Everyone knows that China is a hotbed of software and movie piracy, but Canada? Yes, it seems the land that gave us 'Strange Brew,' Pam Anderson and breakfast-friendly ham is also giving copyright violators a safe haven from legal action. That's according to Microsoft, Apple and the other members of the International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA), who recently submitted to the U.S. government their priority picks for countries to blacklist. The blacklist is the first step toward eventually levying international trade sanctions on offending countries.

In ranking how poor of a job a country does enforcing copyright, Canada is currently a tier two country alongside Brazil, South Korea and Mexico. However, the IIPA has recommended promoting Canada to tier one, which would put our neighbors to the north in the same company as China, Russia, Thailand and several other ne'er-do-wells. The beef is that Canada isn't doing nearly enough to prevent thieves from violating copyright laws.

The U.S. government, however, does not agree with the IIPA and has granted Canada a stay of execution for now. The IIPA expressed disappointment at the decision, claiming that Canada, "continues to cause great damage to legitimate rights holders, both of Canadian and U.S. copyright products."

To be fair, the Canadian Mounties are a lot more knowledgeable about things like horses, hats and funny pants. Copyright law, not so much.


From Engadget

Related Links:

• BitTorrent in Your Browser
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• Get Chatty at the Bus Stop

Since its inception in 2001, the BitTorrent method of file-sharing's high download speeds and near user anonymity has earned it the ire of record labels, movie studios and just about anyone else that owns any sort of intellectual property. But for the BitTorrent user, the need for a separate client program to connect with downloads (instead of a Web browser) had been in a pain in the copyright-violating behind.

Not anymore! FoxTorrent is a new plug-in for the Firefox Web browser that lets you download files and monitor their progress from within a browser window. You can watch videos and listen to audio as it downloads, and FoxTorrent will even continue downloading files if you close the browser window -- all without hogging bandwidth or memory. The only real cost? Your eternal soul, you low-down, law-breaking, file-stealing scofflaw, you.

From Red Ferret

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Barbie is an aging relic from a bygone era. Even little girls want cell phones and iPods these days. When they do want a doll, they often go for Bratz, those characters with gargantuan heads and trendy (read skimpy) clothing. Mattel is feeling the pressure, and making a major push to revitalize its Barbie brand with Barbie Girls, a mix of virtual and real Barbie-related products.

BarbieGirlsSM, for example, is an online world, much like Second Life, where girls can create highly customizable characters, decorate personal "rooms," play games, and chat with other Barbie Girls users.

BarbieGirlsSM is more than just another online destination, though. The service will be tightly integrated with a new line of doll-shaped Barbie Girl Digital Audio Players (DAPs). Other than the Barbie-like aesthetics, the players will be fairly standard fare – 512-megabytes of flash memory that can hold approximately 120 MP3 or 240 Windows Media (WMA) files, a built-in rechargeable battery and a miniSD slot for adding up to 2-gigabytes of additional storage.

These DAPs can be plugged into your computer and connected to the Barbie Girl world to unlock additional content. The players will go on sale in July for $59.99.

And for those who worry that an internet site specifically designed for young girls is bound to make an appearance on To Catch A Predator there are some impressive security features.

From the Mattel Press Release:

1. Sophisticated word filters to keep chat secure, prevent the exchange of personal information (e.g. phone
   numbers, names, etc.) and block inappropriate, hurtful or offensive language.
2. Easy-to-use safety features that give a girl the ability to lock or open her room to other characters, the ability to block users and prevent them from contacting her on the site, and the ability to report other users for inappropriate behavior.
3. Robust moderation tools that provide BarbieGirls.com administrators with the ability to monitor chat that occurs in the environment, track and monitor reported users and ban users who attempt objectionable behavior.

There is also a "secret" chat that bypasses the filtering and monitoring, but it is only available to girls who know each other. Mattel verifies this by requiring girls to connect their Barbie Girls DAP to the PCs of any girl they want to have a "secret" chat with.

BarbieGirlsSM.com is available now in beta (testing) form.

From Beta News

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Yes, the Easter Bunny has long since gone for the year, but that doesn't mean we have to stop appreciating one of nature's most aesthetically-pleasing shapes: the egg. Lichtenstein-based designer Lomme has used the breakfast staple as inspiration for a new sleep station that "crosses boundaries between art and furniture with a focus on sleep enhancement and live improvement."

