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Ty Roberts, CTO of Gracenote—the company that runs CDDB, among other endeavors—said at a conference on DRM this week that record labels are “about to cave in the next six months” when it comes to DRM and downloads, giving credence to Jobs’ claim that half of iTunes tracks will be available DRM-free by the end of the year. At the same time, he’s not sure that it “would be a good thing for the digital content industry in the long term.”
Paul Jessop, CTO of the RIAA, told Ars after the talk that the labels could “all fold tomorrow, [or]they could all hold out.” We’re glad that that’s sorted out. Nonetheless, the pressure’s on—from consumers, from Apple, and recently, from EMI, so holding out’s looking less and less feasible if the labels want to get their product out there and into our ears. – Matt Buchanan
Exec: Music labels “about to cave in the next six months” on DRM [Ars Technica] Image via Flickr
Despite Big Four agitation for an iTunes subscription service, Steve-o told Reuters on Wednesday that not only has that model “failed so far,” iTunes customers “don’t seem to be interested in it.”
He reasons that they’d prefer to own, rather than rent, music. So why not just give us the choice? Just because someone signs up for a subscription doesn’t mean they can’t purchase tracks anymore. If subscription rates really are low, then just stop offering the service—there doesn’t seem to be a downside to the proposition.
On a more positive note, in the same interview he said that “by the end of this year, over half of the songs we offer on iTunes we believe will be in DRM-free versions.” Now if they’d only drop the 30-percent markup. – Matt Buchanan
Jobs says Apple customers not into renting music [Reuters] Image via Flickr
Getting more and more keys to put on your keychain when you were a kid may have been cool, but now all that massive clump of metal does is give your pants that unwanted bulge look (as opposed to the wanted bulge look). With the keyport, you’re free to shove six of your favorite keys into what looks to be a lighter-sized gadget, easily extending and retracting them when needed. Plus, there’s RFID and a built-in LED light, as well as keyless entry for your car.
The thing’s still in its design phase now, but you can sign up on their site to get notified when they ship. Personally, we’re pretty stoked at being able to ditch the unwieldy keyring for something more compact. – Jason Chen
Product Page [Key-port via Crunchgear]
Spring is in season, which only means one thing: more annoying wind chimes on my neighbor’s front porch. Okay, I’m being a bit harsh—wind chimes are kind of nice sounding, but not at 6 a.m. This wind chime alarm clock can fulfill your fix of wind chimey-ness without the need for the pesky wind. The pipes are attached to a programmable LCD display and is powered by a few AA batteries. Batteries replacing wind? I’m sure that isn’t making the energy-nuts happy. $20. –Travis Hudson
Product Page [Via SCI FI]
Tired of flipping between four remote controls to operate all your A/V gear? Designed by Chen Hung Ming, the Book-style remote has three “pages” you can flip through to control either your TV, DVD or stereo. Each page has a small tab/bookmark that explains what each page controls. The concept itself isn’t new (there are tons of universal remotes out there), but the design is pretty refreshing compared with all the copycat remotes you’ll find in stores. – Louis Ramirez
Book-style Remote Control [Yanko Design]
NTT-Neomeit’s upcoming service for remote home control from the cellphone is something we want very badly. For just $4 a month, your cellphone can access a Web page that will control power switches, TVs, A/V equipment, lamps, A/C or just about anything. Why would we want this?
Just the scenario of turning off your radiator, heater, TV or A/C if you forgot to when you left the house should be enough. But how about turning on a rice maker when you’re about to leave work to go home? Or turning up the heat in preparation for your arrival? You’re sure to come up with even cooler applications yourselves. – Jason Chen
NTT’s cellphone-operated remote control home system [Pinktentacle]
If having buff action figures on your desk reminds you of your own flaccid muscular structure, then this GeekMan figure will make you feel like Dolph Lundgren. Complete with a BlackBerry, a Windows (Acer? Lenovo?) PC, an analog watch, coffee mug and gigantic spectacles, the GeekMan really does remind us to get out, exercise and play with some real-life people once in a while.
Maybe if you put him in a drawer with that slut Malibu Stacy, you’ll have some Geek kids soon as well. – Jason Chen
Product Page [Gifts for Engineers via Chip Chick]
Some of you might remember the Suitcase Bike concept that we showed you last year. Where the bike folds up into itself to resemble a suitcase with wheels. While this may look similar, it has one major difference. It’s in production.
That’s right, in just a few short months for $400 you’ll be able to ride around on one of the oddest designed bikes in years. What’s too bad is that it actually is quite impressive, as far as the mechanics and everything. But the design, it just screams “Give me an atomic wedgie.”
You should definitely check out the video of the bike magically assembling itself and riding off after the jump.
Here’s the best of the best from overnight. So you can get back to work faster… yeah, because that’s exactly what you’re going to do, right?
Anti-static keychain. Of all the gadgety keychains, this is the one I’d actually use. But I’m a static wuss.
This time 8800 GTX takes the crown. The graphics card war is never black and white. Here NVIDIA stays in front of ATI’s latest.
Sony dropping SonicStage and adding drag-and-drop. Finally! I like the Sony Walkman styles, but SonicStage is the pits.
An arcade cabinet for your desk. No longer a giant piece of furniture you need to convince the SO to let you have room for. Just steal some table space and you’re set.
LG planning a clamshell dual touchscreen. Because touching one’s screen is the way of the future.
Eyetoy update now just Eye. Well aren’t we all grown up now! Actually, this is looking pretty cool, in a brickish kind of way.
Not content on making Xbox laptops that nobody but him can actually build, Ben Heck is teaming up with eDimensional (see our review of their PS2 SIXAXIS-ish gamepad) to release some kind of mystery product.
So far the page doesn’t say what the product will be, but hopefully Ben will make enough money to buy some shirts that aren’t schwag from trade shows and maybe get a non-combover haircut. You know, standard fare for electrical engineers. We should know—we’re one too. – Jason Chen
Product Page [eDimensional]
