piracy

Comcast and Time Warner team up to deliver TV online

Cable giant Comcast announced that it's working with media conglomerate Time Warner to deliver cable TV shows via the Internet for cable TV subscribers.

The companies announced on Wednesday that they will be testing a new service this summer offered by Comcast called On Demand Online. About 5,000 Comcast customers will be involved in the test. And they will get access to some of Time Warner's most popular TV shows from its TNT and TBS networks at no additional charge.

The companies plan to continue to work together to get more of Time Warner's Turner Broadcasting … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 1001: All your Face Page accounts are belong to us

Bozeman, Montana, has decided they need everyone's social network log-ins and passwords to conduct background checks on prospective employees. So cute. They call it Face Page. Plus we talk about the iPhone lines, and go to town on the need for copyright laws. Turns out we may not need them.

Listen now: Download today's podcast Subscribe now: iTunes (audio) | iTunes (video) | RSS (audio) | RSS (video) Episode 1001

Live blog: iPhone 3G S launch day http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10268140-37.html http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10268774-37.html

How to tether your iPhone running OS 3.0 without jailbreaking, for … Read more

Week in review: Twittering for Tehran

Twitter made its case this week that it's up to the task of being a player in geopolitical journalism.

The Iranian government, which is attempting to control the flow of information among protesters of the supposed results of that nation's presidential election, is having difficulty stopping citizens from using technology to report what's happening, express outrage, and get people out to opposition rallies.

Because the U.S. has no diplomatic relations with Iran, information gathered on the Web is crucial to its understanding of the post-election unrest that has led to mass protests and fatal clashes with … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 997: Texas Ranger Panda

Vic the Texas Rancher pilot wrote in, but somehow in the twisted mind of Molly Wood his name became Texas Ranger Panda. And now she can't stop laughing at the cute ranger panda writing in about HD makeup. Which Natali thinks is a conspiracy. We also review the DTV transition and help you get a contract-free iPhone.

Listen now: Download today's podcast Subscribe now: iTunes (audio) | iTunes (video) | RSS (audio) | RSS (video) EPISODE 997

The day after the U.S. DTV transition http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10264369-94.html

When’s your country switching? http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/06/us-declares-victory-as-dtv-transition-goes-rather-smoothly.ars… Read more

French 'three strikes' piracy law dealt setback

France's controversial attempt to crack down on Internet piracy was dealt a setback Wednesday when that country's highest legal authority struck down a provision that would have denied Internet access to those who repeatedly download copyrighted material illegally.

The French Constitutional Council rejected a key provision that would have given a newly created government agency the authority to cut off Internet access to those deemed to be copyright scofflaws after two warnings. The council said "free access to public communication services on line" was a human right that only a judge should have the power to … Read more

Chilirec records Net radio music to your PC

It looks like music-playing software, such as iTunes, but it's also a kind of digital recorder.

Just press record and Chilirec grabs music from up to 100 Internet radio stations simultaneously, based on your music preferences, for free and legally.

"We have had our law firm verify in detail that this is a recorder which is legally ok," Chilirec CEO and co-founder Carina Dreifeldt told CNET News.

Chilirec is yet another digital music venture from Sweden, where a debate on piracy and copyright issues seems to have inspired alternatives such as Spotify and Tunerec, all offering listening … Read more

Six months later, no ISPs joining RIAA piracy fight

Last December, the music industry's message to song writers, publishers, and musicians was that antipiracy help was on the way. Hopes soared after the major labels announced that they had convinced a group of telecoms to work with them.

Filing lawsuits against individuals accused of illegal file sharing was, for the most part, a thing of the past, said the Recording Industry Association of America, the trade group representing the top music companies. The new strategy was to enlist Internet service providers, the gatekeepers of the Web, to issue a series of warnings meant to increase pressure on alleged … Read more

U2 manager: 'Ultimately free is the enemy of good'

Paul McGuinness, manager of the iconic band U2, sees stronger copyright laws in France, the Pirate Bay on trial, U.S.-based Internet service providers doing more to protect music, and still he isn't satisfied.

In January 2008, McGuinness delivered a speech that would become a call to arms on both sides of the free-content debate. During his address to attendees of the Midem music conference, the largest recording industry trade show, McGuinness lashed out at the "hippy values" of technologists, accused ISPs of profiting "on the back" of music creators, called the Digital Millennium … Read more

Avoid sinking feeling with bulletproof lifejacket

Here's a must-have accessory for any soiree off Somalia, the ArmourFloat personal flotation device.

Not only does the Armour Float Ballistic Vest keep even an unconscious wearer afloat, but its new lightweight, hard-plate armor is designed to defeat most assault rifle threats--with no negative effect on the vest's buoyancy, according to Armour of America, a division of Arotech Corporation.

This Underwriters Laboratory-certified PFD is approved by the US Coast Guard, and the Coasties use it as well, according to AoA.

The hardy preserver comes with reflective tape on the shoulders, an emergency strobe light pocket, ammo clip pockets, … Read more