By Kevin Parrish - Source : Tom's Guide

Last week Wal-Mart sent out an email to its online music store customers, reporting that the DRM servers will be shutting down for good.

This announcement completes the company’s shift into DRM-free music territory that began back in August 2007. Although the DRM-free service has been in place for over a year, the digital rights management servers have remained online for consumers who previously bought protected WMA files. However, if consumers do not burn the protected files onto a recordable audio CD, their music will become unplayable next month.

"Beginning October 9, we will no longer be able to assist with digital rights management issues for protected WMA files purchased from Walmart.com," states Wal-Mart in its email." If you do not back up your files before this date, you will no longer be able to transfer your songs to other computers or access your songs after changing or reinstalling your operating system or in the event of a system crash. Your music and video collections will still play on the originally authorized computer."

As an option, Wal-Mart began selling DRM-free MP3s through its online store back in August 2007, doubling the bitrate to 256Kbps in the new MP3 format from the previously sold 128Kbps WMA versions. But when the company’s music offering became totally DRM-free back in February 2008, the retail giant became a solid competitor to iTunes, Rhapsody and Amazon.

The movement to DRM-free territory is not a surprising one considering the overall negative response of consumers to the limitations. Although the technology prevents file sharing, DRM is actually a deterrent to sales, making it difficult for legit consumers to transfer the media from one platform (PC) to another (portable device). Even Apple’s Steve Jobs opposes DRM technology, thus sparking the DRM-free music distribution with EMI last year.

"Selling digital music DRM-free is the right step forward for the music industry," said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. "EMI has been a great partner for iTunes and is once again leading the industry as the first major music company to offer its entire digital catalogue DRM-free."

But doesn’t DRM-free music only invite consumers to share their files over p2p networks? Actually, no. According to Ars Technica, iTunes embeds personal information into the purchased file. Thus, if the music ends up on a p2p network, the RIAA can pull up the buyer’s full name and email address. Although no other online companies were named, it’s safe to assume that iTunes competitors will most likely embed personal information as well.

As for Wal-Mart, providing DRM-free music is a huge step in the right direction, however its online store has yet to support any other browser outside Internet Explorer. Perhaps once the DRM servers go offline on October 9, the company will focus on expanding its store to Firefox and Opera users as well.

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By Steve Seguin - Source : Tom's Hardware

Details emerge regarding MSI’s upcoming X58 motherboards.

MSI’s upcoming X58 motherboards have made an appearance online thanks to a newly leaked slide that reveals what features are to be expected. The leaked slide uncovered by those at Fudzilla show three different MSI motherboards projected for release in 2008.

Although one of the motherboards have yet to be assigned a name, the two other boards have already been named the Eclipse and the X58 Platinum. The yet unnamed motherboard will target the “Über Overclocker”, the Eclipse will target the enthusiast and the X58 Platnium will target the performance user.

From what the slide shows, all three motherboards will feature nVidia SLI and ATI CrossfireX support, with the unnamed motherboard also capable of Quad SLI or 3-way SLI with PhysX support. All three motherboards will also come with the features called DrMOS VRM and Active Phase Switch. Except for the X58 Platinum board, other features will include X-FI Xtreme sound, GreenPower Genie and D-LED2.

The Intel X58 is a high-end chipset with support for upcoming Intel Nehalem processors. Along with the introduction of the new LGA1366 socket, the X58 motherboards will also support Intel’s QuickPath Interconnect (QPI), PCI Express 2.0 and triple channel DDR3 memory. The first Intel processors to support X58 motherboards will be released in November, which include the Intel Core i7 920, 940 and 965 XE. The MSI Eclipse and X58 Platinum motherboards are also expected to be released in November, with the yet unnamed third motherboard to likely be released at a later date.

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By Devin Connors - Source : Tom's Hardware

After three separate failures, Space Exploration Technologies (or SpaceX) got the Falcon 1 into space.

Falcon 1, SpaceX’s liquid-fueled rocket, lifted off its launch pad at the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Defense Test Site on September 28 at 7:15 p.m. EDT. "As the saying goes, the fourth time’s the charm," said SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. "This is one of the best days of my life."

This momentous occasion for the private space travel industry was not without errors or sacrifice. Since Musk, who was the co-founder of PayPal, founded SpaceX back in 2002, Falcon had launched three previous times, all ending short of their goal in a brilliant flash of light. The first attempt was victim to fire caused by a fuel leak shortly after launch. The second attempt was nearly a success, but an early shut down of the rockets second stage ended the near-completed run. Back on Aug. 2, an engine timing issue caused the rocket’s first stage to separate, and then collide with the second stage, abruptly ending the flight.

