete with the "free" business model; indeed competing against "free" protects you from lazy marketing. The bottled water industry is the most
obvious example of this, and it was raised by Prof. Moon. However, she raised an interesting point: imagine if consumers were used to getting music for free...do you think you could sell CDs? I'd think so: the value proposition would be around things like artwork, having a backup to the digital file, having a packaged playlist put together by someone else (so you're paying for editorial programming)."

I think Grupta is right on the money. They've gotten lazy in their marketing and sales. A little kick in the pants my give consumers a better product at a better price. Grupta has some pretty cool links to great bloggers in the industry. If you're interested in this kind of stuff, I'd suggest you check it out.

Keep the comments coming guys. How about getting a little academic conversation going on here.

Don't Forget!!!

2006-10-24T19:16:00.000-04:00

Please get out and vote!!!

November 7th, 2006

If you need information on the candidates, check this out!

Project Vote Smart

Online Poker Ban Signed By President!

2006-10-23T16:36:00.000-04:00

On Friday, October 13th, President Bush signed the new "Safe Port Act" that made it official: online poker is illegal. Wait, did I hear that right? Isn't the bill called the "Safe Port Act"? What on earth does that have to do with online gambling?

Nothing.

The "Internet Gambling Prohibition Act" was added to the "Safe Port Act" as a back door, get-it-out-the-door-before-elections-begin ploy that worked flawlessly. And since voting against increasing the safety in our ports is pretty much supporting Satan himself, the bill became law unanimously.

So instead of gaining approximately $3 billion in tax revenue from regulating and taxing (see the report here) the widely popular card game, they've outlawed it all together. Here are a few things Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) cited as reasons to ban online gambling:

-Internet gambling sites are unregulated.

Unfortunately, Senator Frist is wrong on this one. Many of the most popular sites are managed by the U.K. and Canada. They have some of the most complex algorithms to curb cheating on the planet and are fully licensed by the internationally recognized organizations. Funds are notoriously tracked and managed.

-Online gambling websites may fund terrorist organizations.

Please... I'm not even going to talk about this one.

-Poker addictions are running rampant! And there are underage gamblers all over!

Many online gambling websites use advanced software to detect the beginning signs of a gambling addiction and limit deposits by both amount and frequency. Not only that, they use strict procedures to ensure that there are no underage gamblers on the site. If there are, that means Mommy and Daddy know about it and are allowing Junior to illegally gamble.

Really, Congress just passed a bill that, in a survey, 74% of America didn't approve of. Gotta love the work they're doing.

And in a CNN poll, half of Americans think Congress is corrupt. I'm not getting into whether they are or not, but at the very least, nobody likes them. At least they have something to say about it in a few weeks.

Anyway, enough ranting. If you want to know more about the poker ban and how you can help, check out this website, the Poker Players Alliance.

And So It Begins...

2006-10-18T17:13:00.000-04:00

Universal Music Group sues video hosting sites Grouper and Bolt.

See below for my comments on this.

What I've Always Wanted to Hear!

2006-10-18T13:54:00.000-04:00

I was just browsing CNN.com and I came across THIS article under the "Education" section.

To sum it up, reputable scientists have concluded that video games can "reshape" the education industry. I'm sure they're not talking about adding "Def Jam: Fight for New York" into the ciriculum, but maybe parents and educators will finally realize the potential benefits of video games instead of using them as a scapegoat for the reason why kids are so angry today.

I just started playing Sim City 4 (and I'm about to start Civilization 4 too) and, let me tell you, it isn't as easy as it looks. I'm on my 5th city and I just finally balanced a budget where I'm making a few dollars instead of being in the red all the time. The game should be encoraged by parents, not shunned (well, as long as you don't play for 5 hours at a time like I did last night while I should have been doing some homework). Not only do you have to balance a budget with taxes and funding cuts, you have to create and make demand, keep your citizens happy with public services, manage traffic patterns, create and employ city to city business and the list goes on and on. You're not just running a single city and hoping a tornado doesn't come and tear it to pieces anymore; you're running multiple cities and intergrating them all to futher the society as a whole. It's pretty wild.

I did a speech last year on the positive effects of video games and it went off pretty well. There will always be Grand Theft Autos and Mortal Kombats, but the vast majority of video games, including the aforementioned one, provide incredible workouts for your brain. Some, like the Sims and Civilizations even have some historical and academic value to them as well.

Today's pop culture facinates me: South Park, video games, blogging, etc... So much that it even gets me to read about it. Check out this book if you're interested: Everything Bad is Good For You by Steven Johnson.

Another DRM Casualty

2006-10-18T13:04:00.000-04:00

As Posted @ BelmontCopyright.org

Chalk up another DRM victory for Hollywood.

The TiVo Series 3 HD was missing a valuable feature when it was recently released: TiVoToGo. This highly regarded attribute to the digital video recorder allowed users to transfer programs to other devices and PCs. The difficulties arose when TiVo decided to incorporate CableCARD technology into the DVR hardware. CableCARD allows the high definition device to act like an everyday cable box while taking advantage of digital cable’s subscription services like HBO and video-on-demand. However, with pressure from Hollywood, CableCARD’s licensor has required adequate digital rights management (DRM - Check the link for a quick definition) on the device before it will allow TiVo to use the TiVoToGo feature on the new DVRs. Simply, as the Electronic Frontier Foundation puts it, “DRM gives Hollywood and these service providers a veto over innovation.”

