Cloud Service Updates
Amazon.com
and Windows Media Player music library.
This enables users of their Cloud service
iTunes, on the other hand, has expanded their American Match service to include films. And like Amazon.com
Windows 8 & Microsoft Tablet Due Oct. 26th
The Windows 8 operating system and Surface tablet from Microsoft will be released on October 26th, 2012 according to Supersite For Windows.
Music Download Offer Starting On Friday
Real Canadian Superstore shoppers in Ontario that use iTunes Canada should note that a coupon for $10 off a $50 gift card can be found in next week’s flyer.
It will be valid from July 27th to August 2nd, 2012 at Real Canadian Superstore, Atlantic Superstore and Loblaws Locations in Ontario so the coupon could pop up elsewhere as well.
The coupon is valid on $50 iTunes Canada Music or App Card.
Trade In Your DVDs At Best Buy
Best Buy Canada will be accepting DVDs for $5 towards the purchase of selected titles from July 20th to August 17th, 2012.
I’m hoping to trade in some of my DVDs. But of course I’m only upgrading some of my collection. It’s rather pointless to upgrade DVDs with little to no scenic or special effect content like dramas and mysteries. And I’ve got quite a collection of music video compilations that will probably not be up-converted.
I will probably consider upgrading some of my live concert videos though, like Pink Floyd’s “Pulse”
BTW, Queen’s Greatest Video Hits
CBC Television To Stop Analog Services
CBC Television will be ending their analogue services through-out Canada at the end of this month.
This means individuals that tune into their non-digital Over The Air broadcasts will loose access to CBC and Radio-Canada’s programming.
CBC estimates that this 620 transmitter service reached just 1.7 percent of the population and believes the $10 million expenditure should be diverted to programing.
CBC and Radio Canada will remain accessible on cable and satellite, and are currently broadcasting Over The Air in digital in Canada’s major metropolitan centers.
No Royalties On Music Previews
The Supreme Court Of Canada has ruled that music previews comply to the definition of Fair Dealing in the Copyright Act and cannot therefore be subjected to the collection of royalties.
“Research” need not be for creative purposes only. Permitting only creative purposes to qualify as “research” would ignore the fact that one of the objectives of the Copyright Act is the dissemination of the works themselves. Limiting “research” to creative purposes would also run counter to the ordinary meaning of “research”, which includes many activities that do not require the establishment of new facts or conclusions. The fair dealing exception must not be interpreted restrictively and “research” must be given a large and liberal interpretation.
The Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada, Canadian Recording Industry Association and CMRRA-SODRAC Inc had wished to collect royalties from internet providers for both previews and full music downloads, the latter also having been dismissed by another ruling by the Supreme Court of Canada today.
These royalties would have resulted in major expenditures for internet providers, who would have passed these on to the consumer.