However, the fourth attempt was a complete success, ending with an Earth orbit that ranged from 310 to 434 miles, or 500-700 kilometers. "This is really just the first step for SpaceX," said Elon after the launch. "We’ve shown that we can get to orbit, [and] we’ve shown that we don’t have any design errors...The team is elated and ecstatic."

According to Space.com, "The booster stands 68 feet tall (21 meters) tall and is designed to haul payloads of up to about 1,256 pounds (570 kg) to low-Earth orbit." On Sunday nights launch, the Falcon 1 was carrying a 364-pound dummy satellite, which the SpaceX team nicknamed RatSat. The satellite should stay in orbit for anywhere between five and ten years. As for the fifth iteration of the Falcon 1, it should launch sometime in early 2009, and will carry a Malaysian satellite as well as several other payloads.

Currently, SpaceX is also working on the Falcon 9 rocket, a big brother of sorts to the Falcon 1. The Falcon 9 is due to be tested down at NASA’s Cape Canaveral launch pad in the summer of 2009.

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By Jane McEntegart - Source : Tom's Guide

Apple this week reached an agreement with the National Federation of the Blind and Massachusetts Attorney General, Martha Coakley to aide the blind in using Apple’s iTunes.

According to the Associated Press, Tony Olivero of the National Federation of the Blind approached Apple initially because of the increasing popularity of iTunes U, which provides educational content from universities. Schools were posting class material there, which in turn created a problem for blind students.

Apple has said that starting December 31, The Cupertino-based company will use a screen access software that turns information on iTunes into speech or Braille, allowing blind customers to use the online store easily. Aside from providing this new technology to visually impaired customers, Apple will also be donating $250,000 to the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind to help buy assistance software needed for the visually impaired.

The move by Apple to take positive steps toward making it’s product more accessible to the blind is one that shouldn’t be dismissed as the best way to avoid a Target-like lawsuit. In providing adequate support for the visually impaired, Apple is setting an example. "Apple is the leader, they’ve become the industry standard," Coakley told the AP. "Other companies that compete will have to or want to do this," she added.

While this is great for visually impaired consumers and even better if other companies follow suit, it gives Apple the added advantage of being “the first” to incorporate added support for the blind. Despite the fact that there’s probably dozens of other websites that have done the same, it will be Apple the customers remember.

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By Jane McEntegart - Source : Tom's Guide

Following last week’s unveiling of the first Android-based mobile phone from HTC, the G1, reports are now emerging about Motorola adopting the mobile operating system and other rumors suggest Nokia may not be too far behind.

According to a report on TechCrunch, an Android developer, who claims to have been approached by a headhunter from Motorola, said the headcount for the company’s Android team has reached 50 people and is expected to continue growing until it hits 350. The announcement doesn’t come as too much of a surprise when you consider the fact that Motorola is a key member of the Open Handset Alliance, the main supported of Android.

However, what is interesting is the rumors that the Finnish manufacturer, Nokia, has also been seen loitering at an Android developer conference. The same source told TechCrunch that both Nokia and Verizon had been at the conference despite neither being members of the OHA. Nokia bought the rest of the Symbian shares from it’s partners (Sony Ericsson, Ericsson, Panasonic and Samsung) in June so we reckon it’s pretty unlikely the company would put a Motorola-esque amount of manpower into it in the immediate future, however if things don’t work out with Symbian in the long run, we’re willing to bet Nokia will pour everything into Android.

Last week we heard that the G1 would hit stores on October 22. Hoping to rival the iPhone, all eyes will be on Android next month to see how early adopters react to the handset. While the addition of Motorola would no doubt give both Android and the manufacturer a boost, Nokia is one partner Google would not want to lose out on, especially if it were to bring it’s own iPhone rival, the Tube, with it.

(Read the full story on TechCrunch)

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By Aaron Heibert - Source : Tom's Hardware

For the first time in five months, Microsoft has released three new add-ons for Windows Vista Ultimate edition. Free downloadable add-ons were one of the big selling points of the most expensive edition of Windows Vista.

The new add-ons include “Tinkers”, a puzzle game; A Windows sound scheme based off of Tinkers; and new content for Dreamscape – a video-based screensaver.

So far the reactions from users have been flat — users of Microsoft’s Vista support forum have expressed disappointment. Quoting a user that goes by the name of ‘John Barnett’ – “They are a little disappointing.” While another user going by the name ‘BChat’ said – “I downloaded them, installed them, viewed them, and will be un-installing them.”

