Ghostbusters Is First Film Released On USB Key 448
arcticstoat writes "Are you the USB keymaster? You could be soon if you pick up PNY's new 2GB USB flashdrive, which comes pre-loaded with Ghostbusters. A spokesperson for PNY explained that it comes with a form of DRM that prevents you from copying the movie. 'They have DRM protection,' explained the spokesperson, 'so customers can download the movie onto their laptop or PC if they wish, but they have to have the USB drive plugged in to watch the movie, as the DRM is locked in the USB drive.' The music industry has been playing around with USB flash drives for a few years now, but it hasn't been a massive success yet; will USB movies fare any better?"
Re:terrible idea (Score:5, Informative)
Well apparently it works on Linux as well (As long as it has the right KERNAL)
From Argos.co.uk.
2GB storage.
Plug and play.
Compatible with Windows ME, 2008, XP, Mac OS, 8.6 and Higher, Linux, Kernal 2.4X and any operating system with a USB port.
Compatible with USB 1.1 and 2.0.
Size (H)2 (W)6.3 (D) 0.8cm.
Black USB pendrive.
Full length movie and link to argos website included.
Full installation guide included.
Although I guess that is wrong for the DRM stuff.
Tom...
Re:DRM? laughable (Score:3, Informative)
If I can play it, I can copy it.
I am sure Windows has an equivalent of the following: "mplayer /media/disk/Ghostbusters.avi -dumpstream"
Re:No thanks, I like to own media and do what I wa (Score:4, Informative)
> With apologies to Ray Parker, Jr.:
who in turn apologizes and makes a substantial payment to Huey Lewis for shamelessly ripping his tune off.
Re:countdown (Score:4, Informative)
This hasn't stopped my company from using them for licensing... Despite me demonstrating this.
Re:terrible idea (Score:5, Informative)
I thought that you were allowed by fair use to make copies for your personal use. You aren't violating copyright, since you purchased a DVD of Ghostbusters. The DMCA is another matter, though...
Re:countdown (Score:3, Informative)
QNX is a *nix for embedded applications, with a realtime microkernel, and Syllable is a fork of AtheOS, which was originally intended to be a modern Amiga-like OS.
Re:countdown (Score:3, Informative)
Uwe Boll's movies are filmed in Canada and funded primarily by European investors. The Clone Wars was self-funded and created in-house by Lucasfilm, which is not Hollywood-based. Not all movies are made by Hollywood.
Little Brother (Score:5, Informative)
This is insanity. I can download a copy of that stupid movie without Dumb Restrictions on Media from TPB, or I can just watch the tape I already paid for over ten years ago. Now, I'd buy the key with the movie pre-loaded, but to pay good money for crippleware when I can get a perfectly useable copy for free is just brain-dead stupid.
DRM doesn't affact copyright infringers whatsoever. It only inconvieniences paying customers. The only rational explanation for the MAFIAA's insanity is drugs - cocaine. It must be all the coke they're snorting/smoking/shooting that makes them behave like a bunch of thieving, distrusting, irrational crack whores.
I just started reading Cory Doctorow's Little Brother [craphound.com] (HTML version linked; there are other formats here [craphound.com]), and its preface has something to say about the insanity that is DRM (I've abbreviated it a bit):
Re:Just because you can do it... (Score:4, Informative)
Re:How does a movie fit (Score:3, Informative)
Amazon's MP3 store owns. (Score:4, Informative)
VBR lame-encoded MP3s, with not a speck of DRM! Effective by design!!! And if you drink Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, and other Pepsi products (although paradoxically not Mountain Dew, dammit) you can get FREE tunes. I've had iTunes for years and never bought anything. However, I've bought from Amazon.
Re:terrible idea (Score:3, Informative)
Bypassing digital rights management is prohibited _except_ as provided for fair use (and a select few other uses).
If only that were true. Although the text of the DMCA [eff.org] mentions fair use, it doesn't really offer any protection for people who violate "technological protection" of the media in order to exercise those rights. Just look at http://chillingeffects.org/ [chillingeffects.org] for examples. The only real protection for people who have legitimate needs to get around DRM come in the form of exemptions which are reexamined and granted every 3 years. Here is the latest set of DMCA exemptions [eff.org]. The EFF specifically notes that no provisions have been made for the sort of fair use rights relevant to this discussion: