Month: December 2015

Apple hat eine eigene Hülle für das iPhone 6 und das iPhone 6S vorgestellt, die mit einem eingebauten Akku die Laufzeit der Smartphones deutlich erhöhen und ihr Gehäuse schützen soll. (iPhone 6S, Apple)

Windows 10 sieht nicht nur anders aus als seine Vorgänger, auch im Inneren hat sich viel geändert: Besonders beim Thema Security im Consumer- und Enterprise-Segment hat Microsoft für Anwender einige Neuerungen wie eine Zwei-Faktor-Authentifizierung entwickelt. (Windows 10, Microsoft)

Message+ wird ab sofort von der Telekom angeboten. Das RCS-Messaging läuft aber noch nicht in allen Netzen und Prepaidkunden der Telekom können es nicht kostenlos nutzen. (Vodafone, Telekom)

Die nächste Vereinheitlichung in Europa steht bevor: Die EU-Kommission will europaweit geltende Regeln für den Luftverkehr. Ein wichtiger Punkt sind dabei Drohnen. (Luftfahrt, Politik/Recht)

Grundlegende Änderungen am Aufbau und Anspielungen auf den verstorbenen Schriftsteller Terry Pratchett: Der Ascii-Klassiker Nethack liegt nun in Version 3.6.0 vor - das erste Update seit rund zehn Jahren. (Games, Adventure)

When one legitimately acquires property, whether a car, a house or even a toy plane, it’s generally accepted that the item can be transferred, for money, to an interested third party.

In the digital domain, however, there are those who feel that things should be different.

For example, IFPI believes that people should not be able to sell their unwanted MP3s, because unlike physical media they don’t deteriorate in quality or require a trip to the record store.

And in 2014, the MPAA argued that allowing people to sell their used videos online would kill innovation, increase consumer prices, and decrease the availability of online film.

With this kind of opposition in mind it was no surprise that yesterday several media outlets began reporting that sellers of used eBooks in the Netherlands had received legal threats from aggressive copyright holders.

In an email titled “Illegal dissemination of digital books”, sellers of pre-owned eBooks were warned, apparently by Dutch anti-piracy outfit BREIN, that their activities were illegal.

“The Brein Foundation acts against piracy of music, film, interactive software and digital books on behalf of rights and stakeholders such as authors, performers, publishers, producers and distributors,” the email begins.

“We’ve detected that you are distributing digital books without permission being granted by the copyright holders. This practice is unlawful towards the rights-holders and if you infringe you are liable for the damage they suffer as a result.”

Worryingly the email then goes off at the deep end, warning of extreme punishments if the sale of used eBooks continues.

“Intentional infringement is punishable as a criminal offense with 6 months imprisonment or a 19,500 euro ($21,200) fine.”

The email signs off in the name of Jan van Voorn, BREIN’s legal counsel, adding an air of authenticity to the claims. However, according to BREIN chief Tim Kuik the emails are nothing to do with his organization.

“We are concerned,” Kuik told nos.nl. “Someone is stirring up weird stuff.”

While BREIN are hardly supporters of people selling used product, the anti-piracy group says it only usually targets those attempting to sell large quantities of illegitimate products online. Indeed, after striking a deal with publishers in 2010, BREIN is now actively chasing down book pirates using Google’s services.

So who then is to blame for the threats? According to Kuik it’s possible that rival used-book sellers are trying to scare away their competitors.

While that does indeed sound plausible, whoever is sending these threats clearly has an understanding of the market, BREIN’s involvement in copyright enforcement, and how to construct a credible threat. Furthermore, the Dutch publishing group that BREIN represents also wishes to ban the sale of used eBooks.

Overall then, the timing of these ‘legal’ threats are coincidental if not curious.

Next week an important case involving the sale of used eBooks via local online marketplace ‘Tom Cabinet’ will head back to court in the Netherlands. Last year the Amsterdam Court dismissed complaints from book publishers, concluding that selling used eBooks sits in a legal gray area.

This time around the publishers will be looking for a more favorable result.

Source: TorrentFreak, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, torrent sites and ANONYMOUS VPN services.

AMDs wassergekühlte Fury X bleibt offenbar im Handel: Asetek hatte Coolermaster verklagt, mit Flüssigkeitskühlern Patente verletzt zu haben, die eventuell auch bei der Grafikkarte verwendet werden. (Kühlung, Patent)

Die Versuchung war zu groß: Ein Agent des Secret Service hat während der Silk-Road-Ermittlungen mit dem Account eines Informanten 820.000 US-Dollar in Bitcoin veruntreut - und damit dessen Leben gefährdet. (Bitcoin, Tauschbörse)

Die aktuelle Version der Playstation App unterstützt keine Nachrichten mehr, stattdessen benötigen Nutzer eine zweie App. Das erinnert an eine ähnliche Maßnahme vor einiger Zeit bei Facebook - dürfte aber für weniger Verstimmung sorgen. (PSN, Sony)

Facebook hat seine App-Entwicklungsabteilung Creative Labs geschlossen und damit drei Anwendungen aufgegeben. Die Apps Rooms, Slingshot und Riff werden nicht mehr angeboten. (Facebook, Soziales Netz)