Twitter Taken Down in Australia

It must be costing Twitter a fortune to have messages sent via SMS. I am not surprised to see this announcement. I think Twitter are going to find that they need some way of recouping the cost of sending out what must be thousands of SMS messages a day.

From the article
Twitter has reported that they’ll be temporarily suspending their service via SMS in Australia, due to the high operation cost for both Twitter and the end users.

As Twitter sorts out the details on getting a new access number, they’ve stopped making their SMS option available to those guys down under. This is a short term solution, and reminds us that offering a mobile service still means dealing with the phone carriers and service providers, and all the limitations therein. Twitter hasn’t indicated any more specifics for suspending SMS service to Australians, but plans to bring it back–hopefully soon.
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Are These Photos Taken With An iPhone?

I never thought of Googling for picture by an iPhone. Some people have too much time on their hands. I seriously doubt that these are actually iPhone photos but then I can’t say for sure. If they are then it seems that the iPhone takes quite a good photo.

From the article
Some people need to get a new hobby, but then again, it saves me from sitting here for hours Googling for pictures “taken with an apple iphone.” The Mobile Guerilla did his homework and finally found some pics on Flickr that are supposedly taken with an iPhone.
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Google Deletes Rogue Ads, Dangers Persist

Why don't these people just go away so we can use the Internet with the knowledge that it is safe. This could potentially be a problem for Google if their adwords system becomes to "infected" with rogue sites. If that happened and word spread then users would stop clicking on them and legitimate advertisers might go else where. Adwords is Googles bread and butter, they need to sort this out.

From the article
Google has removed ads that appear alongside Google search results that re-directed users to malicious sites. But, according to security experts, the fix is temporary and search engine users should not assume sponsored links are all trustworthy.

"Search engines are just too easy a target for bad guys," says Roger Thompson of Exploit Security Labs. On April 25, Exploit Prevention Labs reported that malware distributors were using advertisements placed via Google's automated AdWords system to infect unsuspecting end-users with spyware designed to capture bank login user names and passwords.

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Apple iPhone's Slippery Secret

From what I have seen of the iPhone it does look very sleek and shiny and slippery. This is obviously what those who have been lucky enough to get there hands on one have found out. Oh well if slippery is the only "problem" with it then I'm not being put off. Give me an iPhone now!

From the article
Just how slippery is Apple's (AAPL) iPhone?

Scattered reports from people who have put their hands on pre-release models say that its main problem is not the rumored battery-life shortfall, but the sleek, slippery surface.

I handled one for about 15 minutes earlier this year and didn't find it any more prone to flying out of my hands -- or my shirt pocket -- than an iPod. But others who have spent more time with it say different.

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Steve Ballmer comments on potential Zune phone

He forgot to mention that the Zune is a terrible product and a Zune phone would really suck. Well at least I’m sure that’s what he really wanted to say. Nothing will compare to the almighty iPhone.

From the article
When questioned at a USA Today event yesterday, Steve Ballmer sort of (emphasis on sort of) put the rumor about the Zune phone to bed -- apparently it's "not a concept you'll ever get from us," but this of course doesn't rule out a phone with Zune functionality. He went on to mention how Microsoft's focus is on Windows Mobile but added that Zune could be put into Windows Mobile as could Xbox (this kind of talk thrills us over here) but that he wouldn't define their phone experience by music alone.

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As Web 2.0 Grows, Some Freedoms Erode

I can’t stand censorship of any kind on the Internet. I feel for the Chinese and other people who live in countries where the government tries to impose censorship. I only hope one day they will let there people be free. As we know though censorship doesn’t work. There is always a way around it.

From the article
Today, a headline on BBC News read, “China leader urges net crackdown.” The story’s summary reads something to the effect that Chinese President Hu Jintao is now requiring that the Internet accessible by millions of now regularly connected countrymen and women be purged of “unhealthy” content. Of course, this comes after a myriad of dailies and weeklies in various parts of the world (not the least of which the United States) had spent a good deal of time, paper and bandwidth pondering the newfound openness of the governing party when faced with internal statistics that show rapid growth of Internet use on the mainland.

So what is it? Are they seeing the light, or aren’t they? Will there be more freedoms granted, or not? If your gut leans toward the latter options, you’re probably far more in the right than the people who guestimate the opposite.
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Apple to build new features into iPhone, Apple TV free of charge

This is great news. The iPhone looks very promising but it is fair to say the version 1.0 won’t have everything. Hearing this news is surely going to be welcomed by everyone. The same applies to Apple TV. It’s great to hear that Apple is not just sitting back but are looking at continual enhancement of their products.

