NBC Live & DIRECT

So, the pricing dispute between Apple and NBC has finally led to this. It may seem like a great solution to the issue for NBC, but the capabilities of the new program seem limited. In related news, Virgin has dropped its downloading service. One big reason was that their service was not compatible with iPods and its Digital Rights Management configurations. Are these signs from consumers that the iTunes store is preferred over other mediums? Will NBC suffer the same fate in a few years since their new system has comparable limitations? For more in this area, check out the similar BBC media player, which was released about a month ago. -G.

Intonation/MCA: Rock/Art

What: The MCA and Intonation Music Festival present a string of daylong performances on the MCA Plaza. Performances include:

Califone
The 1900s
Flosstradamus/Cool Kids
The Eternals
Poster Children
Headache City

When: October 7, 1-6 pm

Where: MCA Plaza (across from the school, just west of the tennis courts)

Why: A great chance to meet others in the group and sample some of Chicago's independent music scene. This event is in conjunction with an art exhibition, entitled Sympathy for the Devil: Art and Rock and Roll Since 1967, which examines the relationship between rock music and contemporary visual art.

My Name is Prince / and I am funky.

"Music industry icon Prince is picking a fight with YouTube over unauthorized use of video content on the video-sharing Web site." I found this recent article about a possible lawsuit coming down regarding copyrighted material being posted to YouTube. If it goes forward, it should be telling toward setting obligations for similar sites. We'll stay posted...

World Music Festival Starts in Chicago

For more info and a schedule of shows...

Suzanne Vega's Avatar Sings in Second Life

I guess this was the first virtual world performance.

Second Life Gets its Own IPL Committee

The Intellectual Property Law section of the American Bar Association has annouced the creation of a new committee "responsible for monitoring developments in and educating members regarding legal issues that affect computer gaming and virtual worlds." For information on the Special Commitee on Computer Gaming and Virtual Worlds, or to sign up, click on picture link.

To Block or Not To Block...

The Morality of Blocking Ads

Can the add-on to the Firefox browser that easily eliminates almost all ads on a Web site – have the “potential for extreme menace to the online-advertising business model?”

Apple Unleashes Wi-Fi Store for new iPods & iPhones

"faster than a speeding bullet, my iPod is already outdated"

Apple announced a price cut for its iPhone today, along with a new iPod that looks like the iPhone and a version of its iTunes store that downloads music directly to the player rather than a computer.

NBC Breaks From Apple

On Friday, Apple announced it won’t sell NBC TV shows for the upcoming television season after NBC’s decision not to renew its iTunes contract.