Monday, January 31, 2011

Apple : Copyright infringed movies for sale on Apple App Store

Apple : Copyright infringed movies for sale on Apple App Store

Copyright infringed movies for sale on Apple App Store

Posted: 31 Jan 2011 08:25 AM PST

Apple has been found selling Russian movies on iTunes that it has not got the copyright on.

The downloadable iTunes films in question are in contravention of copyright laws, according to the BBC.

Apple is selling the Soviet-era movies as iPhone apps without the consent of the filmmakers, the original copyright holders.

Apple brand damage

"This example shows how hard it is for consumers to know whether they are dealing with reputable distributors,"Michael Forrester, a solicitor from Ralli Solicitors LLP, explained to TechRadar.

"Apple runs the risk of their brand being damaged by a tiny proportion of film distributors who allegedly have no regard for the rules. We have sufficient international treaties to enforce the complex copyright rules, but the complicated film and music transactions sometimes make the sector less than transparent."

Movies that were made available to download via iTunes include Gentlemen of Fortune, Assa, The Diamond Arm, Kin-dza-dza and Cheburashka.

Apple investigates rogue devs

Mosfilm – the original owners of the copyright on the films – and the Joint State Film Collection (Obyedinennaya Gosudarstvennaya Kinocollectsia) claim to have not agreed to allow Apple to sell their movies on the app store.

"It is illegal to present our films as applications either in iTunes or on any other internet site. It is permitted only on our own Mosfilm site", Svetlana Pyleva, Mosfilm's deputy director-general, told BBC News.

"The only official internet site where you can watch legal Mosfilm content is the Mosfilm site. There are no third parties which we have permitted to use our content."

Ms Pyleva added that Mosfilm had contacted Apple to raise the issue, and is hoping that "Apple will take appropriate measures and help us solve the problem".

Apple is currently investigating the claims of copyright theft.

In Depth: Macworld Expo 2011: everything you missed

Posted: 31 Jan 2011 07:38 AM PST

While last week was owned by the Sony NGP, the Nintendo 3DS and the first signs of handsets destined for Mobile World Congress, our cousins at Mac|Life in the US were at Macworld 2011 in San Francisco.

Apple may no longer attend the event, but it's still a key event in the Apple calendar for Mac hardware and software, as well as increasing numbers of iOS accessories and apps too. The Mac|Life team were there in force getting the latest Mac galleries, stories and interviews.

The team interviewed Macworld Expo VP Paul Kent about this year's show and, most interestingly found out, that a large amount of the exhibitors are now talking about iOS and Mac peripherals for use on the road. "70 per cent of our exhibitors self-identify as providing "mobile" products - apps, utilities, peripherals or accessories," he says.

"Mobile is the ubiquitous technical concept shaping the year and everything from productivity apps, to games to creativity software, to printers, accessories, cases and stands are adopting a 'mobile' strategy."

Mac|Life also interviewed iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens to talk about deconstructing Apple kit. "I always find it fascinating when Apple cuts features at the last minute," he says. "I always wonder if it was an executive decision to save money, or if it wasn't feasible for some manufacturing reason. We found a space for a camera in the 3rd-generation iPod touch, but Apple didn't get around to adding a camera until the 4th-generation."

"I think the most interesting decision they've made was the shift to "brick" machined metal cases across their entire pro line (and now the iPhone and iPad). That CNC manufacturing process was incredibly expensive when they first introduced it, but it has opened up huge opportunities for innovative design."

Macworld 2011

There was a whole load of Mac hardware debuting at the show and you can see some of the best in this Mac Hardware at Macworld Expo 2011 gallery.

Likewise, there's also this gallery of the best iOS Hardware at Macworld Expo 2011, and some of the best cases from the show, too.

The team found 10 great apps for navigating San Francisco, then looked behind the scenes at the setting up of the show, which took place in Moscone West this year.

You can check out some of the best of the other images from the show here and here.

The best of the other kit on show:

Tap magazine

Netgear CEO: Steve Jobs' death will open up Apple

Posted: 31 Jan 2011 12:39 AM PST

The CEO of Netgear has apparently told journalists that Apple will need to abandon its walled garden approach if Steve Jobs 'goes away'.

Steve Jobs has again taken a leave of absence due to ill-health, but Patrick Lo – the Netgear CEO – has courted controversy by apparently stating his belief that the only way Apple will abandon its principles and open up will be if Jobs dies.

"It's critical for Apple to make a decision how to go forward," Lo is quoted as saying by Gizmodo Australia.

As long as he lives...

"And I think as long as Steve Jobs lives, there's no way they're going to open it up," he continued. "But once Steve Jobs goes away, then Apple probably would have to make a very strategic decision to open up their platform.

"I personally think that if they open up their platform and let more people jump on it, they're going to dominate.

"We've seen this movie played many times. A classic example is in networking: Years ago it was dominated by proprietary networking.

"You've got IBM's SNA, you've got digital's DECNET, and then you've got Europeans pushing for OXI. Guess what?

"Finally TCP/IP just won, hands down. It might not be the most efficient, it might not be the most elegant, but it's the most open."

Worse still

Interestingly, the Sydney Morning Herald's quote from the same event reads: "Once Steve Jobs goes away, which is probably not far away, then Apple will have to make a strategic decision on whether to open up the platform."

Musing about what will happen in the event of Jobs' death may not seem particularly seemly, especially at round tables, but Lo's statement does at least predict a positive outcome for Apple.

But not so much for Jobs, of course.
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