It appears that Microsoft has suffered criticism for over a year surrounding the Ultimate Extras. Back in June of 2007 bloggers such as Long Zheng, who writes iStartedSomething, and Josh Phillips, author of WindowsConnected, both pounded Microsoft for releasing only a small number of the add-ons since Vistas debut earlier that year.

Last September Microsoft shipped one extra in response to the increasing complaints. Microsoft also noted that it had no intentions of dropping the Extras feature.

Users of the elite edition of Windows continue to sound off with complaints today. Quoting a user going by the name ‘Roeland’ in a comment to a Microsoft Company Blog;

“Microsoft said Vista Ultimate Extras would contain cutting edge, innovative programs, can’t you do something better than sound schemes and a stupid game? I feel so betrayed, spending hundreds of Euros on what I thought o be a great OS with a lot of (coming) features.”

The extra cost one pays for Vista Ultimate covers more than just the ‘Extras’ feature – however it is disappointing to see that a serious lack of either attention or motivation is the drive behind the ‘Extras’. Maybe Microsoft has something else brewing? For now, the new updates can be download by Vista Ultimate users from the Windows Update screen.

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By Jane McEntegart - Source : Tom's Guide

According to unverified reports, the next version of the Nintendo DS will feature music playback and a camera.

According to Wired, Japanese business publication Nikkei Net reported over the weekend that the latest DS will double as an MP3 player and also feature an onboard camera as well as improved wireless functionality. The device will reportedly be available first in Japan for 20,000 yen (about $188).

The addition of a camera and music playback to the DS would be an interesting move if it does come to fruition. The move away from portable gaming device and toward portable everything device isn’t too out of the ordinary; the mobile phone industry went through the same change a number of years ago and the addition of a camera and MP3 playback to handsets gave the mobile phone industry a new lease of life. Will the addition features have the same effect on the handheld gaming device? We doubt it.

When you look at the iPhone you see a phone, an MP3 player, an MID (mobile internet device), access to third party applications including games and people queueing up around the block to get their hands on it. Who’s to say people won’t be just as enthusiastic about a gaming device that takes pictures and plays music, along with improved wireless connectivity (reportedly for non-gaming functions)? Well there are a couple of things to consider before lumping the newest DS into the jack of all trades category.

Taking the iPhone as a prime example of an all-in-one device, look at what Apple has done. It’s taken three things that it knows the majority of people want. Nearly everyone wants or needs a cellphone. Most people will want to have an MP3 player, even if they only use it occasionally. Everyone uses the internet. We all talk to different people, listen to different kinds of music and visit different websites but the basic idea is the same, for a lot of people, cellphones, music and the internet are a necessity. Apple is catering to people’s needs with a device that does all three but the same can’t really be said for gaming.

While it is said that with the release of the Wii and the DS, Nintendo has an almost monopoly on the casual gaming market, the fact remains: not everyone is a gamer. You can try and cover as many genres as possible by releasing all the Brain Training and Wii Sports games you can think of but bottom line is there’s always going to be that group who don’t want to play games because people don’t see gaming as a necessity. This coupled with the fact that most mobile phones have an integrated camera and music playback means the new DS won’t necessarily be any more attractive.

Rolling a camera and music into a gaming device might please some, but it won’t bring many new users. If the company can incorporate the camera into gaming (and reports suggest that it might), then it could be a hit with gamers, but as far as trying to bring the DS to more people, this idea isn’t so great. Those who don’t game won’t want to buy a DS for the camera and music player, those who do, more than likely at least have a cellphone that does both of those already (if not a far superior digital camera and MP3 player) and will stick with their old DS.

Nintendo media events are scheduled for Tokyo and San Francisco this Thursday so it’s likely all will be revealed by the end of the week.

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By Jane McEntegart - Source : Tom's Guide

Apple is now selling the iPhone 3G SIM-lock-free in Hong Kong, allowing users to insert a SIM card from the service provider of their choice.

Would-be iPhoners can now purchase an unlocked 8 GB iPhone from Apple’s online Hong Kong store for 5,400 HKD (around $694) or a 16 GB for 6,200 HKD ($797). Below these prices Apple states that the “iPhone 3G purchased at the Apple Online Store can be activated with any wireless carrier. Simply insert the SIM from your current phone into iPhone 3G and connect to iTunes 8 to complete activation.”

The iPhone 3G launched on July 11 in Hong Kong and until now the handset has only been available with Hutchinson Telecommunications and with quite a hefty price plan. While it’s no longer uncommon for Apple to offer the iPhone 3G with multiple networks within a region, news that the carrier is selling the handset completely unlocked (and offering free shipping to anyone inside Hong Kong, no less) comes as a surprise.

