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Steve Jobs’ “Thought on Music”

Steve Jobs, the founder and CEO of Apple Inc. has posted an open letter at Apple site talking about music industry, digital distributions and DRM. Jobs explores the possibilities of the future of music industry on the digital forefront. They are:

  1. Digital music distributions stay the way it is today. Each company keeps their own DRM system to their likings.
  2. Apple licences FairPlay to other companies for digital distributions.
  3. DRM-Free digital distributions.

Jobs points out that overwhelming majority of music sold are DRM-free in the form of Compact Disc. All portable digital music players can play all the DRM-free music. DRMs have not worked the way the big record label wanted it.

Read it more at Apple Hot News:
http://www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughtsonmusic/

Recently Apple iTunes Store and FairPlay DRM have been deemed as illegal in Norway, France and Germany. It is only a matter of time for other countryies to follow suit. Steve Jobs is directly addressing this issue and show the willingness of Apple to abolish DRM from iTunes Store should the record companies agree to do so.

I want the music I purchased to be DRM-Free!

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Apple and The Beatles Can Work It Out

Apple Inc. didn’t announce anything during the SuperBowl regarding the iPod, iTunes and The Beatles. Today, Apple Inc. and Apple Corps Ltd. announce a new agreement regarding the “apple” trademark. Based on the press release, Apple Inc. gains control over the trademark and consequently ends the trademark dispute with Apple Corps Ltd.

From Apple Press Release:

Under this new agreement, Apple Inc. will own all of the trademarks related to “Apple” and will license certain of those trademarks back to Apple Corps for their continued use. In addition, the ongoing trademark lawsuit between the companies will end, with each party bearing its own legal costs, and Apple Inc. will continue using its name and logos on iTunes®. The terms of settlement are confidential.

It’s only about time for The Beatles catalogue to be sold on the iTunes Store.

http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2007/02/05apple.html

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Van Halen is Back with David Lee Roth

Van Halen has officially announced their 2007 North American  tour. After a long standing rumor and partial confirmations from Van Halen camp, David Lee Roth rejoins the Van Halen brothers. Unfortunately, this is not the complete reunion of the original Van Halen since bassist Michael Anthony will not be joining the band. In lieu of Anthony, Eddie Van Halen’s son Wolfgang will be taking the bass duty. This should be billed as “Van Halen, Van Halen, roth, and Van Halen”.

The official press release:

http://www.van-halen.com/pressrelease.html

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Apple Addresses iTunes and Windows Vista Compatibility

There have been reports regarding problems with iTunes and Windows Vista. Now that Windows Vista is released, Apple is addressing such issue.

iTunes Repair Tool for Vista 1.0

About iTunes Repair Tool for Vista 1.0
The iTunes Repair Tool for Vista 1.0 will repair permissions for important files required by iTunes to play your iTunes Store purchases.

About iTunes and Windows Vista: http://www.info.apple.com/kbnum/n305042
Apple offers some informations regarding iTunes installations on computers with Vista upgrade and new computers with Vista pre-installed.

Apple also mentions that new updated version on iTunes is on the way.

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Megadeth “United Abominations” Artwork

Roadrunner Records has revealed the finished album artwork for Megadeth’s upcoming “United Abominations” record. The artwork can be viewed at this location: http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/artists/Megadeth/showphoto.aspx?photoID=15391

“United Abominations” is scheduled for release on May 08, 2007 through Roadrunner Records.

I’ll post the high resolution artwork here whenever I get the “OK”.

Megadeth will take part in Canadian dates of “Heaven and Hell Tour 2007” alongside Heaven and Hell (Dio, Iommi, Butler, and Appice) and Down (Pantera’s Anselmo and Brown).

Megadeth DVD “That One Night – Live in Buenos Aires” is scheduled for March 06, 2007 release date.

http://www.megadeth.com/

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Windows Vista: The “Wow” Starts How?

Microsoft has been campaigning for Windows Vista with the slogan: The “Wow” Starts Now. Windows Vista is the best looking Windows Operating System that Micrsofot has ever released. Unfortunately that doesn’t really say much about what Windows Vista really is.

Windows Vista has been armed with a much better security model compared to its predecessor, Windows XP. For sure it is more secure than Windows XP, but is Windows Vista secure enough to fend off all the coming attacks from viruses, spywares, malwares, etc.? We can’t really tell yet.

Beyond security, will Windows Vista be fully accepted in shorter amount of time compared to Windows XP? Windows Vista is a hungry beast. It wants large amount of RAM (Random Access Memory), and powerful CPU (Central Processing Unit). Furthermore, it needs powerful GPU (Graphic Processor Unit) to show off its shiny new look, Aero and Glass.

These are a few things to consider when buying new computer with Windows Vista pre-installed:

  • Get Dual-Core Processor such as AMD Atlhon64 X2, Intel Pentium D, or Intel Core 2 Duo.
  • Get a minimum 1GB of RAM, but 2GB is much prefered.
  • Avoid integrated graphic card with shared system RAM.
  • Graphic card with digital out (DVI) is generally better than analog (VGA).

One more thing: “You get what you paid for.”

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Apple and Cisco on iPhone: “We Can Work It Out”

Apple and Cisco are apparently back on iPhone trademark negotiations. Cisco has posted a joint statement regarding the iPhone trademark.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. January 31, 2007 – Apple and Cisco have agreed to extend the time for Apple to respond to the lawsuit to allow for discussions between the companies with the aim of reaching agreement on trademark rights and interoperability.

Apple and Cisco have been negotiating the use of iPhone trademark prior to MacWorld San Francisco 2007. Apple was reported to have abandoned negotiations the night before Steve Jobs Keynote. Cisco immediately filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against Apple for the use of iPhone trademark following the introductions of Apple iPhone by Steve Jobs.
http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/2007/corp_011007.html

According to many reports, apparently Apple is holding “iPhone” trademarks in most part of the world with the exceptions of The United States and Canada.
http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=2145
http://10layers.com/2006/10/apple-filing-for-iphone-trademarks-worldwide/
http://news.com.com/2100-1036_3-6153865.html

According to some analyst Cisco might have lost their hold on “iPhone” trademark sometimes in 2006 for failing to use and defend the trademark.
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Burnette/?p=236

Apple and Cisco are working together again to avoid the messy lawsuits and to benefit both companies.