EFF cites Apple for new DRM offense
p2pnet news view P2P | DRM:- On top of its other woes, Apple has been severely criticised by the EFF’s Fred von Lohmann for its Mini DisplayPort, MDP for short.
But MDP = DRM and, “Once again, thanks to DRM, a new product ends up less useful than the one it replaces,” says von Lohmann in the EFF’s (Electronic Frontier Foundation) Deep Links.
DCP, or High Definition Content Protection, comes with the new Mini DisplayPort connector, said Ars Technica recently, going on »»»
High Definition Content Protection (HDCP)âyou can`t live with it, but you practically can`t buy an HD-capable device anymore without it. While HDCP is typically used in devices like Blu-ray players, HDTVs, HDMI-enabled notebooks, and even the Apple TV in order to keep DRMed content encrypted between points A and B, it appears that Apple`s new aluminum MacBook (and presumably the MacBook Pro) are using it to protect iTunes Store media as well.
This latest form of DRM (Digital Restrictions Management) consumer control is to, “plug the ‘analog hole’, the point at which a digital signal is turned back to human-friendly sounds and pictures,” said Wired.
“HDCP keeps the DRM going right up to the monitor, so in theory you can’t hook up a recording device to pirate a movie.”
DRM is, of course, something Apple boss Steve Jobs uses as both a form of consumer control and to garner further adoration from the ever-slavish lamescream media.
Reality distortion field
Jobs, “has done a complete turn about,” p2pnet posted last year.
Having used DRM for years to, “channel punters to his, and only his, music player, he recently employed his famed RDF (reality distortion field) to blame DRM on corporate music cartel members EMI (Britain), Vivendi Universal (France), Sony BMG (Japan and Germany) and Warner Music (US),” we said, going on:
“RDF is said to distort an audience`s sense of proportion or scale,” says the Wikipedia. “Small advances are applauded as breakthroughs. Interesting developments become turning points, or huge leaps forward. RDF focuses less on outright deception and more on warping the powers of judgment.”
In new heights of cynicism, even for him, “Jobs is using his brand-new anti-DRM stance as an excuse to hike the already usurious iTunes prices,” we said, continuing Jobs said he was opening the door to higher prices, “as long as music companies let Apple Inc. sell their songs without technology designed to stop unauthorized copying,” according to theAssociated Press.
“Jobs contends that would ‘tear down the walls’ by allowing consumers to play music they buy at Apple’s iTunes store on any digital music player, not just the company`s iPods.”
Tear down the walls. Right.
Apple’s refusal to open up FairPlay
“Get stuffed, Apple boss Steve Jobs has told Norway,” said a recent p2pnet story, continuing, “Metaphorically speaking, of course.
“The country`s consumer ombudsman Erik Thon gave Apple until November 3 to respond to demands that it break the exclusive link [read DRM] between its iPod music player and iTunes iPod loader, p2pnet posted in September.
“Response from Apple? Zip. Now, ‘Norway has made it official,’ says the iPod Observer.
The country’s consumer ombudsman Erik Thon will, “take Apple to court, or to the ‘Market Council,’ to be more precise, over Apple’s refusal to open up FairPlay to third party digital media devices.”
Now, “When it launched the new Macbooks, Apple announced that they would sport a new digital video output connector, known as Mini DisplayPort,” says von Lohmann, going on »»»
What Apple failed to mention, however, is that those connectors allow movies studios to force the computer to authenticate any external monitor before allowing playback of programs purchased or rented from the iTunes Store (Microsoft’s Windows Vista does something similar). In other words, the HDTV monitor or projector that worked for you yesterday, won’t work with your new computer tomorrow if Hollywood has embedded a flag in the iTunes content you paid for.
This is a remarkably short-sighted move for both Apple and Hollywood. This punishes existing iTunes customers: several have reported that iTunes purchases that played on external monitors on their old Macbooks no longer will play on their new Macbooks. In other words, thanks to the Macbook “upgrade,” Apple just “downgraded” everyone’s previous investment in iTunes content (if we’ve told you once, we’ve told you a dozen times — when you buy DRMd content, the vendor can snatch your investment from you at any time).
And it’s still not clear how bad this will be for purchasers of new Macbooks — if Apple has deployed DPCP content protection on its DisplayPort implementation, there are virtually no display devices that support this new-fangled lockdown standard (it’s not clear from news reports whether the Macbook DisplayPort will work with HDCP-compatible display devices over DVI or HDMI connectors).
As for the movie studios, this gives legitimate customers one more compelling reason to avoid “legit” sources of content in favor of downloading from The Pirate Bay or ripping DVDs using Handbrake. So this is just another example of the way in which the MPAA companies use DRM not to stop piracy (since this will, if anything, encourage people to opt for the Darknet), but rather to control those who make devices that play movies.
Meanwhile, having been forced to remove a UK TV ad because of over-hyped speed claims, Apple is also having to deal with Peter Keller, a former Apple punter who wants his claims against Apple and AT&T for offenses, centering on the speed of the 3G network and the performance of the iPhone, certified as a $5 million class action.
Meanwhile, having been been forced to take a UK TV ad down because of over-hyped speed claims, Apple is also trying to deal with Peter Keller, the San Diego man who wants his claims against Apple and AT&T for offenses centering on the speed of the 3G network and the performance of the iPhone certified as a $5 million class action.
Stay tuned.
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MDP = DRM – Apple Macbooks â new feature, November 18, 2008
Deep Links – Apple Downgrades Macbook Video with DRM, November 21, 2008
Ars Technica – Apple brings HDCP to a new aluminum MacBook near you, November 17, 2008
Wired – MacBooks Features DRM Equipped Display Connector, November 18, 2008
complete turn about – Apple`s DRM iTunes price hikes, May 7, 2008
Associated Press – Apple works to end music copy restrictions, April 20, 2007
p2pnet - Apple ignores Norway `No DRM` demand, November 7, 2008
p2pnet – Norway escalates iTunes DRM battle, September 30, 2008
iPod Observer – Norway to Haul Apple to Market Council Court Over iTunes, November 6, 2008
over-hyped speed claims – New Apple iPhone TV ad ban, November 26, 2008
$5 million class action – Apple, AT&T in $5M iPhone 3G lawsuit, November 26, 2008
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