From the article
Apple said Wednesday it will leverage its proven capability in the area of software development to gradually add new software features and applications to its iPhone and Apple TV products free of charge, providing its customers with the "greatest possible experience."

"We are taking this bold step to leverage what we do best," chief financial officer Peter Oppenheimer said during a conference call with analysts and members of the media. He added that some of the new iPhone applications will be brand new.

Oppenheimer offered few additional details on the two-pronged initiative, but implied that the new features and applications would be made available through automatic software updates to both iPhone and Apple TV.
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Amazon Gunning for iTunes

DRM Free music is what we all want. I will support any moves to make this happen. I hope this article is right in that 2007 does see the end of DRM. How great would that be.

From the article
It’s appearing as if 2007 might be marked as the year DRM died. We all know that Apple has started selling DRM-free tracks on iTunes, and now we’re getting reports that Amazon is looking to launch its own DRM-free music download service as early as next month.

According to the Times Online out of the UK, Amazon has been chatting with heads of all the major labels in a bid to beat Apple to the much-wanted DRM-free punch. This is good for the user, good for Amazon, and good for Apple, not to mention the recording industry.
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Governments Are Stupid When It Comes To The Internet

Indeed they are. I have heard many a crazy idea from government officials over the years relating to the Internet. I think the problem is that they just don’t get it or understand it. Why don’t they just leave it alone and let the “users of the world” decide how it should be run, evolve, be used etc.

From the article
So here is the thing, censorship really pisses me off. Seriously. I’m not talking about being annoyed, or aggravated, or even angry. Pissed off. So when I hear about attempts to censor the internet in the United States, I get a little riled up. Unfortunately for me there are two such efforts underway that require me to stock up on Bayer Aspirin for my increased blood pressure.

First, we have Utah Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. signing a resolution that would create family and adult channels on the internet. This is based on the belief that the greatest plague afflicting mankind is the possibility that someone may see a naked body on the internet.
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Wikipedia to get Advertising

I think Wikipedia will eventually end up with advertising on it’s site. They have done remarkably well to survive for as long as they have on donations alone. The reality is that this model can only survive for so long. As long as Wikipedia implement advertising in a non-intrusive way I don’t have a problem with it.

From the article
Free online encyclopedia Wikipedia is one of the most popular sites on the Web, and Jimmy Wales has operated the multilingual virtual encyclopedia for 6 years without the first ad. If you think about this for a minute the significance of operating one of the world’s most popular web sites without a scrap of adverting for years really sinks in. Who does this kind of thing, governments?

News from Reuters/Yahoo! today announced that Wikipedia may add some trivia games and quiz programs in an effort to boost funds in support of the site. Wales told Reuters that the firm will hold off on advertising for now, but turning down millions of dollars in ad revenue that could be applied to humanitarian causes had caused Wales to take pause to consider the lesser of evils.
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Microsoft admits Vista failure

This move by Dell must surely be sending a signal to Microsoft. They are clearly not happy with Vista or the sales of Vista. I haven’t tried Vista myself but am contemplating getting a new PC soon. I have read and heard mixed things regarding Vista. Perhaps a Mac is the say to go.

From the article
WITH TWO OVERLAPPING events, Microsoft admitted what we have been saying all along, Vista, aka Windows Me Two (Me II), is a joke that no one wants.
It did two unprecedented things this week that frankly stunned us.

Dell announced that it would be offering XP again on home PCs. The second that Vista came out, Microsoft makes it very hard for you to sell anything other than Me II. It can't do this on the business side because it would be laughed out the door, but for the walking sheep class, well, you take what you are shovelled.

This is classic abusive monopoly behavior, Microsoft wrote the modern book on it. It pulled all the major OEMs in by twisting their arms with the usual methods, and they again all fell into line. Never before has anyone backpedalled on this, to do so would earn you the wrath of Microsoft.
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Next Generation iPhone may Include This

It’s interesting that the 1st generation iPhone isn’t even on the market yet and we are already talking about what the next generation one might have. I am in two minds regarding the iPhone. While impressed with what I have seen of the iPhone so far do I buy one when it goes on sale or do I wait for next version which will (hopefully) be even better.