In other words, it's a funny-looking futuristic bed. The interior is lined with LEDs, built-in speakers plus, and the ubiquitous iPod docking port, so that you can groove yourself to sleep at night. Besides the audio specs, the bed has a vibrating "muscle relaxation feature," which means you won't be bored even if you have the whole "yolk" to yourself.

The price? Disclosed only upon request, of course, so chances are if you can afford one of these, you won't have to worry about the cost of custom sheets that fit the oval mattress.

From geeksugar

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We knew Hilary Duff was more than just a pop-music (and movie) star -- after all, she has her own perfume-, bag-, and clothing lines – but we had had no idea she was so tech-savvy. Lucky for us, Duff took a few minutes out of her busy schedule performing songs off her latest album, 'Dignity,' to tell us about her favorite gadgets and games. And when you're done reading the questionnaire, be sure to check out our special gallery featuring Duff and some of her favorite gadgets.


What gadgets do you always bring with you to the set?

I am really a cards type girl. I like board games too, but as far as gadgets, I used to have a T-Mobile Sidekick. Now, I use my T-Mobile BlackBerry to text my friends and email interview questions instantly.


Who's the last person you sent a text message to and what was it about?

My sister. I was asking her what she was doing for dinner and whether she had time to go to Pilates with me.


Where do you go pretty much every time you get online?

I go to shopbop.com and different magazine sites like Elle and Glamour. I also check out YouTube a lot.


What annoys you most about your iPod, cell phone, or laptop (or any other gadget)?

Dropped calls on my cell phone annoy me the most. When you are in the middle of a conversation and a loud beep goes off in your ear and then the line goes blank. Also, sometimes my iPod goes crazy and freezes and I can't do anything until the battery goes out.


Name one thing you wish your iPod, cell phone, or laptop could do that it doesn't do now?

I wish my cell phone could play my favorite TV shows on voice demand. It would be cool if my laptop could go to applications and iTunes by voice command, too.


Is there an upcoming gadget that can't wait to get your hands on?

I can't wait until they get Slingbox for Macs!


Good news, the beta version of Slingbox for Macs is out now. But back to the interview: You're stranded on a desert island: What gadget do you bring?

Definitely my BlackBerry so that I could get help!


Tell us what's the most-played song or artist on your iPod.

It varies from day to day. Right now it's Regina Spektor or Fiona Apple.


What cell phone are you using right now and what do you love or hate about it?

The T-Mobile BlackBerry 8700, I moved from the Sidekick because the Sidekick was big and more like a toy. I like the BlackBerry, it has a cool pin system for BlackBerry-to-BlackBerry communication.


Blackberry, Sidekick, or Treo?

BlackBerry.


Are you getting an iPhone?

I'll wait and see how people like it. The first of anything always has glitches and kinks to work out.


What's the longest time you've ever spent playing a video game in one sitting and what game was it?

I am not a video game player, but a few years ago I played a game I think it was called Vice City. It was so violent that I had bad dreams that same night. I hear the Nintendo Wii is a cool system.





Related Links:

• AOL Music: Hilary Duff Artist Profile
• AOL Sessions: Hilary Duff Performance (Video)
• Text-Crazed Lindsay Lohan Gallery

Starting today, Yahoo! Music will be the first online music store to legally offer lyrics. After a deal with Gracenote and the five major music labels, Yahoo! Music will sport more than 400,000 songs' lyrics in a completely searchable database.

While there are already several lyric sites, Yahoo!'s marks the first legal service of its kind, as the songwriters and labels own copyrights to the lyrics just as they do the music itself (they're just less vigilant about going after lyrics-thieves).

In this case, though, the lyrics will be paired with the download service. So what does that mean? Let's say you heard a great song on the radio but have no idea who sang it. Just go to Yahoo! Music, search the lyric based on what you remember, and ideally you'll get results that reveal the song you were looking for. Unfortunately, in our test, "la, la, la" returned over 1,000 results, so try to be a little more specific than we were.

The hook, of course, is that Yahoo! offers the song you found for sale right there on the results page. Convenient.

From TG Daily

Ladies: You've always dreamed of the day that you'd be able to wear your favorite 'Grey's Anatomy' moments on your handbag -- and now that day has finally arrived! Bubble Gear's new, custom-made leather bags are each fitted with a 7-inch LCD, which displays DVD movies, MP3s, and photos from a connected media player hidden within. The bags are made in Italy, cost $400, and take between two and four weeks to arrive at your door. Just think: a handbag you'll never grow bored of!

