Audio/Video

George Ziemann has posted two excellent articles that explore the early days of the recording and movie industries, how their attempts to monopolize their respective mediums in the past failed, and how their attempts to do so strangely mirror those presently being undertaken by contemporary media conlomerates to control digital distribution over the Net. Seems the two industries back at the turn of the century tried to pool their patents to block out competition like the RIAA and the big media companies today pool their copyrights.

Source: Wired

James Cameron, whose technological wizardry helped make Titanic the highest-grossing film in history, is convinced celluloid is on its way out. And to help send it to its grave, the director says he will start production early next year on one of the most ambitious movies ever made: a high-definition, 3-D digital feature.

Source: vnunet

Computing enthusiasts tempted to emulate the hacking scene in box office smash The Matrix: Reloaded will face tough legal penalties including jail, industry experts have warned.

The British Computer Society (BCS) is concerned about the film's highly accurate depiction of hacking, and has warned users that the practice is illegal and that perpetrators face tough prison sentences.

Source: CNN

This disc will self-destruct in 48 hours.

That is the warning The Walt Disney Co. will issue this August when it begins to "rent" DVDs that after two days become unplayable and do not have to be returned.

Disney home video unit Buena Vista Home Entertainment will launch a pilot movie "rental" program in August that uses the self-destruction technology, the company said on Friday.

Source: mirror.co.uk

AT THE start of The Matrix Reloaded, Laurence Fishburne turns to Keanu Reeves and says: "This is going to be difficult." How right he is.

The much-anticipated sequel to 1999's cult classic sees all manner of kung-fu warriors and evil machines thrown at Reeves in an orgy of highly-choreographed martial arts mayhem.

Source: CNN.com

RealNetworks Inc. launched Monday a new service that delivers music, sports, news and entertainment audio and video to mobile phones and handheld computers running its software, the digital media software maker said.

Reuters reports that in response to Madonna's swearing at P2P users, some users have started to mix in Madonna's now-infamous phrase into songs. The Madonna Remix Project has links to some of the remixes being put together.

Now that the Morpheus/Grokster trial is over, the heads of the various P2P services are hoisting their glasses in triumph. Ciarán Tannam interviews Grokster President Wayne Rosso to get his two cents on the verdict. Xolox also applauded the ruling and posted this release. Of course, it aint over yet as the RIAA has vowed appeal.

Source: CNet News

The recording industry is turning file-swappers' own tools against them with a new campaign that will send warnings to people who are offering copyrighted materials online.

Tapping into the chat functions built into software programs such as Kazaa and Grokster, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on Tuesday started sending automatic messages to people who are providing copyrighted songs online, warning them that they're breaking the law.

Source: Security Focus

A federal judge ruled Friday that the companies behind two popular file-sharing services are not liable for the illegal copying of music and movies by their users.

The 34-page ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Stephen Wilson was a blow to recording companies and movie studios who had sought to stem the illegal copying and distribution of their copyright works.