From the article
On April 19, the US Patent & Trademark Office published Apple’s patent application titled Integrated proximity sensor and light sensor . Apple’s patent relates to the field of portable devices and, in particular, to systems and methods for sensing or determining user activities and responding to the user’s activities. More importantly, this is perhaps the first iPhone related patent to surface since being announced in January. Apple’s patent discusses the iPhone’s various uses of Artificial Intelligence, accelerometer and specialized sensors. Interestingly enough, the patent also presents alternative embodiments to the original iPhone design, such as a slick flip top design which may surface at some time in the future.
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Overusing the Digg Widget

I would have to agree that the “Digg this” button is over used. I have seen plenty of pages that have this button when really you have to ask yourself why would you want to Digg this page. As the article says if it has 0 Diggs then no one likes it. It’s the same with all the other social bookmaking buttons. Only add them to your page if you genuinely think they should be there.

From the article
I'm seeing a lot of new blogs that have the "Digg this" widget under EVERY post. In most cases those posts will have zero digs. Is this a coincidence? I think not, and I'll explain why.

The concept of digging something is related to social proof: if a post has 1,000 diggs then it must be good because 1,000 other people have liked it, right? Well wouldn't it then stand to reason that if a post has 0 diggs then 0 people have liked it as well?
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More Google Phone Rumors?

Where there is smoke there is fire. There has to be something behind these rumors. I’m sure Google are up to something in terms of the mobile market. If they are not makin there own phone then I’m sure they must be heavily involved with some new phone that is going to come out. They don’t want Apple to have all the fun. Maybe an iPhone killer?

From the article
We thought Google ended any speculation of the Google phone last month when it denied working on any such phone. Apparently, that isn’t going to stop new rumors about the mystery phone. Digitimes, a Taiwanese tech news site, has reported that HTC will be shipping Google handsets by the year’s end. Shipment volume is expected to be around one million units. Not bad for a phone that supposedly does not exist. The phone will support Texas Instruments 3G platform and EDGE, but will lack GPS functionality.
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Yahoo introduces PayPal

Makes perfect sense. Paypal is used by so many and trusted by so many. It’s the biggest service of it’s kind so this move by Yahoo makes perfect sense. It position’s them nicely to compete with Google’s checkout.

From the article
Yahoo Inc. (Nasdaq:YHOO - news) has expanded its recently upgraded Web search advertising system overseas and added an online payments service as part of its partnership with eBay, Chairman Terry Semel said on Tuesday.

Speaking to investors on a conference call following first-quarter results, Semel said Yahoo had offered its recently upgraded Panama Web search advertising system to key Japanese customers, expanding on the initial U.S. debut of Panama in February.

He said fuller international expansion of Panama would occur over the next several months, including European and South Korean markets by the end of the current quarter.

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Bloggers Blogging to Fast

There have certainly been instances of people embracing technology that they don’t understand. When it comes to corporates and employees using it then there can be some real legal issues. I guess people just need to think before they hit submit and be certain that there actions won’t have serious repercussions.

From the article
I’m a tech geek. Life hacker. A fully certified nerd. (OK, maybe not certified). And I drool over new tech gadgets like the next geek, but somehow I manage to always step back and carefully consider all the options before I make any major purchases.

The same thing with technology. You never go for a 1.0 release, no matter how many lemmings are marching towards the endless chasm of upgrades and heartaches, no matter how much you would like to be a part of that crowd. Slow down, take a deep breath and analyze.

With the Web 2.0 boom fully underway, so many start ups are joining the fray and producing some great web-based software that grabs the attention of many users. What’s more, some of them even integrate the new browser-friendly, server-centric, free and unproven applications to their daily and/or business workflow.
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Netvibes Launches Universe: Customized Public Pages

Netvibes is quite good. This new development will do ok but it is quite a crowded space. There are so many sites where you can do this sort of thing. Give it a go though and let me know what you think.

From the article
This afternoon Netvibes will announce the launch of Netvibes Universe, allowing users to create highly customized versions of Netvibes and publish them for public access. Netvibes has created 100 or so branded versions for the launch - users will be able to create these in about six weeks.

In addition to making the page public, publishers can also highly customize their Universe page by adding their own CSS and HTML.
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Did dodgeball Even Have a Chance?

Twitter took off, Dodgeball didn’t. I think Twitter have done what they do very well and the publicity they have gained in such a short space of time has been huge. Dodgeball just never captured people’s imaginations and never stood a chance.

