1800 CNet News is reporting that a broad alliance of businesses, including Apple, Dell, HP, Wal-Mart and Best Buy have joined together to challenge a new Canadian tax on MP3 players. The tax was levied to compensate the music industry for monetary losses due to the illegal sharing of music, and could add as much as $25 to the cost of a digital audio device.

Ironically, the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) is also appealing part of tax decision: regulators have decided that downloading copyrighted materials is legal in Canada, though uploading is not.

From the CNet Story:

Since the decision, CRIA executives have told Canadian news publications that they expect to file lawsuits against file swappers in Canada, following the lead of the Recording Industry Association of America's (RIAA) actions in the United States.

Strangely, Microsoft's name is not mentioned anywhere in the story. MS has announced a "Portable Media Center" available in "the second half of 2004."

Click on the above links for more info and background.

Bill's been using Macs since the late 80s. When he's not making smartass remarks to amuse Kirk Hiner, he enjoys fighting for the user.

Tags: Tech-Industry ï

(0) Trackbacks ï

Login † or † Register † †