Democrats have taken over both houses in Congress. How does that affect consumers and their digital rights? Not much. There are supporters and opponents in both parties. Both Republicans (Stevens,...

eWeek covers that the top 25 Killer Apps of All Time. The lists started with Electric Pencil in 1976 and closes with Firefox in 2004. Browsers take top billing with 3 entries - Netscape Navigator, MS...

The web site Digg gained fame by allowing its users to control what's displayed with ratings of news and blog postings, and voting and publishing from your own web site. But what about music?...

I dig the Mamas and the Papas too. California Dreaming and Monday Monday are magical. They were a decade before my time. But I have a special sweet spot for a few 60s artists, including the Fifth...

eMarketer projects that digital media content spending will grow from $1.3 billion in 2005 to $7.8 billion in 2010. Online video is small now but will take off as more legitimate content is made...

Music distributor Ruckus Network focuses on the college market. They had limited success selling subscriptions with only 20 institutional customers. Meanwhile the recording labels accepted that...

MySpace rocketed on the ability of its almost 100 million members to post music and video. It's long been a haven for artists to find new fans. But are you getting the most out of it? Anne...

We reported previously on the Guntram Graef lawsuit as an example of DMCA abuse. Mr Graef responded to us as below. Allegations of ID theft and Sexual abuse are important. We do not pretend to judge...

In a rare loss for the recording industry, an Italian court ruled that copyright infringement is not a crime as long as the downloader or sharer does not profit. The decision is sure to draw the...

Two inexpensive (under $200) turntables are now available that play vinyl records, come with preamplifiers to raise the sound level, plug into a PC or Mac, and create digital and MP3 files. A New...

In a case in my home state of Texas, a federal judge ruled that an ISP could not be held liable for content posted by another. The ISP claimed immunity under Section 230 of the Communications Decency...

apple computers is now just Apple. Following in the footsteps of IBM, Dell, and Gateway, Apple simplified its name to better convey its current and future product range. Apple has gone far beyond is...

susan Crawford nicely ties together a few different pieces on asymmetric download and upload rates for residential DSL subscribers. P2P constitutes up to 70% of all ISP traffic. It's inherently...

Eliot Van Buskirk argues that technology and competition may finally kill DRM. The most compelling reason is "The labels want Apple's dominance to end, and MP3 looks like the only way to...

The abuse of the DMCA by not only the entertainment industry, but also others, has long been documented. It's easy to complain. All it takes is a cease-and-desist letter to invoke the law. There...

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...

Are MP3's coming back? A groundswell is forming for abandoning DRM protection, including rumors from major labels execs of change on the way. While the logic is impeccable, it's still mostly...

susan Crawford nicely ties together a few different pieces on asymmetric download and upload rates for residential DSL subscribers. P2P constitutes up to 70% of all ISP traffic. It's inherently...

The DCIA brings the P2P Summit to the Big Apple in conjunction with the Media Summit New York conference. The Summit includes a wide range of speakers and demos, plus a live entertainment showcase....

They're baaaaaaaaack. New Congress. Old entertainment biz tricks. Sen. Dianne Feinstein has re-introduced the PERFORM Act, which forces both satellite and Internet broadcasters to use DRM or lose...

The EFF blogged from the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) to see the state-of-the-art in technology, given Hollywood's ongoing fight against free and fair use of media. They found lots of...