From the article
The founding developers of dodgeball.com have left google for good. I guess free food and a nice banner over your cubicle is not enticing enough to keep the entrepreneurial types satisfied. Twitter and dodgeball look like a tale of two cities on the surface but lets be realistic. Dodgeball was on the scene a long, long time and had plenty of opportunity to gain traction. Was dodgeball the twitter that could have been? I don’t think so.

Basically, dodgeball is a location-based social networking site for mobiles. You register, register your friends, and then “hook up” with others in your extended network. I’ll admit that the idea is enticing but it’s also why it didn’t succeed.
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Google Versus Microsoft - Round One

Microsoft can’t seem to win anything these days. Google have dealt them a blot (to their ego). Will it set them back, I don’t think so but there pride must be hurt. Google are taking over everything and overtaking Microsoft in the process.

From the article
The scoop of the last few days has been the Google acquisition of DoubleClick for a reported $3.1 billion. This acquisition gives Google access to DoubleClick's advertising software and their relative position with Web publishers and ad constituents.

DoubleClick works ad displays for sites like MySpace and AOL. The most significant aspect of this deal, beyond the $3 billion price tag, is the fact that Google and Microsoft have been in a duel for online ad revenue and Google is slamming Microsoft so far. People seem surprised that Google outbid Microsoft and many are counting this victory as a giant loss for Microsoft.

The deal certainly puts Google in an advantageous position to expand their business into the banner ad realm, a position they have been actively seeking for some time. According to the NYT scoop on this story, this acquisition represents a major setback for Microsoft, which has been chasing Google for online ad revenue.
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How to reduce the memory usage on Firefox?

I can’t say I have had problems with the amount of memory Firefox uses. That said I am all for reducing the amount of memory an application uses so this article is useful.

From the article
Most of the time, Firefox doesn't use abnormal amount of system memory, it sometimes due to other sources, like number of plug-ins, themes and extensions. It is also highly recommended that you have the latest version of Firefox as the memory usage is minimized.

Follow these steps to check what is causing the abnormal memory usage:

Check your Extensions and Themes.
Check the Plug-ins.
Clear Download History.
Restart Firefox Periodically.
Assign Memory Cache on Firefox.

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Retrevo.com: Search Engine For Gadgets, Electronics

This is quite nice. It can sometimes be difficult finding the information you are really after when looking to buy a gadget. I like how the search engine does away with all the irrelevant information and actually gives you what you are looking for. Looks very promising.

From the article
A search engine made specifically for finding information on gadgets and consumer electronics? I’m in love.

Retrevo.com’s searches focus on reviews and articles about the products your looking for and dismisses all other irrelevant information (storefronts, ads, eBay pages, etc). Down the left side of the page you get a set of tabs for single-click access things such as reviews or shopping sites or product documentation. (Ever need to dig up info from a long-lost instruction book?)

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iPhone brand recognition high among teenagers, but why?

Apple have done a good job of promoting the iPhone. The hype surrounding it prior to announcing that they where making one was huge so I’m not surprised by these numbers. How many teenagers can afford one though?

From the article
A new survey performed by Piper Jaffray shows that 84 percent of their 500 teenagers sampled have heard of the Apple iPhone. According to our resident scientists, the sample size is just large enough to make deductions about the entire teenage population; hooray for statistics! According to a senior Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster, some of them are even willing to cough up the $500 for the opportunity to try and make up for their social anxiety:

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Google buys stake in Maxthon Browser company

Sneaky. This is obviously a move by Google aimed at the getting around the censorship laws in China. Watch this space for a response from the Chinese authorities.

From the article
Google has purchased a minority stake in a Chinese company with ties to Israel that makes the Maxthon Browser, a popular browser in China that can be used to funnel traffic through a Web proxy to circumvent government controls on information in search engines like Google and Yahoo.

Tech blog site TechCrunch cites multiple sources in reporting that Google has invested $1 million as part of a larger strategic deal between the companies. No comment yet from Maxthon or Google yet.

"At the very least we expect the strategic deal to involve replacing the default search option in the browser from the Baidu search engine in China and Yahoo in other countries with Google search," the TechCrunch post says. "The deal may also go beyond search and involve integration with other Google services directly into the browser. Maxthon would then be promoted on Google as a preferred browser."

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If You Want To Sell Your Blog One Day

A lot of bloggers dream of creating a hugely popular blog that is going to make them heaps of money. The reality is very few do. This article is gives a good example of what to do if you do wish to sell your blog one day. So lets get blogging and make heaps of dollars.

