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Reselling MP3s: The music industry's new battleground?

A new digital music service is getting lots of attention for proposing to help consumers sell their used MP3s in much the same way people once unloaded second-hand albums.

Bopaboo has generated splashy headlines recently for coming up with what on the surface seems like a good idea. Music fans have always exercised their first-sale rights, which under copyright law, allows them to sell their unwanted CDs, tapes, and albums without permission from the copyright owner. Why can't they do the same with digital music?

But there are dramatic differences between physical and digital music. For this reason, Washington, … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 868: Joogle and the Spindle

We rename Google's boring-sounding Native Client project to let you know what it really is: Java from Google. You know, Joogle. Also, HP unveils flexible paper using e-ink and a roller design that inspires version 3 of the Kindle: the Spindle. In non-funny-word related news, we also engage in a nice long conversation about music piracy and college campuses. Feels just like old times. Listen now: Download today's podcast Episode 868

The mouse hits 40-year milestone http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7768481.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7761262.stm http://news.cnet.com/2300-1041_3-6248261.html… Read more

Streaming-music recorder in murky legal waters

Songbeat, a new start-up that takes aim at the file-sharing industry, has launched in the United States. Although it claims that its stream-recording functionality is legal because it doesn't use peer-to-peer technology to bypass copyright protection, it may not be so clear-cut.

Songbeat's software is downloaded to the user's Windows-based machine and allows the user to search for any music they desire, and then stream it directly to their computer through services like SeeqPod and Project Playlist. They can then record it to their hard drive or burn the song directly to a disc.

The software also … Read more

MySpace ruling could lead to jail for lying online daters

The MySpace suicide case concluded last week, with the jury finding Lori Drew guilty of three misdemeanor counts of gaining unauthorized access to the popular social-networking site.

While most of the press attention has been focused on the specifics of the case, the more important issue is the potential impact this could have on the Internet in general.

Web site terms of service, which end users universally ignore, suddenly have teeth: violating them is a federal hacking offense, punishable with jail time. The days of being able to freely lie on the Web could be coming to an end. This … Read more

U of Tennessee blocked P2P sites before RIAA law

Truth be told, the state of Tennessee didn't need a lot of prodding from the recording industry to pass a law that requires universities and colleges to filter for unauthorized music downloads.

Remember, Tennessee is the home of Nashville, country music, and Elvis. Some of the music industry's largest music publishers are based there. Some schools were apparently eager to comply with copyright protection. The University of Tennessee at Knoxville began blocking access to BitTorrent and file-sharing sites for possibly the last month, said D.J. Donahue, a graduate research assistant at the school.

"I have been … Read more

CNET News Daily Podcast: Microsoft shakes up security

Microsoft is causing a stir in the security world by dropping the fee for its antivirus software. That might be great news for security in general. But if people come to expect the service for free, where does that leave the companies that focus solely on security? Reporters Ina Fried and Elinor Mills join me in the podcast studio to talk about it.

Also in this podcast: Psystar's countersuit against Apple is all but dead; start-up has designs on ditching the lithium in consumer gadget batteries; there's a new Internet in outer space; and Microsoft says--again--that it's … Read more

RIAA win: Tennessee to police campus networks

Tennessee has agreed to filter computer networks for unauthorized music downloads at the state's colleges and universities.

Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen signed into law a bill designed to thwart music piracy at the state's campuses, the Recording Industry Association of America said on its Web site.

The bill requires Tennessee public and private schools exercise "appropriate means" to ensure that campus computer networks aren't being used to download copyright material via peer-to-peer file-sharing programs, the RIAA said.

"Upon a proper analysis of the network," the RIAA continued, "those institutions are required to … Read more

Project Playlist-iMeem merger rumors persist

File this one as improbable, but it's interesting that this rumor continues to crop up. Project Playlist, a little known start-up with 9 million monthly visitors, is supposedly kicking the tires on social media site iMeem, according to music industry sources.

The alleged acquiree, iMeem, which has 20 million monthly visitors, denied the rumors are true. "Project Playlist buying us is like us buying Apple. This is just not accurate," said Matt Graves, iMeem's spokesman and a longtime straight shooter.

So why is this acquisition scenario still being passed around the music industry?

Beverly Hills, Calif.… Read more

RIAA appeals mistrial in file-sharing case

The Recording Industry Association of America is appealing a judge's decision last month to declare a mistrial in the case of Jammie Thomas, who was ordered to pay the recording industry $222,000 for allegedly sharing music online.

Thomas was charged in October with violating copyright law by making 24 songs available for others to download on the Kazaa network. In late September, though, U.S. District Judge Michael Davis threw out the verdict on the grounds that he originally misguided the jury by indicating that simply the act of making a copyrighted song available for sharing amounts to … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 830: One more thing: one less button

Steve Jobs delivers: he delivers one fewer button, an all-new proprietary display port, annoyingly glossy screens, and a paltry $100 price drop on the new MacBook. Huzzah. We do have some other news to talk about today, luckily, like Microsoft sticking with Windows 7 as the official name of Windows 7, and Joost deciding it might be time to get in the online streaming game. Good ideas, all. Listen now: Download today's podcast Episode 830

Apple notebook event: Live blog at 10 a.m. PDT Tuesday http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10064559-1.html http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/13/mr-blurrycam-reveals-the-updated-macbook-pro-899-laptop-model/… Read more