From Shiny Shiny

Two weeks ago we wrote about Sandisk's Sansa Connect, an innovative new portable digital audio player with built-in Wi-Fi. As promised, here's our hands-on review – does it live up to the hype?

What it is: Designed for use with the Yahoo! Music Unlimited online subscription service, the Sansa Connect is an iPod-mini-sized portable digital audio player with built-in Wi-Fi, so you can download tunes directly into the device – no PC needed -- from any Wi-Fi hotspot in the world. The device also lets you view your Flickr photo collection wirelessly and send song recommendations to other friends on the Yahoo! Messenger service.

Why it's different: Yes, you can transfer music to the Connect the traditional way – using Windows Media Player and a USB cord connected to your PC – but it's the option to download tunes via Wi-Fi right to your device that screams "gee-whiz." That said, in wireless mode, the Sansa Connect doesn't let you search for specific songs or albums and then download them (for that option, you'll have to plug the device to your computer via USB). Instead, you choose music based on Yahoo!'s automatically-generated picks, which are categorized by a variety of genres from "Christian Rock" and "Alternative Rock" to "Jazz" and chart-toppers. It also has access to live Internet radio in the form of Launchcast, which is essentially an automated playlist service, also organized by genres such as "Alternative Rock" and "Disco," among many others.

Don't the Zune and Music Gremlin players also offer Wi-Fi functionality? Yes, they do. Unlike the Connect, the Music Gremlin player lets you wirelessly search for the music you want and download it, but the player and user interface leave something to be desired in terms of looks and user-friendliness. The Zune, on the other hand, has less wireless functionality -- Microsoft's much-ballyhooed device only lets you use its Wi-Fi capability to swap tunes with other Zune-owners around you.

What it costs: $250 for the player, plus $12 per month for Yahoo! Music Unlimited, which gives you "for rent" subscription download access to more than two million songs. Embedded with digital rights management licenses, the songs keep playing as long as you keep paying the monthly fee (stop paying and the licenses expire).

What we like: Picking tunes based on automatically-generated lists is an addictive blast that's similar to sorting through an excellent jukebox – not necessarily the most efficient or customized way to get the tracks you want, but an excellent musical discovery experience nonetheless. Also, you can create new playlists on the fly based on any song you may be listening to. In terms of ease-of-use, the jog-dial and cartoonish graphical interface are among the most responsive and logically-designed we've seen for a player that's not an iPod.

What we don't like: If you're looking for a specific song or album, you'll have to go on your PC, search for it there, and transfer it manually, since Wi-Fi downloads are based solely on Yahoo!'s automatically-generated picks. Battery life when using Wi-Fi is atrociously short (about six hours). Alas, the Connect doesn't work with Macs (yet). Lastly, the generic-black plastic Connect body won't win any beauty contests.

Does it live up to the hype? For the most part, we think it does. As long as you've got a musical sense of adventure and don't mind picking from a tune-list that is basically fed to you, you'll really enjoy the convenience of downloading songs with just one button-push. (If not, the Connect is an excellent would-be iPod killer that functions pretty much like any other audio player when connected via USB, for those who really like to customize their libraries.) Also, we love the Connect's ability to access and watch photo collections wirelessly via Flickr, which beats filling up the player with picture files (we'd rather save the built-in 4GB memory for music).That said, the Wi-Fi features are only as good as your Wi-Fi connection, so if you've got cordless phones, microwaves, and the like interfering with your wireless network, you may get some cut-outs in downloading, streaming radio, and picture-viewing.


Related Links:

• Engadget: SanDisk Sansa Connect Review Roundup
• Engadget: Hands-on with the SanDisk Sansa Connect
• Hype Check: Verizon VCAST Mobile TV

Last November -- when the Zune first arrived on the scene -- Microsoft secretly stashed limited edition hot pink and orange versions of the player into boxes and stirred up a bit of a ruckus.

Now the company has decided to revive the revive the pink Zune, with a less hot and more subdued shade. The pink double-shot case carries all the same features you've come to expect/revile in the would-be iPod killer from Redmond -- namely, the ability to share songs with nearby friends via Wi-Fi -- in a decidedly more girly package.