From the article
There are already a handful of companies (such as Darren Rowe's B5Media.com) that publish multiple blogs on different topics and sell ads on those blogs, however what if you want to start a blog with the intention of selling it?

Where do you start and how do you do it? In this post I want to give you a few tips based on my experiences and insights into selling content driven business models - even those that don't generate any revenue.

You all know that I sold DevArticles in 2003 for a six figure profit, however at the time it was running at a loss. I wasn't selling advertising space on the site but it was bringing in 20,000 unique visitors a day. It had 10,000+ forum members and about 30,000 newsletter subscribers, so the sale price was based on possible future earnings, not current revenue.

That was 2003. Today it's easier to monetize a blog with services like ReviewMe and TextLinksAds. Heck, you can even sell your own ads if you are inclined to do so. There are only two things you truly need to create a blog that you can sell down the line:

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Why cell phones are still grounded

There does seem to be a lot of confusion and mixed signals around cell phones and airplanes. Personally I can live without using them on planes. How annoying would it be having some loud person on there cell phone for a lengthy period of time. Could be a riot mid flight!

From the article
How many times have you heard this?:

"At this time, all electronic devices, including cell phones and two-way pagers, must be turned off and put away. After takeoff, I'll let you know when you may use approved electronic portable devices."

Of course, those "approved electronic portable devices" won't include your cell phone, not until after you land.

The reason is that cell phones interfere with the airplane's electronics, right?

Well, no, actually. The risk posed by cell phones to airplane equipment is unknown, and will remain unknown for as long as possible.

Phones are banned for two official reasons:

1. Cell phones "might" interfere with the avionics (aviation electronics) of some airplanes.

2. Cell phones aloft "might" cause problems with cell tower systems on the ground.

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YouTube launches CitizenTube

CitizenTube. Good idea. Handy to have them all in one place. There certainly seems to be a lot of "political" videos.

From the article
YouTube has formally announced a new, official channel of political videos called CitizenTube. Edited by Steve Grove, YouTube’s Citizentube/YouTube News & Politics Editor, the channel appears intended to aggregate select political videos already appearing on the rest of the site.

Will Steve effectively be an official representative of the politics of the GooTube giant? In some ways, he just may. To call that a big responsibility would be an understatement. (Good luck, Steve!) Will he be able to showcase video that criticizes Google? I nominate Epic 2014 for highlighting! (If you’ve never watched that video, I can’t recommend it highly enough.)

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FBI goes to Second Life

Trust the FBI / Government to be taking an interest. Can’t you have fun these days? Why does the Government think they know what’s best for everyone. Sigh, I can see them clamping down on Second Life very soon.

From the article
You can do just about anything in Second Life, including gamble. That's why the FBI has been a frequent visitor of the virtual world lately. The type of gambling that goes on within Second Life is technically illegal by anti-gambling statutes in the U.S. After all, Linden dollars can be exchanged for real money. Of all the ways to make money in Second Life, gambling is among the most likely to garner government attention. Gambling and real estate may be the best ways to earn real money in Second Life, and both have the eyes of the government watching.

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Is iTunes changing the way 20-somethings watch TV?

I have no doubt that iTunes is having an impact. Not just iTunes but any site that has video. Times are a changing and maybe Nielsen need to update the way they do things.

From the article
A quick look at the top TV programs sold on iTunes shows quite a disparity between America’s top shows according to Nielsen and what the average iTunes user is watching. For instance, the TV show LOST, once a media darling, has struggled this season, and often does not make it into the top 20 shows of the week. However, LOST does consistently well in the iTunes rankings, and this week occupies slots 1, 4, and 17 as of this writing. Battlestar Galactica (iTunes ranked 3, and 11) and South Park (iTunes ranked 7, 8, and 12) both fail to crack the Top 20 cable shows each week, and consistently lose out to shows such as The Fairly Odd Parents and reruns of House and Spongebob Squarepants. The FOX shows 24 (iTunes ranked 2, and 10) and Prison Break (iTunes ranked 6) do not appear in Nielsen’s Top 10 either.

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Weblo Another Second Life for Property?

I'm struggling to keep up with all these interesting web sites that keep getting developed. This one sounds intriguing and potentially has a future. I'm off to check it out.

