Hollywood backs managed copying of movie discs

Hollywood is prepared to permit managed copying of movie discs for private use, the chairmans of its main trade group has revealed, but has no plans to abandon DRM any time soon. Dan Glickman, who heads the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), told an industry conference that managed copying should be available for HD DVD discs by the end of the year, adding that he would like to see it enabled for standard DVDs as well, though this would require a new DRM system. He made no mention of Blu-ray, the rival high-definition format to HD DVD. ...more

Busting Blockbusters

In a rental and distributor-squeezing move, the New York Times reports that the big Hollywood studios are to offer movies for rental over broadband connections. With broadband having greater penetration in the US, there's a huge gap for Napster-esque exploitation of copyright movies. Studios including MGM, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, Wanrer Brothers and Universal Pictures have clubbed together for a pre-emptive anti-piracy strike similar to that of the music publishers' MusicNet and Duet. ...more

Pipex Wireless details UK's first WiMAX service

Pipex Wireless has confirmed its first deployment of WiMAX in the UK with Intel. As we reported last month, Milton Keynes will become the first major location with blanket WiMax coverage. The deployment will begin in December with trial base stations sited around the town, where DSL broadband is limited or unavailable. ...more

Novell unveils Linux Small Business Suite 9

Novell is hoping that local channel partners' woes with dealing with Microsoft products will quickly drive uptake of its new Linux Small Business Suite 9 (SBS 9), announced at the company's BrainShare conference in Salt Lake City. Traditionally a Microsoft domain, the small business sector should be far from easy for open-source companies to crack. In-house skills are Microsoft; despite a notorious reputation for security, there's little momentum to improve it; and access to source code holds few attractions for many small businesses. ...more

EU accuses Microsoft of playing media games

A senior EU official has accused Microsoft of using two-days of talks on antitrust compliance purely for publicity. 'The reason for this hearing is purely a media exercise for Microsoft,' said Cecilio Madero, senior Commission official leading the case at the two-day closed hearing. Microsoft wanted the hearing to be open to the public, instead it is being held today behind closed doors. ...more