Global News

UK ISPs reject monitoring role ISPs in the United Kingdom have come out in the open resisting government suggestions that they should do more to monitor what their customers do online. The industry association for ISPs maintains that the legal and technical barriers involved prohibit them from being anything other than a mere channel. The declaration came after the government floated the idea of persistent pirates being denied Internet access. The move came after a draft government consultation document, which suggests that ISPs should be drafted into the fight against piracy. It suggests the removal of Net access of those people who persistently download and share copyrighted material. ISPs now have to redefine their position even though the 2002 e-Commerce Regulations defined these firms as ‘mere conduits’ and not responsible for the contents of the traffic flowing across their networks. The legal issues, like laws on surveillance explicitly prohibit ISPs from inspecting the contents of data packets unless forced to do so by a warrant.

Toshiba halts HD DVD production According to reports by Japanese public broadcaster, NHK, Toshiba has stopped the production of HD DVD players and recorders and is close to making a decision on whether to throw in the towel on the high-definition movie disc format. As per the reports, this move could cost the company several tens of billions of dollars. It is being speculated that Toshiba is doing so on account of declining support from movie studios and major US retailers for the HD DVD format. In January this year Warner Bros announced that it would stop issuing movies on HD DVD and would go solely with the rival Blu-ray format. With Warner pulling out HD DVD only two of the major Hollywood studios, Paramount and Universal, are left backing this format. The HD DVD format has been battling Blu-ray for a little less than two years now to become the de facto replacement for DVD for high-definition video. While HD DVD is backed by Toshiba Microsoft and Intel, Blu-ray is supported by Sony, Panasonic, Sharp, Samsung, LG and Philips.

Can Wii displace the Xbox 360? According to market research firm iSuppli, Nintendo’s Wii game console may well take the lead and pull ahead of Microsoft’s Xbox 360 by end 2008. According to research reports, the global installed base of Wii game consoles will rise to 30.2 million units in 2008, up from 18 million in 2007, putting it ahead of the Xbox 360’s projected 25.7 million units. Reports suggest that the Wii is already riding a wave of popularity, and that it experienced the greatest growth among new gaming consoles last year. While there were only 3.2 million units in people’s homes at the end of 2006, the figure jumped to 18 million at the end of last year. However, the Xbox 360 retained its lead as the console in most homes last year by edging out the Wii with 18.2 million units. What sets Wii apart from its rivals are its wireless controller and sensors that detect hand motion and speed. The innovation puts motion into gaming, because users swing the Wii controller to hit virtual baseballs and golf balls on their TV screens, go bowling and fight in boxing. While the Wii currently sells for approximately $249.99 in the US, the Xbox 360 costs $349.99 and the PlayStation 3 $399.99.

Legal music on flash drives Several artists in the US are now experimenting with offering their new releases on USB drives instead of CDs. More to it, these USB drives come packed with extras like ringtones and videos. The list of artists includes Jennifer Lopez, Ringo Starr, Matchbox Twenty, and Mars Volta. A growing number of artists are now offering the digital version of their albums on a flash-based USB drive. It comes with a digital-rights-management-free version of the album and also promises more bonus material. This allows users to simply plug it into their computer’s USB drive and listen to the album or import it directly into their music libraries. For instance, Mars Volta offered its latest album ‘The Bedlam in Goliath’, on a drive designed like an Ouija board planchette for $30. It is expected that this trend would grow. Austin-based All Access, the company behind USB releases from Matchbox Twenty and Starr, has signed deals with EMI, Warner Music Group and Universal Music Group to make USB bracelets for other artists.