(Don't forget: circumventing DRM, even for a legal use, is a violation of the DMCA)

…all at the expense of consumers. Why can't we just make it easy so I can buy a DVD and play it on my computer, my iPod and my TV and no one comes after me for infringment?

For more about TiVoToGo, DRM, CableCARD and what you can do to help, check out the following article HERE.

GooTube, a Trip to the Amazon and Wiener Dogs With Raincoats

2006-10-15T20:49:00.000-04:00

Going back to our guest speaker, Siva Vaidhyanathan, and the Google/YouTube deal, I think I'm getting a little worried. It seems that even the infamous Mark Cuban is right on this one too. There's a few things that could happen now that Google bought YouTube for 1.65 billion dollars. I know it looks like Google/YouTube/GooTube comes out a winner in this, but I'm scared of what still might happen. If any of you have taken a basic law class in school, there's a wonderful and terrible thing called precedent. Now that YouTube has some deep pockets behind it, record labels are going to be itching to get their hands on it. And in comes precedent. Universal, Warner and the rest are sure file lawsuits against the small, copycat YouTubes that don't have the financial backing to put up a fight. And thus, the demise of the only thing that keeps YouTube running: the DMCA's "Safe Harbour" Act. With that precedent against the smaller, mimicking GooTubes, the record labels will bring the fight to the big leagues. With the leverage they now have, they'll rope Google into higher than anticipated licensing agreements or try to shut the down all together.

Maybe it's not as simple as that, but with the Google Library project and the recent acquisition of YouTube, it looks like it's starting to become Google vs. The Entertainment Industry. Personally, I'm rooting for Google, but I'm still worried. If Google loses this epic battle, there's no telling how the inter-nets might change. Not only that, but all of this legal stuff is going down in the Southern District of New York which seems to be favorable to anyone but the progressive copyright lobbyist.

In other news, Amazon.com is putting out a music download service. Another guest speaker we had, Scott Ambrose Reilly, Senior Manger of Digital Music at Amazon, told us a bit about it. Their aim is to take a bite out of the market that iTunes currently dominates. Looks like they might have a legit shot at doing so, because they may have an even larger catalog than iTunes and eMusic. The service is planned to launch in the first quarter of next year and I simply can't wait.

Since the birth of Amazon in 1995, they've been revolutionary in the online retail market. I love their low prices and cheap shipping. If they get a decent voice in the market, that mean that they'll be some stiff competition all around. Competition means lower prices and better service which is always a bonus for consumers. I love iTunes, but I don't want them to get complacent. There are certainly some things they can improve on.

On to a little different note: wiener dogs.

The other day, on my way home from class, I saw a man walking his wiener dog. Now, if you really know me, you know I'm biased towards dachshund. Back home in Wisconsin there's a little pooch named Gracie that always greets me with a wet tongue and a wagging tail (not to mention a weak bladder when she gets excited). But this night, it was raining and the dog was decked out in a yellow raincoat complete with a hood and leg holes. I'll be the first to admit it looked pretty cute, but don't you think that's a little ridiculous? Some people are a little too obsessed with their canines. But for your enjoyment, here's a picture I found on the inter-nets...

Fin

Gotta Be Like Everyone Else...

2006-10-11T14:21:00.000-04:00

So here I am. I figured since I read so many blogs these days that I might as well start my own. Whether I have something meaningful to say or not remains to be seen, but at least I've got something written down for when I'm old and someone asks me what I've done my whole life.

Really, though, who will actually read this? How does one become a blogging superstar? Everyone has to start at the same place, but some of these guys (and girls) get a crazy number of hits per day. I'm sure it has to do with the quality of what one writes and maybe a catchy little title (I've already got that, I think), but what's the story behind these people? Well, at least you can say "I was here in the beginning when..." after I've become an international hit in the world of blogging. Sounds a bit far fetched to you too, right?

First up, a little about me. As I write this, I'm a 21 year-old Music Business major at Belmont University. I'm originally from a small town in Wisconsin but traveled to Nashville in search of stardom in the music industry (that last approximately 1 semester). Right now, I'm studying in New York City and interning at a local law firm. Eventually, I hope to be on the cutting edge of entertainment and IP law. Technology is certainly booming more than ever and I want to have a say in it. Hopefully, someone will listen. I've already have some opinions on what's going on and you'll definitely read them on here.

To get a little taste of what this might be like, I recommend you check out these blogs and sites that I frequent and enjoy. For the most part, I really agree with these guys (they actually are all guys this time) and hopefully I take a little something from each of them and mold it into me. And then, to close, I'll leave you with a quote I heard yesterday from Siva Vaidhyanathan, author of Copyrights and Copywrongs: The Rise of Intellectual Property and How it Threatens Creativity that really makes you think. So, without further ado...

Sivacracy.net
EMichaelHarrington.net
The Lefsetz Letter
DigitalMusicNews.com
Electronic Frontier Foundation

"Copyright law was meant to encourage new work, not simply protect the old."