From the article
Weblo may be hoping to leverage the popularity of Second Life's virtual real estate market. Just as Bill Gross had to convince the web industry that buying ad space online was like buying a page in the big Yellow book, someone's going to have to explain why virtual property, in this fashion, is valuable at all.
With Weblo you can buy a replica of a city landmark or register an address as we Weblo property. The fact that the Empire State Building replica was purchased for $1 and sold for $250 doesn't even begin to exemplify the implications of Weblo's potential. The replica state of New York was bought for nearly $20,000, and a listing for the Louvre is priced at $300k.

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StumbleUpon Gets New Design

I like the new look. I think the team have done a good job here and it is now easier to find things and more obvious just what StumbleUpon is all about.

From the article
StumbleUpon has redesigned its homepage, taking cues from the other big social bookmarking sites, such as Digg and del.icio.us.

In an effort to better portray its purpose, StumbleUpon now emphasizes the social aspects of the service, which includes feedback and testimonials. They’ve also added a section for recently popular sites and another section for recent “stumblers,” which shows the members who have just found a new site.

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ViddYou Launches Blogger for Vloggers

Another site for those bloggers amongst us to check out. I am yet to make a video blog and I’m not sure that I’m going to. I have enough trouble finding the time just to do my text based blogging.

From the article
ViddYou just launched their video blogging network today. According to Mefeedia, the majority of vlogging is taking place on people’s personal sites, which tend to be web shows like the late-great Ze Frank. The other, more personal, half is captured by social video sites. ViddYou is focusing on the latter category, enhancing and promoting the “Personal and Blog” section normally buried in social video sites like YouTube.

The site is based on a simple social network design, consisting of vlogs and communities. Vlogs keep track that users latest videos, friends, interests, and personal profile video. Communities bundle vloggers of similar interests together. Currently communities can only be created by the company, and are limited to the general, travel, music, and confessions.

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MySpace Worth $2.71 Billion? Making $271 million/year?

There is always plenty of numbers thrown around when it comes to MySpace or any big site for that matter. I see no reason why MySpace can’t make a huge profit such as the $271m mentioned. MySpace has millions of members, a position that most sites would love to be in.

From the article
In case you hadn’t noticed already, analysts love making up numbers about MySpace. After dismal earnings of about $90 million last year, Merrill Lynch analyst Jessica Reif is now saying that the site could generate ad revenues of $271 million this year. Reif also predicted that Fox Interactive Media, the Internet division of Fox, will generate its first profit this year: $208 million. That figure takes into account the Google ad deal.

Oh wait, but didn’t analyst Richard Greenfield just say at the end of March that MySpace is generating “in excess of $30 million/month” in ad revenue? Greenfield also said that monthly ad revenues would double over the next year - pick whichever analyst you believe.

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Using MySpace Groups And BadderAdder to Increase Website Traffic

I have seen many examples of people using MySpace to drive traffic to other sites. Quite natural really given the millions of people who use it daily. Is this against MySpace rules though?

From the article
Every man and his dog seem to be on MySpace these days. I personally don't hang out in the MySpace realm, instead preferring to actually do something productive with my time. If you're into the whole MySpace thing and want to get a massive boost to your blog traffic then try this sneaky idea.

Create a profile on MySpace based around your blog. In your "About Me" section put a link to your blog. Make your MySpace name the actual URL of your blog such as "www.myblog.com". Finally, setup your MySpace profile picture to be an image containing the URL of your blog in writing.

Go to the MySpace groups area and find groups that relate to the topics you post about. Start with 5 groups that have at least 1,000 members each. Copy down the URL of each groups main page, that is, the page where all of the groups members are listed.

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Apple Drops FairPlay DRM

This is huge and a really good move. Great for us consumers. I agree that it really is a shock to see the Beatles catalog as the first DRM offering. Nothing like launching it with a bang.

From the article
In a surprising move today, Steve Jobs announced that Apple will eliminate its FairPlay digital rights management system, giving iTunes Music Store customers unprotected AAC files for their 99 cents. The new strategy comes amidst lawsuits and increasing pressure from aliens independent artists and consumers to offer unprotected music files over the Internet. Even more of a shocker is that the Beatles’ entire catalog will be the first DRM-free offerings when the new policy starts tomorrow.

On stage at the annual North By Northeast (NXNE) festival, Steve Jobs shrugged his shoulders dramatically as he began his keynote. “Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, “it’s time for us to start a revolution. I guess.” He seemed as surprised as the audience, which erupted into gasps and whispering. On the giant screen behind Jobs the words “FairPlay R.I.P.” appeared next to a mock headstone symbolically adorned with fragments compact discs.

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