Author: Digital Digest | Latest News

Another Major Torrent Site Shuts Down – Torrentz Gone Without Warning, Explanation

Following the demise of KickassTorrents, another major torrent site has shut down, this time without warning or explanation. After 13 years of operation, torrent mega-search engine Torrentz has apparently closed up shop, without providin…



Following the demise of KickassTorrents, another major torrent site has shut down, this time without warning or explanation. After 13 years of operation, torrent mega-search engine Torrentz has apparently closed up shop, without providing any explanations.

Unlike torrent search sites like The Pirate Bay, Torrentz is a meta-search engine, which means it doesn't actually host any torrent files, but rather, allows users to search multiple torrent sites at the same time. This made Torrentz more like Google than say KickassTorrents, but did not help the site avoid being targeted by copyright holders, who have repeatedly made references to site as one of the worst piracy offenders.

But just a few days ago, visitors to Torrentz found that, despite the home page appearing as it was before (other than the welcoming message referring to the site in the past tense), all of the site's functionality stopped working. When users made a search, they are met with a new message which simply states: "Torrentz will always love you. Farewell."

An operator of the site contacted TorrentFreak but provided no information as to why the site was shut down.

It is unknown yet whether copyright enforcement actions played a role in the demise of Torrentz, but it cannot be ruled out at the moment,.

[via TorrentFreak]

Report Calls for Operating Systems to Block Pirated Downloads

A report has caused controversy by suggesting operating systems, such as those from Microsoft, Apple, and Google, should enforce copyright laws by blocking pirated downloads.The report, produced by Sweden’s Black Market Watch and the Global Initiative …



A report has caused controversy by suggesting operating systems, such as those from Microsoft, Apple, and Google, should enforce copyright laws by blocking pirated downloads.

The report, produced by Sweden's Black Market Watch and the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime, produced several recommendations, and one of which called for companies that own the major operating system to take action against pirated content.

"The producers of operating systems should be encouraged, or regulated, for example, to block downloads of copyright infringing material," the report concludes.

Interestingly, the report referenced an unsubstantiated rumor from last year in which a clause in Windows 10's user agreement suggested Microsoft reserved the right to "kill" pirated downloads and software. At that time, it was also revealed Microsoft had been sending some user information to an anti-piracy firm. Despite Microsoft confirming later that the information sharing was due to the OS's anti-phishing protection and unrelated to anti-piracy actions, these revelations caused some torrent trackers to ban Windows 10 users temporarily.

This series of events, the report says, is precisely why an operating system level block of pirated downloads could be effective.

The same report also chastised ISPs for profiting from piracy, a claim that has already been rejected by some ISPs in Sweden. One local ISP, Bahnhof, has rejected the claims as "pure nonsense", and warned that ISPs will not become "copyright cops" willingly. 

[via TorrentFreak]

Blu-ray, Ultra HD Blu-ray sales stats for the week ending July 23rd 2016

The results and analysis for DVD, Blu-ray and Ultra HD Blu-ray sales for the week ending July 23rd 2016 are in. It’s a big week for Blu-ray with the release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, although that was pretty much it in terms of new re…



The results and analysis for DVD, Blu-ray and Ultra HD Blu-ray sales for the week ending July 23rd 2016 are in. It's a big week for Blu-ray with the release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, although that was pretty much it in terms of new releases in the top 10.

Read the rest of the stats and analysis to find out how DVD, Blu-ray, Ultra HD Blu-ray did.

James Cameron: ‘Special’ Theater Experience Can Curb Piracy

Acclaimed director James Cameron has waded in to the issue of movie piracy, but says that movie theaters still have a lot of tricks up their sleeves to compete and beat piracy.Talking to Variety, Cameron and long time collaborator and film producer Gal…



Acclaimed director James Cameron has waded in to the issue of movie piracy, but says that movie theaters still have a lot of tricks up their sleeves to compete and beat piracy.

Talking to Variety, Cameron and long time collaborator and film producer Gale Anne Hurd discussed issues ranging from VR (not a fan, says Cameron) to Screening Room, the home streaming movie premier service (which Cameron spoke out against), the discussion focused on what movie experiences could be the next big thing. Cameron is especially qualified to speak on this issue, considering his legendary status in guiding cinema to its next logical technological leap (from the use of 3D effects in Terminator 2, to 3D in Avatar).

Cameron laments the fact that the exhibition community isn't always keeping up with the latest screening technologies, even when so much is at stake from competing services such as Screening Room, and of course, piracy.

"So the exhibition community still needs to step up to protect what they have. Now, what they have is still very powerful and it’s a bastion that I don’t think is going to be assailed by all these other platforms any time soon, because the group experience of a movie in passive mode where you can’t pause it and picture-in-picture and text over it and all this other stuff, where it’s just going to flood into your brain, is still going to be sacred, I think, indefinitely. It doesn’t mean there won’t be other alternatives," says Cameron.

