Technology

Take a look at the new iMac's insides, courtesy of iFixit

Some may find Apple's new iMac to be a particularly attractive all-in-one thanks to its 5mm edge, but it's hard not to be curious as to how everything has been pieced together inside the new chassis. That's where iFixit steps in, and the website has just published its full teardown of the new machine — with its typical quirky humor and focus on repairability. Unsurprisingly, the iMac doesn't score high marks for ease of accessibility, with its hard drive and RAM hidden behind the logic board and glued-on, fused LCD, but then again, all-in-ones have never served tinkerers too well.

via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2012/12/1/3714792/apple-imac-late-2012-ifixit-teardown

The darknet rises: how Microsoft engineers predicted the failure of DRM as we knew it

In 2002, four Microsoft engineers presented a paper titled The Darknet and the Future of Content Distribution to a security conference in Washington, DC. They argued that DRM would be ineffective at stemming the unauthorized spread of copyrighted content due to a "darknet" of torrents, file lockers, and local sharing. Microsoft was in a tough position at the time as it wanted to both calm fears that PCs would become "locked down" by secure hardware modules at the same time as staying on the good side of content companies. Because of this, the paper's authors almost lost their jobs and were not allowed to publicly defend their statements.

In an interview with Ars Technica , the paper's lead author discusses the complex internal politics...

via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2012/12/1/3713776/microsoft-engineers-darknet-torrent-drm-copyright-piracy

Original 1960's Batmobile to be sold at auction by its creator

The original Batmobile, designed for and used in the 1960's TV series, is headed to auction next January. The car is being sold by its creator, George Barris, who has owned it from day one. In 1965 he was approached to create the by the show's producers to, who apparently gave him "$15,000 and 15 days" to build it from scratch. Barris bought Ford's 1955 Lincoln Futura concept car for just $1 and transformed it into the icon that we all know and love.

There's no reserve price on the lot, listed at auctioneer Barrett-Jackson, and we've seen estimates range between $125,000 and $3.2 million. If you'd like to buy yourself a bit of TV history the auction will take place on January 13th.

via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2012/12/1/3714180/original-batmobile-for-sale-auction-george-barris

The Weekender: Larping, new iMacs, and celebrity endorsements

Welcome to The Verge: Weekender edition. Each weekend, we bring you important articles from the previous week's original reports, features and reviews on The Verge. Think of it as a collection of a few of our favorite pieces from the week gone by, which you may have missed, or which you might want to read again.

via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2012/12/1/3710932/the-weekender-larping-new-imacs-and-celebrity-endorsements

SkyDrive music player references discovered, hint at web-based streaming

Liveside has discovered code and assets hidden on the SkyDrive website that indicate a new web-based music interface could be on its way. The code refers to a "MusicPlayer" function, while the assets clearly show controls in line with Microsoft's current aesthetic.

When we first reported that Microsoft was planning a new cloud-based music service, we heard that the company had bigger plans for it than have officially been announced. As well as revealing the now-confirmed iOS and Android clients and cloud music locker, sources told us that Xbox Music would be accessible from a browser without any additional plugins. This may not be that service, but with "archive" functionality coming to Outlook and a newly-refreshed Office web app...

via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2012/12/1/3713910/skydrive-xbox-music-player-code-assets-discovered

Head of BitTorrent piracy group jailed for 40 months, longest file-sharing sentence ever

Gallery Photo: JVC GZ-EX250 video camera

After pleading guilty to charges earlier this year, Gregory Cherwonik, a member of the BitTorrent release group iMAGiNE was yesterday ordered to pay $15,000 to the MPAA and sentenced to 40 months in jail — the longest ever sentence given for a file-sharing offense. The lengthy sentence reflects Cherwonik's "sysop" status in the group, which the authorities said was higher in rank than other members that were handed 23- and 30-month jail terms earlier this month.

The iMAGINE group was prolific until late last year, and was reportedly responsible for 41 percent of all "English-language theatrical audio piracy" between September 2009 and September 2011. An indictment hosted by Wired reveals the group's methods, which included recording...

via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2012/12/1/3713816/imagine-piracy-group-gregory-cherwonik-40-month-jail-sentence

HTC 8S Windows Phone 'not currently planned' for US market following testing delays

HTC has confirmed it is not currently planning to distribute its Windows Phone 8S handset in US markets. In a statement to Engadget , the firm says its focus is on the Windows Phone 8X at AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon. "The Windows Phone 8S is not currently planned for distribution in the U.S. market," says a spokesperson. However, The Verge has learned that it hasn't always been this way.

"The Windows Phone 8X by HTC is our signature Windows Phone available at AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless in the U.S. With our focus on the Windows Phone 8X by HTC, the Windows Phone 8S is not currently planned for distribution in the U.S. market."

According to sources close to Microsoft's Windows Phone efforts, the Windows Phone 8S was...

via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2012/12/1/3713806/htc-windows-phone-8s-us-market

Saturday, December 1, 2012