DigitMemo.com

The so-called “impenetrable” BD+ DRM scheme has reportedly already been subverted

We haven’t broken down the minutes and seconds or anything, but we’re fairly certain that July 10th wasn’t exactly ten years ago. Nevertheless, the so-called “impenetrable” BD+ DRM scheme has reportedly already been subverted, and it’s no shock to hear that the folks behind SlySoft had a hand in it. Regrettably, there’s not a lot of details beyond that just yet, but according to the outfit’s CEO, the software is ready to rock and should be released before the end of 2007.

Congress and the House decided once more to not tax the Internet!

The U.S. Congress and Senate once again agreed to a bipartisan resolution that extends the Internet tax moratorium.

The highly debated issue saw strong support for keeping the Internet tax free from both those in the industry and from grass roots movements.  ISPs strongly opposed any sort of taxation as it would hurt their revenues by driving away customers.  Users, who joined movements such as the “Don’t Tax Our Web Coalition,” did not want to be taxed either, as taxation would likely mean higher service charges.

Click for more on Let the Good Times Roll: 7 More Years of No Internet Tax »

The exact details of AT&T’s revenue-sharing agreement with Apple have not been disclosed, but one analyst thinks that over the two-year life of a user contract, the amount exceeds the actual price of the iPhone.

Silicon Alley Insider spotted a research note from Piper Jaffray’s Gene Munster estimating that Apple is receiving $18 per month for each iPhone subscriber, under the revenue-sharing agreement between the two companies. Apple has confirmed that such an agreement exists, but has not shared the details about exactly how much cash it’s getting from the revenue AT&T makes on iPhone customers using the carrier’s data network. In July, Munster estimated Apple was receiving just $3 per iPhone subscriber and $11 per iPhone customers new to AT&T, but he’s rethought the numbers after Apple’s latest earnings release.

Click for more on Analyst: AT&T paying Apple $18 per iPhone, per month »

Something as small as swapping the video card or updating a device driver can trigger a total Vista deactivation.

Put simply, your copy of Windows will stop working with very little notice (three days) and your PC will go into “reduced functionality” mode, where you can’t do anything but use the web browser for half an hour.

You’ll then need to reapply to Microsoft to get a new activation code.

How can this crazy situation occur? Read on for the sorry tale.

Click for more on WARNING: device driver updates causing Vista to deactivate »

AbsolutePoker.com says ‘geek’ hacked system to prove it could be done.

In a case that illustrates the perils of online betting, a leading Internet poker site said Friday that a hacker exploited a security flaw to gain an insurmountable edge in high-stakes, no-limit Texas holdem tournaments — the ability to see his opponents’ hole cards.

The cheater, whose illegitimate winnings were estimated at between $400,000 and $700,000 by one victim, was an employee of AbsolutePoker.com who hacked the system to show that it could be done, said a spokesman for the company, who spoke with msnbc.com on condition of anonymity.

Click for more on Online poker cheating blamed on employee »

Tests confirm data discrimination by number 2 U.S. service provider

Comcast Corp. actively interferes with attempts by some of its high-speed Internet subscribers to share files online, a move that runs counter to the tradition of treating all types of Net traffic equally.

The interference, which The Associated Press confirmed through nationwide tests, is the most drastic example yet of data discrimination by a U.S. Internet service provider. It involves company computers masquerading as those of its users.

Click for more on Comcast blocks some Internet traffic »

An adjustment to one mirror should fix an autofocus problem that has tarnished the debut of Canon’s high-end EOS-1D Mark III camera, the company said Thursday.

“We’re pretty confident this countermeasure will resolve the issue completely,” said Chuck Westfall, a Canon spokesman and tech guru. “It feels nice to have a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel and know it’s not another oncoming train.”

Click for more on Canon has fix for high-end SLR autofocus »

A 75-year-old lady, who apparently fed up with the lousy service she received from Comcast, took her claw hammer back to the customer service center and bludgeoned the office equipment into tiny plastic pieces.

This was after the company had scheduled installation of its much ballyhooed “Triple Play” service, which combines phone, cable and Internet services, in Shaw’s brick home in nearby Bristow. But Shaw said they failed to show up on the appointed day, Monday, Aug. 13. They came two days later but left with the job half done. On Friday morning, they cut off all service.

Click for more on Little Old Lady Hammers Comcast »

Google plans to offer online personal health records to help patients tote and store their own x-rays and other health data.

Less than two weeks after Microsoft announced plans to offer personal health records, Google unveiled plans to follow suit.

Marissa Mayer, Google’s vice president of search products and user experience, said Wednesday here at the Web 2.0 Summit that Google plans to support the “storage and movement” of people’s health records.

Click for more on Google to Offer Online Personal Health Records »

The controversy over iPhone rages on, as it is now facing a class action lawsuit over its proprietary and forceful relationship with AT&T.

Lawyers filed the suit asking for $1.2 billion in damages because the phone is specifically locked to only allow one service provider.  It is brought against Apple on behalf of Washington resident Paul Holman and Lucy Rivello, from California.

Click for more on Apple hit with $1+ billion lawsuit over iPhone bricking »