In the future, UK web pirates may be banned from net

Britons who illegally download mp3s or movies may have their internet rights revoked if legislative proposals introduced this week are passed. The new laws would require ISPs, or Internet Service Providers, to take legal action against any users known to be downloading, The Times of London reports.

The proposed policy follows the "three strikes you're out" mantra; Net users would be given a warning for the initial offense, a suspension of their contract for the second, and a compelet dissolution of their internet contract on the third illegal download. The government is also considering taking legal action against any ISPs who don't adhere to this policy.

With a piracy market reaching over 21.6 Billion GBP per year, talks between ISPs, the government, and the record industry have been ensuing for years.

“We welcome the signal from Government that it values the health of the creative industries and takes seriously the damage caused by widespread online copyright infringement," says
Roz Groome, vice-president of anti piracy for NBC Universal. "We call upon ISPs to take action now. They must play their part in the fight against online piracy and work with rights owners to ensure that ISPs’ customers do not use their services for illegal activity. Piracy stifles innovation and threatens the long term health of our industry.”

Personally, we feel there are so many innovative legal ways to get your music we don't see the point of risking it by going the other way. Free sites like Musicovery or Pandora allow users to create innovative playlists based on mood, song/artist preference, or even tempo. And companies such as eMusic sell records long since out of rotation, many of which are so obscure iTunes doesn't carry them. Even the structure of the record industry is changing, with the guys at Engadget and Downtown records launching Rcrd Lbl, an online resource that gives you the music free while still offering payment to the artists.

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iPhony runs on Windows

It looks like the gods of binary have made up and produced the unthinkable--a Windows iPhone. What's that you say? The rivalry between Jobs and Gates is still strong as Captain Ahab and Moby Dick? Then what gives?

TravelTechTalk tells us that the T32 is just a really (bad) counterfeit iPhone. This knockoff runs on Windows Mobile, and is equipped with a triband radio, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, and not one but TWO cameras. My, my, that definitely makes up for the lack of a multitouch display and the Sing-that-iTune widget. Cough cough.

In China, 99% of Digital Tracks are Pirated

Havocscope tipped us off to this surprising Bloomberg story, which discusses China's massive problem with unlicensed and pirated music on the web, which amounts to 99% of all digital tracks in that country. That statistic was provided by a study from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, which cites China as the biggest source of illegal downloads.

Speaking at a Jan. 27 conference at the Midem music industry meeting in Cannes, France, deputy director of the ministry's market department, Zhang Xin Jian, said that the situation is "grave" and being given "great attention." China is expected to increase measures to curb piracy in the country.

Illegal downloads outnumber the legal mp3s by a factor of 20-to-1, the IFPI told the AP.

Besides cutting from the profit margin of record labels, the trickle down effects of piracy are beginning to be seen in music culture. Many experts argue that, with flailing sales and decreasing profits, record companies no longer have the desire--or money--to sign artists they are unsure about. As one music critic told me, major labels are less willing to "take a chance" on an act--thus the upsurge in music marketed to teens, the demographic who by all accounts spend a lot of their allowance on records. What do you think about this?

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Tis the Season to be Taxing!

January 31st has come and gone and if your in the U.S. it is time to start thinking about taxes.  For the DIY you can check out woot to get Tax Cut for only 24.99 (Feb 1st only).  Don't forget to read about the new tax laws for 2007.  Take a look at some often missed mixed deductions.  Try to figure out if those Girl Scout cookies your bought from the neighbor's kid is deductible.    Then make sure your 401k is not ripping you off.  Next if you are out of money and hungry, Burger King takes credit cards.