Apple secures patent on music and video downloading

Apple could reap revenues from every song and video downloaded over the Internet after securing a 1996 patent. The company has reached an out of court settlement with the patent's original holder, an unnamed Vermont 'inventor' of a system comprising desktop computer holding multiple songs with an interface allowing a hotel guest to select three songs and play them on an electric grand piano. The inventor's lawyer, Michael Starkweather, claims that he spotted the potential in the patent and extended and redefined it to cover music and video downloading on a much larger scale. ...more

Sony activates music CD security

Music giant announces new copyright protection for music downloads Sony Music has announced new encryption techniques it intends to employ on its compact discs from January of next year. Apparently borrowing Microsoft's product activation idea, a CD can only be stored on a computer after the owner has been granted a decryption key from Sony over the Internet. Sony will grant the decryption key to the initial transfer of a CD to computer for free, but thereafter will charge 200 Yen (about ?1) per track thereafter. ...more

Bragg notches up another fair use victory over MTV's Flux

MTV has promised to clarify the terms and conditions for the submission of content to its new Flux channel, after Billy Bragg described them as unacceptable. Responding to an article by the singer songwriter, where he argued that Flux's terms gave MTV 'unprecedented' rights over musicians' material, Nayeem Syed, vice-president, legal at MTV Networks UK & Ireland, said that when the upload function at mtvflux.co. ...more

AOL introduces virus scanning

AOL is offering free email virus scanning for all existing and future users. AOL will scan every email attachment that its members send and receive, for viruses, worms and Trojans. This includes Web mail. ...more

NTL investigates 18Mbps next-generation broadband technology

NTL has been quietly testing next-generation broadband technology that will raise the maximum speed available in the UK to 18Mbps. ADSL2+ trials were carried out last month and have now been extended to test the viability of on-demand HDTV (high-definition TV) streaming. Although 18Mbps is the highest downstream speed attainable, in reality it will only be reached by premises within 1km of exchanges, although the technology will boost performance across the board. ...more