These other platforms may include piracy, in which Cameron says the same strategy, to keep ahead of the game, will be key in battling the scourge.

"The biggest hedge against piracy is still the sanctity of the viewing experience in a movie theater — when it comes to movies. With 'The Walking Dead' or something like that, that’s not what you’re selling, but if we’re talking about movies and theatrical exhibition, keeping it great, making it a special experience, is still the biggest hedge against that. Because even if piracy was totally legal and download rates were much faster, you’re still watching it on a small platform, and it’s not that social experience," explained Cameron.

And the net result if theaters don't take up this advice? 

"If we fail at creating a premium immersive experience in the theater, then the Napster-like downloading phenomenon will destroy the industry," warns Cameron.

[via Variety]

Nintendo NX Could Be Ultimate Gaming Tablet

Nintendo’s next console, dubbed the NX, could simply be a gaming tablet, but one that can plug into any TV, and can also enable multiplayer without the need for another device.Eurogamer reached out to numerous industry sources and all of them seem…



Nintendo's next console, dubbed the NX, could simply be a gaming tablet, but one that can plug into any TV, and can also enable multiplayer without the need for another device.

Eurogamer reached out to numerous industry sources and all of them seem to confirm that Nintendo's next home console won't be a home console at all. Instead, Nintendo is taking the Wii U's Gamepad concept one step further by removing the base console altogether.

But don't throw out your big screen TV just yet - the NX will connect to a dock of some sort that will enable you to use it just like the Wii or Wii U, but when taken out of the dock, it could be the ultimate gaming tablet.

Sources confirm that the NX will have two detachable controllers on either side of the screen, which can be used at the same time for single player, and can be detached to allow your friend to join in the action. This means that you can do two person multiplayer at any place, any time, without the need for another NX device.

And it's not just any portable gaming experience - with the powerful Nvidia Tegra chipset powering the console, games may never have looked as good on a portable screen as they have before - although, according to Eurogamer, Nintendo is not targeting graphics that will beat the Xbox One and PS4, but just good enough to allow everything to fit into the portable frame of the NX.

A curious blast from the past, and a necessity due to the NX's portable nature, will see the NX use game cartridges as opposed to optical media (digital downloads will of course be another option).

Nintendo just announced losses of $49 million for Q1 2016, with revenue down 30 percent, selling 50 percent less console hardware than the same period a year ago.

The Nintendo NX is scheduled to launch in March 2017.

[via Eurogamer]

Blu-ray, Ultra HD Blu-ray sales stats for the week ending July 16th 2016

The results and analysis for DVD, Blu-ray and Ultra HD Blu-ray sales for the week ending July 16th 2016 are in. The latest film in the Divergent series, Allegiant, was new to the week and the week’s best seller.
Read the rest of the stats and anal…



The results and analysis for DVD, Blu-ray and Ultra HD Blu-ray sales for the week ending July 16th 2016 are in. The latest film in the Divergent series, Allegiant, was new to the week and the week's best seller.

Read the rest of the stats and analysis to find out how DVD, Blu-ray, Ultra HD Blu-ray did.

isoHunt Settles Final Lawsuit, Owes Canadian Music Group $66 Million in Damages

isoHunt’s founder Gary Fung has finally been able to close the final chapter of this adventures with the torrent site that was once upon a time one of the biggest around, with Fung announcing the settlement of his final lawsuit involving the site.Havin…



isoHunt's founder Gary Fung has finally been able to close the final chapter of this adventures with the torrent site that was once upon a time one of the biggest around, with Fung announcing the settlement of his final lawsuit involving the site.

Having previously settled a lawsuit brought forward by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), for a staggering $110 million, this week, Fung settled the last remaining lawsuit with the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) for $66 million.

"And I want to congratulate both Hollywood and CRIA on their victories, in letting me off with fines of $110m and $66m, respectively. Thank you!" Fung sarcastically noted on his Medium account, which also features a GIF of an iconic scene in the movie The Shawshank Redemption that goes well with the article's headline of "free at last".

Like with the previous settlement agreement with the MPAA, Fung is now prohibited from creating or operating a file sharing site (not that he has any intentions to do so), but with the company behind isoHunt now declared bankrupt, it's unlikely the MPAA or the CRIA will recoup any of the declared damages.

The legal actions against isoHunt started way back in 2008, ironically by the CRIA. The proceedings has taken so long that the CRIA has already renamed itself Music Canada in the meantime.

But worryingly for Hollywood and the music industry, a clone of isoHunt (that Fung has no association with whatsoever) is still operating and is still one of the biggest file sharing websites around.

[via TorrentFreak]