The Pirate Bay opens 3D section

Since its launch, the site has had standard categories like videos, music, games, software, each broken down into more exact portions.

Says the site, via their blog:

We have read on the Internets that there are some new technology called the third dimension. So we added a category in the video section called . . . 3D!

There are about 40 titles in the section now but it has been growing pretty quickly since this morning.

Of course, if you want to watch a 3D film via your TV, you will require a 3D capable player (PS3, Blu-ray, etc) and a 3D HDTV, both of which can get pricey but are expected to fall in price, perhaps significantly, in 2012.

Source is http://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2011/09/07/the_pirate_bay_opens_3d_section

THQ: Future consoles won't use discs

THQ CEO talks benefits of eliminating physical media from games industry.
Chief Executive Brian Farrel predicted that the industry will soon abandon physical media entirely for games consoles, favouring cloud computing solutions instead. He made his comments at the Cloud Gaming USA Conference while making a presentation.

He argued that the lack of physical media could save money for hardware makers, since they would not have to include an optical drive in their consoles. For developers and publishers, it would cut costs associated with producing, storing and shipping inventory.

"The box, ship, and done model is transitioning to observe, measure, and modify," Farrell said, adding that the industry is moving to "a games-as-a-service model where direct consumer feedback allows the ability to operate in this always on, always connected environment."

Farell acknowledged that the content of the game matters more to consumers than the way in which it is delivered to them.

Source is http://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2011/09/13/thq_future_consoles_won_t_use_discs

Pandora's losses highlight DMCA's effect on Internet radio

Pandora, the popular Internet radio service, continues to grow at an amazing pace, so why is it they can't seem to turn a profit?
The answer lies in a fateful ruling from the Copyright Royalty Board. The CRB's existence is the result of a DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) provision mandating arbitration to determine fair Internet radio royalties in the event rights holders and webcasters couldn't reach their own agreement.

In theory this guaranteed that Internet radio providers would be on equal footing with the much larger music labels in royalgy negotiations. In practice it didn't work out that way.

In 2006 SoundExchange, a royalty collection agency created by the RIAA, entered into arbitration with a variety of webcasters entered into arbitration. The Copyright Royalty Board was created, under a 2004 law, to act as arbitrators, fulfilling the DMCA mandate.

The key point to understand is exactly what that mandate is:

In establishing rates and terms for transmissions by eligible nonsubscription services and new subscription services, the copyright arbitration royalty panel shall establish rates and terms that most clearly represent the rates and terms that would have been negotiated in the marketplace between a willing buyer and a willing seller


The problem with this wording lies in the definition of "a willing buyer and a willing seller." According to CRB judges, that means both sides must be assumed to have equal market power.

Obviously we know that assumption to be false. Even a relatively large operation like Pandora wouldn't be able to survive the loss of major label content for long, while the labels themselves would be relatively unaffected in the short term by the loss of Pandora's business.

The long term effects for the labels would certainly be dramatic, but that doesn't negate their current market power.

Thanks to the resulting CRB decision, setting royalty rates so high no webcaster could possibly afford them, the labels' superior negotiating position is even greater now than before.

Most webcasters including, eventually, Pandora were forced to negotiate lower rates with SoundExchange. Of course, by that time SoundExchange was holding all the cards.

The only alternative to whatever SoundExchange offered was the higher rates mandated by the CRB ruling. It was a choice between a long drawn out death or immediate execution.

Late last year the CRB set new webcaster royalty rates which more or less conform to the same standard as their 2007 ruling. This time around they didn't need to consider a hypothetical market, as they did the first time around.

Instead, they ruled primarily based on the rates webcasters were forced to accept following the original CRB decision.

Of course Pandora, and all the webcasters who struck long term deals with SoundExchange previously, are stuck with those royalty arrangements regardless. CRB rulings only apply to webcasters who haven't reached an agreement with SoundExchange.

Pandora had it's IPO earlier this year. Initially the stock seemed to be in trouble due to concerns about profitability

Despite reporting nothing but losses since going public, optimistic statements about the future have resulted in the stock price actually increasing.

But eventually they will have to turn a profit. It remains to be seen whether that will ever be possible without drastic reform to the royalty calculation process.

Given their current influence in Washington, as evidenced by the recent actions of Immigrations & Customs Enforcement and ongoing legislative efforts on their behalf, don't expect that to happen any time soon.

Source is http://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2011/08/26/pandora_s_losses_highlight_dmca_s_effect_on_internet_radio

Western Digital forced to raise prices on HDDs

Western Digital has been forced to raise the prices of its HDDs, says Hexus, thanks to the continued demand and scarce supply for rare earth elements.
The move is effective immediately, with WD already informing partners of the price hike.

Prices are expected to be hiked 10 percent for 500GB drives and 5 percent for 1TB drives.

Rare earth elements, the supply of which is controlled by China, have been increasing in price for a year now, as the nation intentionally holds back supply to make as much profit as possible from desperate manufacturers.

It is unclear whether the price increases on WD drives will make their way to consumers or if the manufacturers will have to eat the charges, for now.

Source is http://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2011/08/28/western_digital_forced_to_raise_prices_on_hdds