Alleged infringement contributed “to the program’s enormous success,” suit says.
The heirs to a poet who claim their mother wrote a poem popularized in the TV series The Big Bang Theory are suing CBS and others connected to the sitcom for allegedly using the "soft kitty" lyrics without their permission on at least eight episodes.
The lawsuit, filed last Wednesday in a New York federal court, claims that the lyrics beginning with "Soft kitty, warm kitty" were created by Edith Newlin some eight decades ago and published in 1937 in a book called Songs for the Nursery School. The suit says the book's copyright registration was renewed in 1964, which "served also to register and renew" Newlin's copyright.
"Defendants have used the Soft Kitty Lyrics without authorization in their entirety as an emblematic feature of The Big Bang Theory, contributing materially to the program's enormous success, and in promotion and advertising for the show," according to the suit (PDF). "Defendants have also used the Soft Kitty Lyrics in their entirety on a wide range of merchandise items, from t-shirts to air fresheners, as part of one of the largest global licensing and merchandising programs ever mounted for a live-action television series."
2015 may have been the year virtual reality headsets generated a lot of buzz, but 2016 is poised to be the year when big name companies really get in on the action. Most of last year’s popular VR devices were basically frames for holding a smartphone close to you eyeballs. This year should see the launch […]
2015 may have been the year virtual reality headsets generated a lot of buzz, but 2016 is poised to be the year when big name companies really get in on the action. Most of last year’s popular VR devices were basically frames for holding a smartphone close to you eyeballs. This year should see the launch […]
Immer noch kein Preis, aber ein erstes Datum: Ab Mittwoch können Endkunden das Virtual-Reality-Headset Oculus Rift vorbestellen. Zwei Spiele werden mitgeliefert. (Oculus Rift, Games)
Immer noch kein Preis, aber ein erstes Datum: Ab Mittwoch können Endkunden das Virtual-Reality-Headset Oculus Rift vorbestellen. Zwei Spiele werden mitgeliefert. (Oculus Rift, Games)
Still no word on price point or specific release date, though.
Enlarge/ The Rift may finally be real. (credit: Oculus)
Oculus announced today that its long-awaited PC-based Rift virtual reality headset will be available for preorder starting this Wednesday, January 6, at 8am PST (11am EST). We still don't know precisely when the headset will be available or how much it will cost, but Rift pre-orders will include copies of VR-enabled games Eve: Valkyrie and Lucky's Tale.
The Rift itself is still officially on track for the same "Q1 2016" release window first announced back in May. The hand-tracking Oculus Touch controllers first demonstrated at last year's E3 were recently delayed to the second half of 2016, though; the Rift will initially ship with an Xbox One control pad.
The final price for the consumer unit is an even bigger mystery. Oculus said in October that the consumer edition will cost more than the $350 development kits but would remain "in that ballpark." Back in May, Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe said that a Rift and a fully specced PC capable of powering it should cost $1,500 total.
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are both going to show up in new Fords this year. On the eve of CES, Ford announced that every 2017 model year car equipped with Sync 3 (its latest infotainment system) will have both smartphone connectivity platforms preinstalled. And if you have a 2016 Ford with Sync 3, there's no need to think any less of it—a software upgrade will be available later this year to bring your car up-to-date.
In addition to adding CarPlay and Android Auto, Sync 3 also supports native apps though a platform called AppLink. The first of these will also arrive this year. Apps include one from the American and Canadian Automobile Associations (AAA and CAA), as well as Glimpse. AppLink is built on an open source program called SmartDeviceLink, and the company also announced today that Toyota, QNX, and UIEvolution are adopting the technology.
SmartDeviceLink is a bridge that allows for easy voice control of smartphone apps, something car companies and regulators are extremely keen on compared to the alternative, where thousands of distracted drivers fumble for touchscreen controls while at the wheel. That it's being adopted by another extremely large OEM as well as the company behind a lot of OEM infotainment systems (QNX) may be a promising development. An infotainment system with true portability and platform agnosticism needs standards, preferably as few competing ones as possible.
A new component of the Creative Content UK initiative is set to discourage Internet piracy via the classroom. Encouraging students to think about who will pay for Vin Diesel’s socks if everyone pirates movies, the UK government, The Industry Trust and Federation Against Copyright Theft have a lesson plan up their collective sleeves.
It took an awful long time to arrive but late 2014 the movie and music industries eventually reached agreement with the UK’s leading ISPs to send warnings to subscribers suspected of downloading content from file-sharing networks.
The warning scheme (which is currently notable only by its absence) is part of the Creative Content UK (CCUK) initiative which marries the ‘stick’ of direct-to-door warnings with a broader educational campaign focused on deterrence.
As previously reported the first campaign titled “Get It Right from a Genuine Site” used a colorful cartoon to encourage viewers to boycott ‘pirate’ sites in favor of those which pay licensing fees supporting the entertainment industries.
And now, at the start of a new year, CCUK’s latest initiative can be found on the Intellectual Property Office’s education site, which was launched under the ‘Cracking Ideas‘ brand last November.
Fronted by clay animation stars Wallace and Gromit, ‘Cracking Ideas’ is offering a lesson plan which asks 14-19 year old students to consider “the impact and ethics of film piracy, the consequences of downloading a film illegally and the impact of film piracy on the creative industries.”
Produced in partnership with The Industry Trust, The Intellectual Property Office and the Federation Against Copyright Theft, the lesson (titled “Vin Diesel’s Socks”) is built around a student-created anti-piracy PSA of the same name which questions who will fund the action star’s footwear if people pirate rather pay.
When placed side-by-side with ‘classics’ such as “You Wouldn’t Download a Car“, the change of tone is notable.
