Month: December 2016

Ein Internetzugang mit 50 MBit/s im Download und 10 MBit/s im Upload ohne Drosselung wird in Kanada als Grundversorgung vorgeschrieben. Doch die Regierung lässt sich damit Zeit. (Internet, Handy)

Hersteller, die verlöteten Flash-Speicher oder Memory Cards mit Universal Flash Storage für Smartphones bauen möchten, benötigen den passenden Controller. Phisons PS8311 ist so ein Modell, die Geschwindigkeit fällt daher recht hoch aus. (UFS-Standard, Smartphone)

Für Akteneinsicht bei Behörden werden zum Teil hohe Gebühren fällig. Nun will das Onlinelexikon Wikipedia diese Kosten übernehmen. Unter bestimmten Bedingungen. (Politik/Recht, Wikipedia)

In einem Interview bestätigt ein Google-Manager, dass das Unternehmen Anfang 2017 zwei Smartwatches mit dem neuen Android Wear 2.0 vorstellen will. Die Uhren sollen in Zusammenarbeit mit einem Hersteller entwickelt worden sein, aber keinen Google- oder Pixel-Markennamen tragen. (Android Wear, Google)

Das Smartphone kann etwas länger in der Tasche bleiben, die Hände im Handschuh: Niantic Labs hat Pokémon Go für die Apple Watch veröffentlicht. Das macht die Jagd etwas einfacher - aber ausgerechnet das Fangen von Monstern per Armbanduhr ist nicht möglich. (Pokémon Go, Apple)

Every year the United States Trade Representative calls on foreign countries to take action against a broad range of websites which are allegedly involved in copyright infringement. Perhaps understandably, The Pirate Bay is one of the most obvious platforms to appear in the USTR’s review but there are others that don’t fit the same profile.

One of those is Russian social networking giant vKontakte (VK). Like all platforms with millions of users contributing content on a daily basis, VK has to deal with allegations of copyright infringement. Traditionally, the most vocal critics have hailed from the music industry but in recent times VK has made its peace with several distributors via licensing deals.

But despite these efforts, VK is apparently still falling short of the standards set by the United States government. In its yearly “Out-of-Cycle Review of Notorious Markets” report published this week, the United States Trade Representative laid out the case against VK.

“Nominated again this year, VK is one of the most popular sites in the world and continues to operate as an extremely popular social networking site in Russia and neighboring countries. VK reportedly facilitates the distribution of copyright-infringing files,” the USTR wrote.

Noting the commercial and cultural value of social networking platforms that go about their business without infringing rightsholders’ copyrights, the USTR said that VK’s recent steps to tackle piracy were “encouraging”.

VK has reached deals with major labels, taken steps taken to limit third-party applications dedicated to downloading infringing content, and experimented with fingerprinting technology, the USTR said. Even the RIAA said it was happy with VK, having taken the social network off its list in October.

Nevertheless, the mere fact that VK is on the USTR list again this cycle indicates that rightsholders outside the music industry are still complaining about the site. In its report, the USTR appeared to confirm it.

“Despite these positive signals, VK reportedly continues to be a hub of infringing activity and continues to be listed pending the institutionalization of appropriate measures to promote respect on its platform for IPR of all right holders, not just those with whom it has contracts, that are comparable to those measures used by other social media sites,” the USTR said.

Given that during the summer vKontakte felt it was already time for it to be removed from the United States’ blacklist, TorrentFreak caught up with the social network to gauge its reaction to this week’s apparent snub from the USTR.

“VKontakte continues its proactive work on licensing all audio and video content available on the social network,” a VK spokesperson said.

“In 2016, the Company signed an agreement with the world’s leading international music rights holders, including Universal Music, Sony Music, Warner Music, The Orchard, Merlin Network and Believe Digital, among others. The music section of VK’s mobile app for iOS has been available to users since August 2016, after a two-year absence.”

Addressing the USTR’s claims over other contentious content still present on the platform, VK said that more progress would be made during 2017.

“Next year, the Company will continue its focus on signing up the remaining rights holders not covered by the previous agreements,” the company said.

The measured tone from VK shows an unexpected level of patience, particularly after being mentioned in the same breath as The Pirate Bay yet again and despite significant efforts to appease rightsholders. Will it have done enough by this time next year? Only time will tell.

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

Im Sport entscheidet oft nur ein kleiner Moment über Sieg oder Niederlage - diesen einzufangen, ist für TV-Sender schwierig. Die Lösung soll die FreeD-Technik von Intel sein. Wir haben uns das System beim ersten Einsatz in der spanischen Fußballliga angeschaut. (Intel, Technologie)

Die Versandarbeiter weiten den Streik bei Amazon aus. Jetzt sind zwei weitere Versandzentren im Arbeitskampf. Bisher waren 1.100 bis 1.200 Angestellte im Ausstand. Amazon erklärt stets: "Der Streik hat keinerlei Auswirkungen." (Amazon, Verdi)

Der Speicherhersteller SK Hynix investiert viel Geld in eine neue Fertigungsanlage. Die Fab in Cheongju, Südkorea, soll NAND-Flash-Speicher produzieren. Obendrein wird ein DRAM-Werk für 800 Millionen US-Dollar aufgerüstet. (Hynix, Flash-Speicher)

Google, Amazon, and Steam are all running big sales on digital media today. The Steam Winter Sale is underway, with major discounts on a bunch of games. Google Play is offering a bunch of deals on music and movies. And Amazon is letting you rent any digital video for a buck.

Here are some of the best digital deals that kicked off today (or recently).

Music

• Get any MP3 album for half price – Google Play (Redeem by Jan 28th)
• Microsoft Countdown Music Deals – Microsoft Store

Movies & TV

• Rent any movie for $0.99 – Amazon (coupon: MOVIE99 – Prime members only, expires Jan 23rd)
• Rent any movie for $0.99 – Google Play (coupon: AB3Z3ENNBL22QVGRSA00HJ8 – use by Jan 23rd)
• Buy any movie for 50% off – Google Play (coupon: G7BYVK2UC2S1UJENMUYE4XQ – use by Jan 23rd)
• Microsoft Countdown Movies & TV Deals – Microsoft Store

Games

• Steam Winter Sale for PC games – Steam
• GRID for Windows for free – Humble Store
• Assassin’s Creed III for free – UbiSoft
• Android games on sale – Google Play (via Android Police)

You can find more bargains in our daily deals section.

Continue reading Digital Deals on games, music, movies from Google, Amazon, Steam at Liliputing.