DRM will not stop piracy. This according to Steve Jobs in his already famous open letter, in which he analyzes the role of digital file protection systems and states his opposition to their use. Reactions came immediately: To the American Recording Industry Association (RIAA), the problem is not DRM systems but rather the lack of interoperability of FairPlay, Apple’s proprietary DRM system. Songs protected by FairPlay can only be played in Apple’s iPod devices.
Jobs insists that if DRM must be used, it should be done with a closed model. If the other companies knew the secrets of FairPlay, he says, Apple could not uphold its current obligation to record companies to resolve any system violation within a few weeks. Jobs also rejects the argument that users of the iPod—the number one player on the market—are forced to buy songs online through iTunes, since only three percent of the songs played on an iPod were purchased from Apple’s store.
In short, the chief of the Cupertino-based company maintains that the goal should not be for Apple to license FairPlay to third parties, but rather for the industry to do away with protection systems altogether. In fact, he points out, these are hardly used on CDs, the format that continues to be the main source of income for the music industry.

It is evident that DRM systems do not allow to divide the value created by this distribution channel among artists, producers and distributors. In addition, they limit users’ options when it comes to enjoying and sharing legally purchased content. As such, it is essential to find an alternative to DRM that allows users to enjoy music.

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Title: Navegantes en la Red
Source: Asociación para la Investigación de los Medios de Comunicación (AIMC)
Date: February 2007
Abstract: The excess of ad content is the top concern for Net users, surpassing even spyware and Internet connection speed, which according to the survey were the second- and third-ranked problems in order of importance. A surprising fact to come from the survey is that just one in four cite the lack of confidentiality as one of their main concerns.
Most Spanish Internet users still go online at home or at work, whereas access via mobile devices has yet to become widespread: 62% of those surveyed report their use of mobile connections as seldom or never. Searches and entertainment content downloads, such as movies or music, are among Internet users’ most common activities. Others are gaining momentum as well, such as podcasting and publishing videos on the Internet, which is done by 20% of those who go online. The survey reveals that Spanish Internet users are still reluctant to download premium content.

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A new player has arrived onto the already disputed search-engine scene. Enter Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia, who wants to bring the spirit of collaboration to the market. Unlike Google, which uses a mathematical algorithm to determine pages’ relevance, the upcoming search engine—expected to launch in the first quarter of 2008—will rely on the strength of opinion of the community of users, who will be able to edit the search results returned. Wales, who aims to improve the quality of search results, says that the system used by Google in many cases produces spam or searches that don’t meet the user’s demands. According to Wales, transparency in the results is the key for attracting advertisers, who have ensure the project’s economic viability.

Articles in New York Times and Times Online
News in BBC News and News.com

The days could be numbered for the PC mouse. A researcher at Stanford University has created a system that allows users to click links, highlight text and scroll through windows by looking at the screen and pressing a key on the keyboard. In order for the system to work properly, there must be a high-definition camera and infrared lights. The device is designed for people with disabilities, although its creator, Manu Kumar at Stanford University, hopes to extend its use. First, however, a few details must be perfected, in light of the fact that despite test results showing that the technology is quicker than the computer mouse, its error rate is around 20%. Perfection will also be required for the mathematical algorithm that tells the device to ignore certain pupil jitters.

Article in MIT Technology Review
Related Stanford University website

By Brian Subirana, IESE professor, and Cristina Puig and David Wright,  e-business Center PwC&IESE assistants
Advertising online through search engines could give Microsoft the opportunity it needs to regain lost ground.
 
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The five subscribers awarded with an invitation to the 6th annual e-Business Center PwC&IESE  Event are the following: Pol Navarro, F. Xavier Iribarne, Begoña Beobide, Toni Felguera y Joan Manuel Gómez.
The conference entitled “Are ICT and Innovation Connected?” will take place March 27 in Madrid. Speakers will include Peter Weill, director of the MIT Center for Information Systems Research & Senior Research Scientist, who will explain how the world’s most dynamic companies innovate. Also, the ebcenter Center would like to thank all of the readers who participated in the survey about the newsletter announced in the last issue. Your collaboration help us to improve.

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Josep Valor, IESE professor of information systems, was among the experts invited to the second edition of the forum entitled Rethink the Basis of Communication, held March 1-2 in Barcelona. In his presentation, the professor discussed how technology could help advertisers reach their desired target.  The consumer is the real protagonist, deciding what to buy, when to buy it and how to buy it, choosing from a plethora of media in which to divide his or her attention. Advertisers must figure out how to overcome the barrier presented by devices such as the PVR (Personal Video Recorder), which let users skip over the ads. Furthermore, playing online or streaming content is changing the rules of the game. In this new scenario, the message to the customer should be personalized, offering content and products related to their interests. The advertising industry is faced with new opportunities in emerging arenas such as online games and social networking sites, which it cannot afford to overlook.

More information (In Spanish)