Hollywood Likes Tech Competition

Filed in archive Industry , Technology on January 22, 2007

In Gadgets as Tyrants, Xeni Jordan reviews CES (the consumer electronics show in las vegas) and doesn't like what she sees. The multiplicity of tech formats has resulted in "new products [that] limit our freedom to use and share the music, movies and other content they are intended for."

It's the flip side of the digital divide. While there was just one or very limited audio or video duplication devices 20 years ago, now technology has produced vigorous competition with many formats.

Not only are consumers restricted in how they can use the media through DRM and copy and play controls, they also now have to purchase the same product multiple times for each hardware vendors. For example, a video game buyer has to make separate purchases for Wii, Xbox, PlayStation, and Game Boy products.

Hollywood says it is all good and continues to fight the Consumer Electronics Association's call for digital freedom. But in return many people will continue to resist what they consider to be unfair practices through unauthorized copying.