topics
Zeropaid at CES 2010!
While the year, and the decade, may just be starting out, things are already heating up quickly in the electronics and technology worlds. With the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) trade conference beginning tomorrow in Las Vegas, a flood of new devices, gadgets and services will be announced, released or just rumored. The big trends we will likely see at the show include ever-more connected devices destined for networked home, the continuing convergence between increasingly portable netbooks with ever more powerful smartphones , and the long-awaited emergence of true consumer level 3D technology. Not all technology companies are willing to risk having their particular news get lost in the melee of CES, however. Google decided to pre-empt the show with their launch of the Nexus One phone, instantly making their self-released Android 2.1 phone the dominant story in the mobile space, even before the major handset manufacturers had a chance to display their wares in Vegas. Also notably absent from the CES extravaganza is Apple, traditionally remaining aloof, doing their own demo shows. Jobs and company do often let just enough scraps of information and innuendo leak, however, to make sure they still get attention, as the continuing talk of their (possibly) coming tablet device demonstrates once again. Nonetheless, despite Google and Apple’s maneuvers, CES remains the preeminent tech trade show in North America, with hundreds of companies, both big and small, showing off what they will be releasing in the coming year. I’m on site in Vegas and will be bringing news to Zeropaid readers that touch on the topics they are interested in, namely, how will all this new technology interact with open formats, like MKV and h.264? Will electronics and computer companies continue to bow to content makers’ demands for DRM ? How will new technologies disrupt or adapt to older business and distribution models to empower or limit consumer consumption? If there are any particular gadgets, companies, stories, etc.
Continue reading »Dick Huey to Fred Wilhelms …
In July, 2007, “an unsigned Reader’s Write accused Fred Wilhelms (right) of having a vested interest in criticizing SoundExchange for not paying artists,” said p2pnet last month, going on »»» The author later proved to be Dick Huey (right), one of the RIAA-appointed ‘label representatives’ on the SoundExchange board of directors. An exchange of comments ended in Huey agreeing to answer questions put to him, partly in apology for what he acknowledged was an unjustified personal attack on Wilhelms Huey’s responses have been a long time coming, but here they are, in part, at least »»» Dear Fred, This took longer to respond to than I wanted – both because of a busy couple weeks, and because we moved away from the topics where I have direct knowledge and into areas that require research on my part. I’m not interested in being a SoundExchange conduit for every question you’d like answered – SoundExchange has official communication outlets, which you should engage directly with to answer your questions.
Continue reading »
