BBC begins to correct iPlayer exploit
Earlier this week, hackers discovered a loophole in the brand new “iPlayer for iPhone” beta service which allowed users to download and save all iPlayer content DRM-free.
The exploit, which was made easy using a Firefox plug-in, meant users could “fool the service into thinking they were accessing the programming (with a different DRM set-up) on an iPhone or iPod touch whilst on a computer.” The shows could then be downloaded with no copyright protection.
The vulnerability has now been closed but the BBC will continue to monitor the situation and look out for future exploits.
“It’s an ongoing, constant process and one which we will continue to monitor. Like other broadcasters, the security of rights-protected content online is an issue we take very seriously,” added the BBC in a statement.
China blocks YouTube access
This morning the Chinese government blocked access to the popular video sharing site YouTube after over 20 videos about protests in Tibet appeared on the site.
The protests, which occurred in the Tibetan capital Lhasa on Friday, were against Chinese rule. The government has been blocking news broadcasts since the protests in an effort to control what the public knows about the events.
The videos were mainly of foreign news reports and montages of photos taken from the scene. The Chinese government has not yet officially confirmed that they have blocked the site, but Chinese citizens trying to access the site are met with a blank screen.
China has the second largest amount of Internet users at 210 million and is expected to soon surpass the US for largest population of internet users.
This news follows recent decisions by other countries to Block access to YouTube. Last month Pakistan blocked access because of “anti-Islamic” postings. Late last year Turkey made a similar move but the access was only blocked for a couple of days.
Xbox 360 shortages causing lagging sales?
After the latest figures from the NPD Group showed that the Xbox 360 was once again lagging substantially behind its competitors in US sales, Microsoft has cited a “shortage in console availability” as the main reason for the lagging sales.
The 360 sold 254,600 units for the month while the Nintendo Wii sold 351,800 units and the Sony PlayStation 3 sold 280,900 units. The console equally trailed its competitors for January.
“Our retailers are telling us that Xbox 360 is selling as fast as they can restock, but due to this high demand, Xbox 360 is experiencing temporary shortages,” Microsoft said in an e-mail. “We are working as quickly as we can to replenish inventory.”
The email also threw around other stats saying that the 360 was leading in competitors in other areas of the market. According to NPD those stats are true, with “$159 million USD being spent on Xbox 360 games in January, compared to $131 million on Wii games and $80 million for PS3 games.”
Dell shows off new widescreen LCD
Dell has introduced a cheaper but more accurate replacement to their mid-grade 2007WFP LCD model dubbed the 2009W.
According to Dell, “the 2009W can reproduce 102% of the NTSC color range and boosts the contrast ratio from 800:1 to 2,000:1 through dynamic adjustments.” The display is also faster and sports a 5ms average pixel response time.
The display also improves on its predecessor’s input connections by allowing VGA input for analog video, a four-port USB hub, and HDCP encryption support for its DVI connector. The price is also cheaper than its predecessor, and retails for $289 USD.
Nine Inch Nails’ “experiment” nets $1.6 million USD
Last week the popular rock band Nine Inch Nails began offering their latest album exclusively as a digital download on their website, and those sales, along with orders for an expensive collector’s edition, have netted the band $1.6 million USD since its release.
That figure, released by the band yesterday, is based on 800,000 individual downloads and orders for the new album, Ghosts I-IV. The first quarter of the album was free to download and a full digital download cost $5 USD. Fans could also order a physical copy for $10 USD and $300 USD for a collector’s tin which has already sold out. The collector’s edition as well as a $75 USD deluxe version both include a “DVD with the RAW tracks used to compose the album as well as a Blu-ray version with Surround audio.”
We can only hope that this starts a trend in the music world, where the artists make the money they deserve.
Acer introduces 1080p Blu-ray notebooks
Acer has launched a complete overhaul of their Aspire notebook line, dubbed the Gemstone Blue.
The new design revolves around “CineDash”, a “touch-sensitive control that lets users navigate music, videos, and menus without having to resort to the trackpad.” Each system also has a 10-watt subwoofer and an “advanced speaker system that generates virtual Dolby 5.1-channel Surround Sound.”
The first two systems released in the line are the 16-inch Aspire 6920 and 18.4-inch Aspire 8920G. Each are the first notebooks ever to sport a true 16:9 ratio display and can output 1080p (1920×1080) Resolution and can play Blu-ray discs. Each sport a relatively fast 8ms response time.
