DRM Free...

This was from an interesting Gizmodo article linked through Surf Lizard...apparently, Amazon "plans to give away one billion MP3s with an upcoming Pepsi/Super Bowl giveaway." According to the article, this move comes on the heels of Wal-Mart pressuring a major label to start selling their whole collection in the mp3 format so that Wal-Mart could then add the tracks to their online store. Regardless, the title of the article was "DRM Deathwatch" and what interests me is that audio was sure to be the medium to go DRM-free first (ahead of video), and we're finally starting to see major retailers supporting that trend. So will video follow the same trajectory? The unraveling of DRM is certainly starting and it would seem that certain music and video sites would potentially need to reevaluate their business models in light of this.

Amazon bites into Apple.

Today, Amazon did what the doctor said and took a bite out of Apple. iTunes fear not though. Amazon is looking to take on Apple in the music download service business that Apple has dominated with iTunes for years. Amazon will begin by selling tracks without the digital rights management restrictions (DRM). This is an inevitable step in the right direction for the selling of digital music and a smart move by Amazon even though it might not be a big advantage in its battle with iTunes, who will also start selling DRM-free tracks from EMI at the end of this month.

I think a positive side note to the events unfolding is that EMI, one of the major giants in the music business, is open to offering digital music without the built in restrictions, see DRM, that make it very hard for consumers, who legally buy the tracks, to make copies. When do you think the other biggies will follow suit?

I think this is a great step forward for the consumer and a smart decision by Amazon.