The players will be available through Best Buy by month's end, and are already available for order through Amazon.com.

From Beta News

We knew Hilary Duff was more than just a pop-music (and movie) star -- after all, she has her own perfume-, bag-, and clothing lines – but we had had no idea she was so tech-savvy. Lucky for us, Duff took a few minutes out of her busy schedule performing songs off her latest album, 'Dignity,' to tell us about her favorite gadgets and games. And when you're done reading the interview, be sure to check out our special gallery featuring Duff and some of her favorite gadgets.


What gadgets do you always bring with you to the set?

I am really a cards type girl. I like board games too, but as far as gadgets, I used to have a T-Mobile Sidekick. Now, I use my T-Mobile BlackBerry to text my friends and email interview questions instantly.


Who's the last person you sent a text message to and what was it about?

My sister. I was asking her what she was doing for dinner and whether she had time to go to Pilates with me.


Where do you go pretty much every time you get online?

I go to shopbop.com and different magazine sites like Elle and Glamour. I also check out YouTube a lot.


What annoys you most about your iPod, cell phone, or laptop (or any other gadget)?

Dropped calls on my cell phone annoy me the most. When you are in the middle of a conversation and a loud beep goes off in your ear and then the line goes blank. Also, sometimes my iPod goes crazy and freezes and I can't do anything until the battery goes out.


Name one thing you wish your iPod, cell phone, or laptop could do that it doesn't do now?

I wish my cell phone could play my favorite TV shows on voice demand. It would be cool if my laptop could go to applications and iTunes by voice command, too.


Is there an upcoming gadget that can't wait to get your hands on?

I can't wait until they get Slingbox for Macs!


Good news, the beta version of Slingbox for Macs is out now. But back to the interview: You're stranded on a desert island: What gadget do you bring?

Definitely my BlackBerry so that I could get help!


Tell us what's the most-played song or artist on your iPod.

It varies from day to day. Right now it's Regina Spektor or Fiona Apple.


What cell phone are you using right now and what do you love or hate about it?

The T-Mobile BlackBerry 8700, I moved from the Sidekick because the Sidekick was big and more like a toy. I like the BlackBerry, it has a cool pin system for BlackBerry-to-BlackBerry communication.


Blackberry, Sidekick, or Treo?

BlackBerry.


Are you getting an iPhone?

I'll wait and see how people like it. The first of anything always has glitches and kinks to work out.


What's the longest time you've ever spent playing a video game in one sitting and what game was it?

I am not a video game player, but a few years ago I played a game I think it was called Vice City. It was so violent that I had bad dreams that same night. I hear the Nintendo Wii is a cool system.





Related Links:

• AOL Music: Hilary Duff Artist Profile
• AOL Sessions: Hilary Duff Performance (Video)
• Text-Crazed Lindsay Lohan Gallery

Behringer has taken two of the most popular trends in computer accessories -- adding a USB port to almost anything and an 'i' to the beginning of a product name -- and combined them. The iAxe is a Fender Stratocaster clone with a built-in head phone jack for quiet practice and a USB port for recording. When plugged into a computer via USB, the included software simulates popular guitar amps.

With a list price of $179 (and a street price closer to $99) you can be certain that you are not getting the greatest guitar ever. The iAxe seems, at first, less a viable instrument and more of a gimmick, and the video on Shiny Shiny seems to confirm our suspicions about the quality of the iAxe.

For $99, however, you could probably do a lot worse. If you're just learning to play and want to do some computer recording, the iAxe might be the guitar for you.

From Shiny Shiny

Another new home-theater-in-a-box (HTIB) -- the term used for all-in-one surround sound A/V and speaker systems -- may seem like no big deal, but the JVC Sophisti DD-3 (above) adds a little more to the usual lineup of features.

The new system includes the typical HTIB trappings such as an audio-video receiver, three speakers, and a subwoofer. The receiver, though, is a little smarter than average: It packs the ability to play movies and music stored on your PC, thanks to an Ethernet port that connects the system to your home network (and thus, your PC). It also has a USB port, so you can plug devices such as MP3 players and digicams directly into the system for music and photo playback.

The $1,000 package has been available in Europe for a few months now and is finally hitting the U.S. It's PC-compatible, but so far there's no mention of Mac compatibility. We also don't know if it will play tunes you purchase on iTunes, but we'll assume the answer is no since that would be a first. As for compatibility with subscription services such as Napster and Rhapsody? No word on that either, but we'll get back to you when we find out.

