../ Major Labels Adopt Covert Tactics To Thwart Piracy
The majors have recently refocused their efforts to disrupt Peer-To-Peer (P2P) file sharing networks by employing tactics to make downloading illegal music files an unsatisfactory experience. The primary focus has been on "spoofing," a term used to describe setting up servers that deliver music files with warning messages, fake songs, static, silence, etc. When a downloader searches for a song from the P2P network, the spoofed file comes up with the band/song name. The user then downloads the file only to discover that it is bogus. Other spoofing tactics including listing a song file under a broadband heading, but delivering it very slowly in hopes that it will tie up the user's bandwidth, and ultimately their time.
Several companies have sprung up to provide spoofing services to the majors, however there are other operations in development with more sinister aspirations. Some scenarios include including spyware in music downloads that create dozens of popup windows reprimanding the users that downloading music without paying for it is illegal. Others go far beyond and actually delete MP3 files from a users hard drive. Clearly, the more drastic measures are illegal, but the threat makes the PR campaign even more effective.
Spoofing was the obvious way to taint a users experience on Napster when it was in its heyday, but music executives were slow to adopt the strategy. A former VP of New Media for a major that didn't want to be identified, stated that he proposed setting up spoofing servers across the continental US and in Europe to insure that a large percentage of his labels artists available on Napster would be unusable. "Unfortunately, the head of the label 'just didn't get it' and spent the companies money solely on litigation," he revealed.
With recent court rulings stating that P2P's are not breaking copyright laws, and the RIAA's campaign of targeting end users with copyright infringement suffering a major backlash with the public and law makers, technical sabotage may be the next step.
The Future: Look for more specific varieties of pop up spyware to be the first shot across the bow in the copyright infringement war. Although the legality of a user unknowingly installing pop up spyware is still murky, camouflaging it as an illegally obtained music file will put the majors on enough solid ground to warrant a campaign to test the waters.

../ Universities Avoid Subpoenas With Technicality
In what's shaping up to be the next big fight against the Recording Industry Association of America, two Massachusetts Universities have refused to honor subpoenas issued by the recording industry demanding they disclose the identities of students suspected of sharing large numbers of copyrighted music. The universities, Boston College and M.I.T., challenged the validity of the subpoenas in court arguing that they were filed in Washington DC's US District Court for District of Columbia and only have jurisdiction within a 100 mile radius of that court.
A Federal Judge in Massachusetts agreed with the colleges and ruled that they do not have to comply with the RIAA's subpoenas. The Massachusetts schools are not the only universities making a stand against the RIAA's carpet bombing of subpoenas. Columbia University in New York City, also informed the RIAA that they must file their subpoena in the correct court.
The Future: Make no doubt about it, these colleges are sending the RIAA a clear message: Don't Tread On Us. Universities do not want to have their students subjected to the RIAA's copyright infringement subpoenas. But the RIAA will not back down. If they must, they will simply re-file the lawsuits in the proper jurisdictions, to get the names of illegal file traders. The RIAA knows that the front lines of this war are on school campuses and they certainly do not want any student majoring, in college sanctioned, Free Music 101.

../ M-Audio's Surface One Controller Bites The Dust
M-Audio has recently announced that its innovative Surface One MIDI controller will not be brought to market. Too bad. After teasing the public for two years at trade shows, we were pretty excited to road test this unique offering. The silver controller utilized 16 assignable knobs, and special conductive fabric in the shape of 2 human hands, to control MIDI parameters.
We always thought that this product was conceived after the engineers at M-Audio passed a bong around on a Friday afternoon. Frankly, how many musicians did M-Audio actually believe would purchase such a niche item, besides demented gear whores like us, in the first place? Futuremusic definitely salutes M-Audio for pushing the envelope, but hopes they don't lick too many more stamps. And here's a hint, do the market research first, then manufacture the product. Market research first, production second. OK? Cool.
The Future: Now that M-Audio has freed up some R&D time and expended their stash of hydroponic, they can get back to developing some exciting new products that more than 6 people will buy.

../ Neumann Debuts All new Digital Microphone
Neumann has announced the first microphone to adhere to the AES42-2001 digital microphone interface standard. According to Neumann, no product in their history has taken the development resources that this new product consumed. The Solution-D mic incorporates a new proprietary analog to digital (A/D) converter invented by Neumann, and software control over parameters such as gain, EQ, compression, filtering, etc. That's right, this microphone has a software interface! The AES42-2001 standard is duplex allowing 2 way communication between the mic and a computer. Price is a mere $6600. Operators are standing by...

../ Universal Announces Dismal 2nd Quarter Results
Vivendi's revenue dropped 60% last quarter which significantly hinders its process to unload the Universal Music Group. The Universal Music Group (UMG) division declined 29%. Citing the same pull-the-string-on-the-back-of-the-doll excuses: piracy, CD burning, downloads, hurricanes, floods, tornados, locusts...Vivendi stated that revenue was only really down 19% when taking into account the exchange rate. Wow that's good news. This announcement follows MGM's decision to bow out of the auction process because the minimum bid was too just too rich for them to stomach.
The Future: In a normal business environment, this would seriously dampen Vivendi's chances of unloading UMG at a bloated price. Good thing for Vivendi, no one in the entertainment business lives in on a plane we call reality.

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