It’s unclear as to why Apple made the decision to offer the device on an “any network will do” basis but we did notice that the company didn’t make much noise about the announcement, (i.e., there was none), which lends at least a little hope to the rest of us. Could this be the beginning of Apple offering the iPhone on any network in any country? We doubt it and we won’t get our hopes up, but it’s nice to dream.

The news follows last week’s reports that China Mobile was hoping to sell a stripped version of the iPhone without WiFi or 3G connectivity.

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By Steve Seguin - Source : Tom's Hardware

A recent major class action lawsuit that was brought against both Nvidia and ATI for conspiring to fix, raise, maintain and stabilize prices of graphics processing chips and cards may soon be coming to a resolution.

According to a 8-K form filed on 24 September, Nvidia has put forth a settlement agreement to resolve the class action lawsuit brought against it and ATI. The settlement would have both ATI and Nvidia each paying $850,000 to the certified class, for a combined $1.7 million. While that agreement is still subject to court approval, a second settlement agreement has already been agreed to by the remaining individual indirect purchaser plaintiffs in the action. It would seem $112,500 is to be paid “in exchange for a dismissal of all claims and appeals related to the Action raised by the individual indirect purchaser plaintiffs.”

The class action lawsuit against both Nvidia and ATI was filed in late August of this year, by plaintiffs Jordan Walker and Michael Bensingor. According to the plaintiffs, Nvidia and ATI allegedly violated federal antitrust laws by conspiring “to fix, raise, maintain and stabilize prices of graphics processing chips and cards.” As well, the plaintiffs contended that both Nvidia and ATI were unlawfully colluding “to coordinate new product introductions.” The plaintiffs were seeking “triple damages, attorney fees and the costs under the federal antitrust laws.” The certified class is limited to “all individuals and entities who purchased graphics processing card products online from the defendants’ websites in the United States during the period from December 4, 2002 to November 7, 2007.”

According to the lawsuit, ATI and Nvidia had denied the allegations. Back in earlier September though, Tom’s Hardware obtained exhibit documents that showed alleged conspiring between top executives and managers of ATI and Nvidia. One of the documents showed an alleged email conversation between Dan Vivoli of Nvidia and Dave Orton of ATI, in which Dan wrote:

"I really think we should work harder together on the marketing front. As you and I have talked about, even though we are competitors, we have the common goal of making our category a well positioned, respected playing field. $5 and $8 stocks are the result of no respect."

Without admitting any wrong doing, it would appear ATI and Nvidia have avoided a possibly nasty legal case in which a potential guilty verdict may have been found. A settlement does not admit guilt, as a quick settlement could be beneficial even for an innocent party, though it still raises some suspicion. By agreeing to a settlement, it would seem ATI and Nvidia have chosen not to challenge the accusations made against them.

At this time, it’s still uncertain how affected consumers will be able to get a slice of the $1.7 million pool.

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By Kevin Parrish - Source : Tom's Guide

Apparently, Katy Perry has grown tired of kissing girls and is now directing her attention to The Sims.

Last week Electronic Arts announced that pop artist Katy Perry’s new single "Hot N Cold" is currently available on The Sims 2 Apartment Life soundtrack. Katy Perry is joined by other international artists on the soundtrack including Vanilla Sky from Italy, Ranetki Girls from Russia, Gabriella Cilmi from Australia ("Sweet about Me") and more. However, the company also released a new music video based on the hit song, shot entirely in-game and features Perry performing "Hot N Cold" in The Sims’ native language, Simlish.

“Being a gamer myself and a big fan of The Sims, I had a blast recording ‘Hot N Cold’ in Simlish,” Katy Perry said. “The essence of The Sims is all about creativity, community, and humor which is also the foundation for making great music, so it’s a perfect fit.”

Currently, "Hot N Cold" ranks #13 on Billboard’s Top 40 chart. This is the second hit single off her new debut album, ’One of the Boys’. Her first single, "I Kissed a Girl," is also in the Top 40, currently sitting in the #18 position after reigning at #1 for numerous weeks. Due to its promiscuous theme, the song brought its share of controversy; however, the single only enhanced Perry’s charisma and quickly propelled her into the forefront of current pop musicians.

Previously other well-known musicians have recorded "Simlish" version of their songs, including The Black Eyed Peas, Depeche Mode, Pussycat Dolls, Paramore, Lily Allen and many more.

The Sims 2 Apartment Life is now available at your local retail outlet. The expansion requires The Sims 2 Double Deluxe, The Sims 2 Deluxe, The Sims 2 Special DVD Edition or The Sims 2 Holiday Edition for PC to play.

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