Random

Nokia Press release: "New York, NY - Nokia, a world leader in mobile communications, and EMI Music, one of the world's leading music companies, have announced a marketing and content agreement in which EMI artists, beginning with Capitol Music Group artists Lily Allen and Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, will be featured in Nokia's Flagship Store locations worldwide, as well as Nokia's Experience Centers, theater locations and certain Nokia music-related websites across North America. EMI will be the exclusive major label provider of music content for the retail program, and new content from its artists will be added and featured every 60 days."

I don't know why the "Ring Nokia" chap thinks DRM won't be involved in the deal - most current Nokia devices are compliant with the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) 2.0 DRM standard, and while EMI has flirted with the distribution of DRM-free music, I don't see anything in the press release which suggests that the content provided won't be locked down.

Who knows.

On a brighter note, lets hope that this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship. With the iPhone approaching, it would be a really good idea for Nokia to have an answer to the iTunes Music Store (operators have been trying their darndest) and OTA downloads would be useful- although to be honest, given the Zune's current lack of the feature it's entirely unclear if even the iPhone will sport this functionality.

Futuremark very kindly let us know that they're currently running a comic strip competition, in conjunction with Alienware.

The prize is a pretty sweet notebook - with a 17" screen and powered by an Intel Core 2 processor (specific processor is not stated) together with an AMD Mobility Radeon X1800. Intel and AMD are working together! (*I keeeeeddd.*) I would love to have one to play WoW on. :D

Anyhow, the contest itself is pretty fun - you basically draw a mini comic strip (on anything) and if it's judged to be the "best/funniest" - then you win! [Strangely - only one entry per person, and not so strangely - you must be in the US/Canada/EU.] Unfortunately, like most contests of this sort, all rights in the contest entries accrue to Futuremark - and a little more unusually, even moral rights (e.g. the right to be identified as the author of the comic) are possibly assigned to Futuremark.

I don't quite know if I agree with this. While the practice is certainly widespread (check it out the terms and conditions the next time you enter any contest which involves you creating copyrightable work), and indeed might make the entire exercise commercially feasible (e.g. free sources of photos!), perhaps taking such a harsh approach isn't the best way. Taken to an extreme, the transfer of your rights means that you can't even display the comic you drew for the contest, because you no longer own the copyright. It's possible to argue that the copyrights were procured for a fee, and indeed if the person was actually compensated (i.e. was a contest winner) perhaps this would be true, but in this case ALL copyrights are assigned once the entry is submitted. Oh well. Just so long as the people drawing the comics are aware of this ;)

The other thing, which is not really as unusual, is that you provide personal information and "opt-in" to receive marketing. My friend, Wil Harris, wrote a little while back that Web 2.0 = loss of privacy. It's probably true, and the question is how much that really is worth. Having to reveal your information in a competition is probably less insidious - and Futuremark at least has a decent privacy policy. Just something else to take note of, generally...

[and I didn't post the previous story!~ must have left some setting changed accidentally. I'll leave it on though, just for fun..]

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has banned 3G phones in Cambodia for ten years, because his wife received pornography on her mobile.

I have written to the Minister of Telecommunications to delay the use of certain mobile phones. We can wait 10 more years until we have managed to improve morality in society. - Hun Sen

Good luck with that, particularly since there are far graver problems. Perhaps Hun Sen should ban child sex trafficking instead. Or maybe that's a more difficult target than 3G handphones...

[via uberphones, Image Credit: BBC

We've been silent for awhile, and so lots of yummilicious gadget news has gone un-posted about. These following three bits would probably never have been posted anyhow, but they're so ineffebly cool that we couldn't resist (today).

1. Furry Flash drive series from Imation - stuffed animals which store information.

2. RFID-Blocking wallet - which makes those RFID credit cards normal again (and possibly safe): technology to prevent technology.

3. Topless sandals: no straps, because most topless things are nice (except topless sundaes, urgh.)

[via: Gizmodo, Gizmodo, and Gizmodo]

Auto-txt is a pretty revolutionary new car-theft-protection system.

Auto-txt immediately identifies a car as stolen if the car is started with the keys but the specified everyday Bluetooth enabled customer interface (such as a mobile phone) is not present, and allows the vehicle to be tracked and disabled using remote wireless technology, all for GBP 349.

We like. Just remember not to leave your mobile in your car...

[via Autoblog / Women Motorist]

Nissan Motor has developed the world’s first clear paint that repairs scratches on painted car surfaces, including scratches from car-washing machines, off-road driving and fingernails, and lasts for three years.

“Scratch Guard Coat

We couldn't resist.

The following is quoted exactly:

"We all send romantic, suggestive text messages to our partners, often deliberately to get them going. Imagine if these texts could touch the body as well as the mind. Thanks to new technology, now they can. Mental images and physical sensations are one with The Toy. Your text fantasies are no longer confined to the imagination. With The Toy you can unite, wherever you are...

The Toy is worn internally, linked to a mobile phone and controlled by sms text messages sent to the phone. Once read, the message is transported automatically to The Toy, which turns it into vibrations - with a huge range of movements, depending on what you have written. Just say what you feel, The Toy will do the rest."

The Toy - Website

[via Phoneyworld]

Connexion by Boeing, a business unit of The Boeing Company, recently concluded a week of demonstration flights in Europe that showed travelers how mobile telephony in flight can be provided safely and conveniently for passengers in flight.

The ability to make Global Standard for Mobile (GSM) and code-division multiple-access (CDMA) calls over Connexion by Boeing's system was made possible through Alameda, Calif.-based UTStarcom, Inc. (Nasdaq: UTSI), a global leader in IP-based, end-to-end networking solutions and services. UTStarcom supplied its MovingMedia 2000 all-IP mobile network infrastructure equipment to Connexion by Boeing and also provided technical support on the ground for call switching and completion.

This seems to be the logical solution, as it appears to solve the problem of safety, but it is likely that there will be some negative impact upon passenger happiness with fellow passengers yakking away continually.

[via Mobiledia]