Month: October 2021

Probefahrt mit Manta GSe Elektromod: Boah ey, “der ist fantastisch”

Bislang gibt es den vollelektrischen Opel Manta nur als Einzelstück. Auf einer Probefahrt haben wir den Designer des Original-Manta getroffen. Von Friedhelm Greis (Elektroauto, Technologie)

Bislang gibt es den vollelektrischen Opel Manta nur als Einzelstück. Auf einer Probefahrt haben wir den Designer des Original-Manta getroffen. Von Friedhelm Greis (Elektroauto, Technologie)

Es rumpelt gewaltig am Immobilienmarkt in China

Nachdem der große chinesische Immobilienkonzern Evergrande Fristen für fällige Zinszahlungen verstreichen ließ, folgten kleinere Konkurrenten wie Fantasia und Sinic

Nachdem der große chinesische Immobilienkonzern Evergrande Fristen für fällige Zinszahlungen verstreichen ließ, folgten kleinere Konkurrenten wie Fantasia und Sinic

Äthiopien: Der Hungertod droht

Zentralregierung bereitet neue Offensive vor. Humanitäre Lage in Tigray verschlechtert sich dramatisch

Zentralregierung bereitet neue Offensive vor. Humanitäre Lage in Tigray verschlechtert sich dramatisch

Die Balkanroute: wilde Camps, Polizeigewalt und brutale Pushbacks

Die Flucht über die Länder des ehemaligen Jugoslawiens bleibt gefährlich. Eine zentrale Rolle spielt die EU-Grenzschutzbehörde Frontex und ein ehemaliger österreichischer Bundeskanzler

Die Flucht über die Länder des ehemaligen Jugoslawiens bleibt gefährlich. Eine zentrale Rolle spielt die EU-Grenzschutzbehörde Frontex und ein ehemaliger österreichischer Bundeskanzler

9 past mistakes offer lessons for today’s hot new automakers

More than 2,000 American automakers have come and gone in this chaotic industry.

  • The Lucid Air may look the same as the early electric prototype we saw in 2017, but a lot has changed. [credit: Jonathan Gitlin ]

In 2021, there are easily two dozen electric vehicle start-ups whose founders dream of becoming the next Tesla. Wanting to be the next big thing is a story as old as the automobile business, given that more than 2,000 American automakers have come and gone, and all of those founders held the same dream. Many found some initial success only for it to all go wrong in the end.

As glamorous as the automotive industry seems, the chances of sustained success for new manufacturers remains slim. So while many failed companies have since slipped into obscurity, their stories may have some use to today's neophyte manufacturers.

Selling reliability isn’t a panacea

Engine failure was common in the early days of motoring; both driver and passengers could routinely find themselves stranded miles from home. Most automakers responded by trying to improve the quality of their engines. But not Howard Carter.

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Megaupload Lawsuits Remain in Limbo After Nearly 10 Years Passed

Almost ten years after Megaupload was taken down the lawsuits against the site and its founder Kim Dotcom are still pending. The criminal case in the US awaits the outcome of the New Zealand extradition process and two civil cases, filed by the RIAA and MPA, were this week put on hold until April 2022, but they will likely start much later.

From: TF, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.

megauploadTen years ago, online streaming hadn’t fully caught on yet and Netflix still had dozens of active DVD-mailing locations throughout the United States.

Streaming piracy was relatively new as well with most ‘pirates’ still downloading movies from torrent sites or cyberlockers.

While cyberlockers have plenty of legal uses, copyright holders viewed most of these services as pirate portals. This included Megaupload, which was by far the largest platform in this business.

Dark Clouds Looming

In hindsight, the end of 2011 was a crucial period. Megaupload was more popular than ever, something highlighted in the “Megaupload Song“, an unprecedented PR campaign featuring P Diddy, Will.i.am, Alicia Keys, Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, Kim Kardashian, Floyd Mayweather, and other stars.

What Megaupload and its founder Kim Dotcom didn’t know was that, at the same time, U.S. law enforcement was gearing up to bring the site down. A few weeks later, hundreds of Megaupload servers were seized while Dotcom’s mansion in New Zealand was raided in a military-style operation.

Fierce Extradition Battle

The U.S. Department of Justice teamed up with New Zealand police and hoped that Dotcom and several other Megaupload defendants would be swiftly extradited. That was idle hope.

The Megaupload defendants fiercely contested the extradition request, which they are still doing to this day. After spending millions of dollars in legal fees, the end of this process is still nowhere in sight.

Without extraditions, the criminal proceeding in the U.S. remains pending and the latest update in the court docket dates back five years.

RIAA and MPA Cases Postponed

This delay also affects the civil cases filed by the RIAA and the MPAA, which plan to hold the Megaupload defendants liable for millions in music and movie piracy damages respectively.

Since the civil cases can potentially influence the criminal proceedings, Megaupload’s legal team previously asked to put these cases on hold, and last week they requested another extension, which was swiftly granted by the federal court in Virginia.

With no objections from the MPA and RIAA, it is no surprise that the stay until April 2022 was granted. If anything, these motions serve as a bi-annual reminder of the lack of progress in the Megaupload case.

The extradition process in New Zealand may very well continue for several more years. And in the event that the defendants are extradited, it will take much longer before the criminal case concludes. This means that 2022 may eventually become, 2023, 2025, 2032, and so on.

From: TF, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.