Among the other impressive specifications, the larger model sports a NVIDIA GeForce 9650 GS video card, dual 320 GB HDDs, HDMI output and even a built in VoIP phone.
There was no word on when the notebooks will ship nor what processor options will be available but the company did say the notebooks will be priced between $1900 and $2200 respectively.
Japan will block Internet access for illegal file sharers
A report by the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper has said that Japanese companies are planning to block Internet access to anyone who downloads unauthorized files via P2P or other methods.
The newspaper said that Japan’s ISPs have been faced “with mounting complaints from the music, movie and video-game industries” and have agreed to take the drastic action. The ISPs will send e-mails to users who repeatedly download illegally and will then terminate their Internet connections if they do not cease and desist.
The ISPs will hold a panel next month with copyright holders to draft a set of guidelines. If this goes through, the actions will be the strictest measures ever taken to fight online piracy. The newspaper estimated that 1.75 million people in Japan use file-sharing software, mainly for unauthorized downloads.
A similar measure brought forth by a Japanese ISP two years ago was shot down when the government said it might violate the right to privacy.
We will keep you updated on any developments.
Nokia loses smartphone market share, again
The research firm Canalys has reported that Nokia continues to lose smartphone market share to Apple and RIM.
Nokia’s share has fallen from 51.4 percent for the Q3 2007 to 38.9 percent for the Q3 this year. Apple has grown from under 10 percent last year to 17.3 percent while RIM has grown to 15.2 percent for the quarter.
The firm says the strong growth for Apple can be attributed to the global launch of the iPhone 3G. The firm believes the Q4 can be very strong for RIM and push it past Apple if sales of the Bold, Storm, and Pearl 8220 devices all exceed conservative expectations.
Nokia has seen its Symbian software lose market share as well, from 68.1 percent to 46.6 percent from last year.
Store closing sales begin at 154 Circuit City locations
If the state of the economy isn’t keeping you from making consumer electronics purchases you may want to find out if there’s a Circuit City closing nearby. On Wednesday the company announced store closing sales at 154 locations.
“Merchandise will be marked down to sell fast. Everything must go,” said Stephen Miller, Principal and Managing Director, Gordon Brothers Group. “The timing couldn’t be better for consumers. We don’t expect this sale to last very long.”
Michael Keefe, President and CEO, Hilco Merchant Resources, said, “This sale comes at a perfect time for everyone to enjoy large savings on many of their holiday gift purchases. Consumers who arrive at the start of the sale will certainly have the best selection of products from which to choose and will find great values on everything in the store.” Both Gordon Brothers and Hilco were brought in to help oversee the store closings.
All sales at the 154 stores being closed are final on items purchased during the store closing event, but normal refund policies will apply to merchandise purchased prior to the sale commencement date. Circuit City gift cards purchased prior to the sale commencement date will be honored, but no gift cards will be sold at the 154 closing stores. Cash and all major credit cards will be accepted but not checks.
You can find a complete listing of the stores being closed at the Hilco Merchant Resources website.
Although many businesses have been hit hard by the economy, Circuit City was already on shaky ground and doesn’t appear to be doing better. Earlier this year Blockbuster considered buying the struggling company, but after they were given access to Circuit City’s books their offer was withdrawn.
AccuWeather to supply on demand weather for U-verse
One of the big advantages to IPTV is the capability to use what are traditionally thought of as computer applications. AT&T has added a new service to their U-verse IPTV offering that does just that. It’s called Weather On Demand and gives U-verse subscribers access to customized information from AccuWeather.com.
“Weather On Demand is another great example of the benefits of U-verse TV and our Internet Protocol (IP) platform,” said G.W. Shaw, AT&T executive director of U-verse marketing. “We’re making it easy for customers to check weather conditions and forecasts in their hometown or across the country, whenever they want. We know that AccuWeather.com’s content will be a great resource for our U-verse TV customers who want up-to-date and accurate weather information.”
Weather On Demand is accessed by tuning to a channel that has features similar to weather-related web pages. You can select a city and find out the current conditions, get a short or long term forecast, and even watch radar maps.
It’s currently only being offered to subscribers in Atlanta, Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Indianapolis and San Diego, but will eventually become a standard feature for all U-verse customers.