So, while this one sounds quite appealing, you're best off waiting for a few formal reviews -- quite possibly from us -- before taking the plunge.

UPDATE: We've learned that the unit will require the installation of Cyberlink's Media Server software, which is currently Windows-only. So, Mac-heads are left out cold, but at least PC users won't have to upgrade to Windows Media Center Edition or Vista Home Premium to stream their data.

From JVC.

Love the idea of the iPod but don't have one of those newfangled computers around? The new iLoad from Wingspan Partners might just be your ticket to getting your tunes onto the hottest MP3 player in town. In theory, the device lets you rip music straight from a CD to your iPod, complete with album information, all at the touch of a button.

In its review, however, iLounge found that the $300 device didn't quite live up to expectations. Problems ranged from the minor, like 10-20 minute rip times per album and a lack of album art, to some far more serious issues. The most problematic of the big issues was the device's complete incompatibility with some of the current crop of iPod models. While some pre-fifth-generation iPods seemed to work without a hitch, the current video iPod and the newest Nano were not recognized by the device, rendering it useless.

With no comprehensive list of which iPod models work and which won't, there's a little more risk involved in buying this than you may be looking for in a new $300 toy. Software updates will likely fix the compatibility problems in the near future, but the other complaints, along with the high price tag, make the iLoad a big load of #*%^&!.

From iLounge

Here's a surprising statistic: According to NPR, sales of new vinyl records are up 10% in the first quarter of 2007. Record stores that sell used vinyl are reporting a spike in sales as well. Which begs the question: What's up with the resurgence?

One theory is the advent of USB turntables, which plug right into your computer's USB port and make it easy to turn your vinyl records into MP3s or other audio files (versus the complicated old way that involved figuring out confusing sound card configurations and mixers).

Enthusiasts also prefer the warmer, analog sound of records. MP3s, on the other hand, can have the harsh and tinny sound typical of digital music files (and they don't always reproduce every sound or instrument in the original recording). And let's not forget that you don't need DRM (Digital Rights Management) or other piracy controls with vinyl -- after all, you can't encrypt a record.

The NPR story coincides with the announcement of Stanton's newest USB turntable, the T.90. The heavy-duty unit comes with a host of DJ-friendly features, including a high-torque, direct-drive motor and an S-shaped arm, which makes for stability during mixes and scratches. Controls are also in place for the DJ -- a key lock allows the user to adjust tempo (for beat matching) without affecting pitch, for example. The dual start/stop switches are also a DJ favorite. The S/PDIF (also known as "optical") output jack hooks the table into audio systems with optical inputs (for premium digital sound).

No official U.S. price or release date has yet been announced, but the T.90 is set to ship in the U.K. in April, according to this British e-tailer that's selling it on pre-order for $374 (meanwhile, CrunchGear says it's going to retail for $435). Either way, the relatively high price tag might sound a bit much for the average consumer. But if you're serious about your vinyl, or a DJ, you'll find the Stanton T.90 to be the current cream of the crop in USB DJ decks.

We suggest you wait for an official announcement from Stanton, coming any day now, so you can be sure you buy it from an official company dealer.

From Engadget and CrunchGear. The story on vinyl resurgence can be heard at NPR.

For the classy iPod listener, Creative is releasing a series of fine-looking docks and speaker sets. It starts with the X-Fi Sound System i600, a beautiful piano-black docking station that wirelessly connects to two satellite speakers and a subwoofer. Next is the Playdock i500, an integrated solution with speakers and a remote, and then the TravelSound i, a similar, though smaller, package for hotel-room listening and the like.

Finally, there's the xDock Wireless, a $199 docking station that lets you pipe music wirelessly from your iPod to your surround sound home-theater system (you'll need the extra $99 X-Fi Wireless Receiver to do so). All have the same simple but sophisticated look that should complement both your iPod and your living rooms. We saw this last system back in January (at CES) and were impressed with the 5.1 sound coming out of our iPod.

The xDock Wireless is due out in May. Of the other systems mentioned here, only the i500 has an official U.S price: $199. However, given the announced prices for the other units in Singapore, expect the i600 to cost about $400, the TravelSound about $130, and the Xdock about $220.



From Engadget