The lesson is centered around 18 slides with accompanying notes encouraging teachers and other educators to question students on issues including illegal uploading.
“Why do you think people distribute and upload films illegally? What do you think are the consequences of this activity?” one slide asks. Students are given time to think but are then offered these reasons.
Slide
It’s no real surprise that cash is put forward as the prime motivator, even though the country’s most recently jailed pirates made not a single penny from their activities. It is interesting, however, that the slide balances this with the honest statement that pirates often beat legitimate providers to the market, with pricing and availability.
Mirroring similar campaigns underway in the United States, the lesson also reinforces the notion that ‘pirate’ sites are dangerous places. It also falls back on the controversial ‘disappearing money’ argument that money not outlaid on movies is somehow not spent elsewhere in the economy.
But credit where it’s due. A later slide concedes that people who pirate content online are often the same people who pay to visit the cinema, buy DVDs and stream content from legitimate sources.
Slide
Later, students are asked to consider “Should things that are online be free?” and “Should you do things just because they are technologically possible?”
But what if students believe that piracy generates free buzz, that if they download something and rave about it to their friends, that will boost sales? The lesson’s covering notes provide guidance for teachers on how to respond.
“You may like to explain that creators of films, music or any other product should be in control of how they distribute their product. If they want to share it for free that is their choice, but illegal distribution removes that choice from the creator,” the notes suggest.
And, if students think that plenty of people still go to the cinema and film companies continue to make lots of money, the suggested response is as follows.
“You can suggest that it can take a long time for many films to make a profit and that unless people pay for the film at the cinema, online, on DVD etc, films will not cover their costs or make a profit, this will affect the quality and range of films that are made, and the career opportunities available in the film industry.”
But what if students get really tricky by suggesting that the film industry “is behind the times” by not serving those who want to watch movies as soon as they become available?
“You can suggest to students that some films are available online and on DVD at the same time as they are in the cinema, but that watching a film in the cinema is a different experience to watching it at home and many filmmakers and studios want their films to be an experience, and viewed in the optimum conditions. How a film is released and how much the creators charge for their product is their choice.”
In a later slide students are advised about being monitored online by copyright holders and the subsequent ISP warnings their activity might generate. Notably there is no mention of any punishments or references to breaking the law. The warnings are mentioned solely as a way to direct alleged infringers to legitimate content. This is a big change from past campaigns.
Finally, students are shown slides detailing the work of the Federation Against Copyright Theft but again there is little for them to feel threatened over. Instead, teachers are encouraged to explain that even pirates love movies.
“Explain that many people who access pirated film actually love film and want the industry to continue making great movies. If students love film, they should look for legal providers through Find Any Film next time. Play the Moments Worth Paying For/Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer and ask students why they think film is worth paying for,” the notes to teachers conclude.
The Vin Diesel’s Socks lesson plan can be downloaded here.
Budget tablet maker E Fun is getting into the budget notebook space. During the second quarter of 2016 the company plans to launch its first two laptops. The Nextbook 14 is a $200 laptop with a 14 inch display, while the Nextbook 11.6 is a convertible notebook with 360 degree hinge, a touchscreen display, and […]
Budget tablet maker E Fun is getting into the budget notebook space. During the second quarter of 2016 the company plans to launch its first two laptops. The Nextbook 14 is a $200 laptop with a 14 inch display, while the Nextbook 11.6 is a convertible notebook with 360 degree hinge, a touchscreen display, and […]
Auf Github stehen erste Teile des Codes der Linux-Portierung auf die Playstation 4 bereit. Die zuständige Gruppe Fail0verflow will den Code zudem upstream einpflegen. Jailbreaks sollen aber explizit nicht angeboten werden. (Playstation 4, Sony)
Auf Github stehen erste Teile des Codes der Linux-Portierung auf die Playstation 4 bereit. Die zuständige Gruppe Fail0verflow will den Code zudem upstream einpflegen. Jailbreaks sollen aber explizit nicht angeboten werden. (Playstation 4, Sony)
Donate to Child’s Play or EFF today to increase our record annual charity haul.
Some of this could be yours if you enter our sweepstakes!
Last week, I asked the Ars Technica community to dig deep and help us beat the Charity Drive donation record set back in 2012. This week, I can say the community has responded beautifully to that request. The 2015 Ars Technica Charity Drive has now set a new record, with well over $35,000 in combined donations to Child's Play and the EFF.
With less than 24 hours to go before the entry deadline, I know we can make that record haul even bigger. If you've been putting off your donation until the very last minute or been distracted by holiday travel, today is your last day to enter our sweepstakes for a chance to win some of the cool swag we can't keep. It's also your last chance to have your charity donations counted as part of the Ars community's collective efforts for the year.
Entries have to be in our e-mail by 11:59pm Eastern time tonight to be part of the sweepstakes. If you've already entered, thank you, and know that we'll be contacting winners over the coming days and weeks. If you haven't, read on to find out how to get your donation counted.
Immer noch kein Preis, aber ein erstes Datum: Ab Mittwoch können Endkunden das Virtual-Reality-Headset Oculus Rift vorbestellen. Zwei Spiele werden mitgeliefert. (
Samsung sieht sich unter Druck durch die Konkurrenz bei Smartphones. Das kommende Jahr werde schwierig, glaubt der Firmenchef. (
Auf Github stehen erste Teile des Codes der Linux-Portierung auf die Playstation 4 bereit. Die zuständige Gruppe Fail0verflow will den Code zudem upstream einpflegen. Jailbreaks sollen aber explizit nicht angeboten werden. (
You must be logged in to post a comment.