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Repent and ye shall be saved. A new amnesty program revealed last week by the Recording Industry of America Association (RIAA) would protect internet users who promise to stop illegally copying music through Kazaa and other internet-sharers. Under this amnesty program, users will sign a notarized affidavit agreeing to stop downloading illegally and must delete all songs previously acquired. If a user breaks the contract he or she could face criminal charges for willful copyright infringement. Not everyone is safe, however. Those facing lawsuits can expect to hear from the RIAA early next week, when it starts to file them. Music fans can still, of course, download through legal limited sharing or go out and buy cheaper CDs. Universal Music Group has announced a plan to slash CD cover prices by 30 percent in hopes of luring back customers.
Camera phones will be
booming business by '08
The commercials are annoying but effective – apparently everyone wants a
mobile phone with photo capabilities. A new study by the Zelos Group predicts
that photo transmissions via cell phone will produce $10 million in revenues
this year, a figure that will grow to $438 million in just five years. By
then, Zelos predicts, a third of U.S. cell phone owners will have a camera
phone. Zelos forecasts that revenues will rise to $45 million next year,
$106 million in 2005, $202 million in 2006 and $319 million in 2007. A separate
study by Strategy Analytics earlier this year found that 16 million camera
phones will be sold this year worldwide, a figure that will increase to
147 million by 2007.
Japan plan: Boost Linux,
make Microsoft mad
There is operating system life outside Microsoft Windows, and three Asian
countries are determined to find it. Japanese Trade Minister Takeo Hiranuma
said Friday that Japan, China and South Korea have agreed to improve awareness
of operating systems other than overwhelming favorite Microsoft Windows.
The project's goal is not to develop a whole new operating system but to
make users more familiar with other operating systems, such as Linux, while
increasing the companies' share in markets. The project, which the Japanese
government estimates at 1 billion yen ($85.5 million dollars), will support
a roundtable software discussion with Japanese electronic companies
Hitachi, Matsushita, NEC and Fujitsu, among others. Further details about
the project will be revealed in mid-September.
Hoping to oust rivals,
schoolboy arrested instead
Usually adolescent boys engaging in email hoaxes are just trying to get
school canceled. A 14-year-old Singapore boy had a different aim – getting
two of his classmates expelled. He was charged with posing as the nation's
former education minster, Teo Chee Hean, in an email hoax last week.
The boy wrote an email pretending to be Hean, now defense minister. The
plan backfired in a big way. The boy is out of jail on bail and is due in
court Oct. 2. He faces up to 10 years in jail and/or a fine of S$10,000.
September 1, 2003© 2003 Media Life
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