drm

This week, we debate the pros and cons of Apple's iPad touchscreen tablet, as well as Intel's new Wireless Display technology; plus, there's some good news for fans of DRM-free gaming.

Related links: >>Should the Apple iPad be considered a computer? >>10 things Netbooks still do better than an iPad >>Classic Activision games go DRM-free

>>Watch the Digital City live every Monday at 3pm EST on CNET Live! >>Subscribe to Digital City on iTunes >>Join the Digital City Facebook fan page >>Need more? Follow Dan on Twitter! … Read more

In a new deal with classic gaming Web site Good Old Games (GOG.com), game publisher Activision is rereleasing many of its classic titles in a DRM-free format. Two of the games are available starting January 28, and Good Old Games says additional entries "will be unveiled gradually in the coming weeks."

One of the two initial releases is Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magic Obscura (2001), a cult-favorite open-ended RPG. Our sister site GameSpot said of the game: "If you're serious about role-playing games--so serious that you don't care about graphics but instead just want … Read more

Breaking news right at the top of the show as Microsoft loses its appeal and the court rules they have to stop selling infringing copies of Microsoft Word by January 11, 2009. We also welcome the new White House security czar and the Google Yelp drama plays on. We're on break now, but we do have special episodes in the feed. We'll be back on January 4! Have a a great holiday!

Microsoft loses Word patent appeal http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5BL3FV20091222… Read more

Facebook's changing its privacy policy, and Molly and Rafe predict there will be groups. I don't think anyone cares about regional groups, but hey, I could be wrong. We also talk about why Steve Jobs personally approved an app that currently doesn't work. And Richard comes up with a brilliant idea for the future of news.

Google alters news indexing to accommodate pay walls http://www.pcworld.com/article/183526/google_alters_news_indexing_to_accommodate_pay_walls.html http://www.reuters.com/article/technology-media-telco-SP/idUSGEE5B11Y120091202… Read more

Digital Rights Management, or DRM, is technology designed to prevent unauthorized use of copyrighted and licensed material, such as music, video, and software, which makes it a good thing. Unfortunately, it sometimes means you can't use stuff you bought and paid for because the DRM protection lingers long after, say, you've changed providers, upgraded software, or migrated machines. DRM issues lurk in many places. A DRM removal tool is what you need, something like DRM Removal, a cleverly named utility that strips DRM protection and converts your protected files to more user-friendly formats. You can use it to … Read more

T-Mobile's parent company is considering buying Sprint Nextel, meaning we'd have only three big cell phone companies in the US. But in a weird way that could be good for competition? We're not sure ourselves, actually. Also, a rogue ad hits the New York Times and we discover Pirates only see in 2D. Eye-patch FTW!

Rogue ad hits New York Times site http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10351460-83.html http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/14/what-to-do-if-you-saw-an-antivirus-pop-up-ad/ http://mediamemo.allthingsd.com/20090913/home-delivery-the-new-york-times-serves-up-some-malware/… Read more

According to a report in Forbes, phone giant Nokia has delayed the U.S. launch of its Comes With Music service until 2010.

Nokia first announced Comes With Music back in December 2007, then revealed more details almost a year later as the service launched in the U.K. Under the plan, cell phone buyers pay some extra money up front and, in exchange, get the right to download as many songs as they want from Nokia's music store for one year. Those downloads don't expire when the user's cell phone contract ends, but they are copy-protected, … Read more

My good buddy (and self-described Cheapskate fan) James is looking over my shoulder today, so I need an outta-the-park deal. And here it is: a Tiffen 52mm UV Protection Glass Filter for $4.99 shipped!

No, no, I'm kidding. Today's deal is literally a today-only deal: Freebie-software site Giveaway of the Day is offering Drm-Removal, which promises to strip the DRM from audio and video files alike.

Specifically, the utility claims to remove all copy protection from AAC, WMA, WMV, iTunes AVI, and other commonly DRM-infested files. And based on some quick tests I ran, it works.

Of … Read more

On the 40th anniversary of the moon landing, we sadly report on the state of the broken toilet in the International Space Station. It means astronauts have to split up which toilets they use in order to load balance. No. Seriously. Plus we touch on the Amazon 1984 ironic mistake of the year.

Amazon remotely deletes all copies of George Orwell books

Amazon says it won't repeat Kindle book recall

Kazaa to return as subscription service

Meanwhile RIAA notices DRM is dead

Toshiba will sell Blu-ray player this year… Read more