Flash Memory with Copy Protection

Castar writes "Mercury News is reporting that SanDisk has created a new type of flash memory with copy-protection logic built in. From the article: "Today, much of a consumer's digital content is held hostage on a particular kind of device, such as an iPod or a PC, because that is the only way to prevent massive piracy. But with the SanDisk flash memory card, a consumer can move the digital content to another device. If the music company insists the data can only be copied five times, the memory card itself enforces that policy in the new device, be it a cell phone or music player." Rejoice that your data can be "liberated" from the confines of your PC or iPod!"

Re:So, there is no benefit at all to this technolo

[Pieroxy]

So, the only difference between this new flash and ordinary flash is that this one can do LESS ?
Yes, and that's the key to its success! Isn't it nice?

Golly I love Copyright Management!

[jettoki]

What will they think of next? DRM fruit? Apples you can only take five bites out of!

Just what I needed

[Arsh79]

Yeah! More expensive, less freedom... I can't wait to buy one!

Re:So, there is no benefit at all to this technolo

[Peeteriz]

How about a new and improved version of this that tells the device 'I am a mighty protected flash card', but in reality allows unrestricted copying - then it has all the best features from both worlds, and would really be superior technology.

Damn...

[Anonymous Coward]

I'd been lead to believe that Flash (woah-oh) was the Saviour of the Universe.

Re:Copied?

[Anonymous Coward]

Nah. If you're playing music from these chips, it will be allowed, but if you're pirating to your friends computer you must set the evil bit (there will be checkbox) and this flash memory reduces counter by one. It's fool proof.

Same as Sony MagicGate

[NigelJohnstone]

It's sounds the same as Sony's MagicGate:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MagicGate [wikipedia.org]

The copy protected memory stick from Sony they did as part of the failed SDMI system.

In other COMPLETELY UNRELATED news, Sony plans 10000 job cuts after poor product sales:
http://us.ft.com/ftsuperpage/superpage.php?news_id =fto092220051313320477&referrer_id=yahoo&utm_sourc e=Yahoo&utm_medium=OrganicSearch&utm_campaign=URLC rawl [ft.com]

I just over heard an important conversation...

[el_womble]

RIAA: So it makes us, I mean out artists, richer?
Microsoft: Sure.. why not?
RIAA: Let me get this straight. You line all these ones and zeros up and it makes music.
Microsoft: Yep, on a little disk we like to call a MicroDisk TM.
RIAA: And this can be done for 100th of the price of pressing a vinyl record.
Microsoft: Sure can. And its easy too. The whole point of digital technology is that you can make zillions of 1s and 0s line up for no money whats so ever. Anyone can do it!
RIAA: Anyone?
Microsoft: Err.... I mean anyone who can remember these magic words (which are a big secret) whilst waving this MicroWand TM can do it.
RIAA: Ah! Theres the catch!... How much is the wand?

Arrgghhh - the name!!

[surprise_audit]

They spent 3 or 4 years working on this thing, and the best name they could come up with for the chip is gruvi. Someone needs slapping really, really hard.

You all have the wrong mindset... :-p

[Jugalator]

These news reminded me of the oxymoron of the day:

"We think it's a great consumer win, and it's a great industry win, to be able to ensure that with good copy protection, you can have so much functionality for the user", Jordi Rivas, Microsoft Director of Technology. (source) [tomshardware.com]

Would be sig-worthy if it wasn't over 120 bytes. :-p

Re:Golly I love Copyright Management!

[Linker3000]

No, YOU can take as many bites as YOU want, but will only be able to describe the experience (good or not so good) to 5 other people.

Proposed changes to the industry

[shudde]

As a fan of the music industry but not music itself, I wait with great anticipation for the day when we are finally rid of the antiquated notion of personal rights.

I propose a mandatory tithe of 10% of each individual's monthly earnings, that would be put straight into the coffers of music industry to stamp out music piracy once and for all.

Obviously to accomplish this worthy goal we'd have to make some sacrifices, the ability to purchase music online would be one of the first to go. As many slashdotters have pointed out in the past, DRM and similar technologies are always beaten and thus are unenforceable in the long term.

Instead of listening to music in the privacy of your home, I suggest RIAA-run facilities allowing a selected number of people to listen to carefully selected 'Top of the Pops' singles in a structured environment. Obviously a strip-search with full body cavity check, careful screening, drug-testing and metal detectors would be necessary to prevent unauthorized reproduction of the music. Needless to say, RIAA goons would be on hand with truncheons and electroshock equipment to assure proper relaxation and enjoyment.

This utopia can only come about with the help of right-minded individuals such as yourselves. I ask slashdotters to delete their mp3/ogg collections, turn themselves into the RIAA for re-neducation and fight for this glorious future.

Re:Hooray!

[Professor_UNIX]

Hooray! One day we'll pay for "advanced" devices that let us do novel things such as "Duplicate" and "Read" (more than 5 times, and over my 30 day limit, and without a $14.95 a month license until the end of time aggreement.)

What's next in your silly little worker's paradise... buildings full of books, DVDs, and CDs you can borrow for free? A system like the one you describe would cause our entire economy to collapse.

Sandisk, I should have guessed!

[Zemplar]

I just deposited my 1Gb Sandisk Cruzer Mini in the mail yesterday for replacement since I can no longer write to, or even format, the device.

Apparently that's not a bug or flaw, it's a feature!

Regarding new design...

[turtleAJ]

Dear SanDisk Corporation,

Go fuck your selves.

Sincerly,

-turtleAJ + all the people with at least 0.07brain

Re:Hooray!

[Quarnage]

I think SANdisk has come up with a crippled version of this old technology:

Write Only Memory [triticom.com]

Just think of the DRM possiblities!!! No copying out of this device, ever!

BTW if you want to convert any RAM you have into WOM... just scuff you feet on the carpet a few times and then touch your fingers to the chips. ;)