Microsoft Screws Customers Less, Keeps MSN Music Servers Open Late

Microsoft will extend the life of its MSN Music servers—that authorize its old purchased music for new PCs or players—to at least 2011, after originally scheduling them for shutdown later this year. After "careful consideration", it decided it was a good idea to hold off on screwing the poor folks who bought songs smothered in PlaysForSure (HA!) DRM. Microsoft recommends burning your songs to CD to avoid being caught in this DRM death hole; we say you should poke around the web—there are plenty of ways to strip DRM without burning a CD. [Digital Home Thoughts]

Nine Inch Nails Releases Free Album In High Definition Audio

Tren Reznor is not only breaking the old distribution model, he's even breaking the newest, like Radiohead's pay-what-you-want: Nine Inch Nails' latest album—The Slip—is 100% free, no payment required in any case, not even when you download the whooping 1.2GB version—which includes high definition WAVE 24/96 files (better-than-CD-quality 24bit 96kHz audio.) You can also choose from high-quality MP3s, FLAC lossless and M4A lossless. Note to record labels: drop dead. [NIN]

AnyDVD HD Is Here, So Start the Blu-ray BD+ DRM Crackin'

Late last year, disc-copying software maker SlySoft claimed they cracked the BD+ DRM protection in Blu-ray discs. They weren't kidding. The newest version of AnyDVD HD strips Blu-ray discs of BD+, allowing you to copy even the most locked-up Blu-ray discs (*cough*Fox*cough*) to your heart's content—assuming the copies are for personal use, of course. On the DVD front, the updated software rips movies that can't be read by Windows, and can now get around most ARccOS protection. Sounds like a reasonable temptation to all you pirate types, so run along, have at it and report back to us. [SlySoft] Thanks, Mike!!

Wal-Mart Joins Amazon to Push Labels to Ditch DRM Once and For All

Even if the remaining major labels who have yet to ditch DRM are dragging their feet on the road of inevitability, major online retailers don't feel like waiting around for them to finally do the deed. Wal-Mart has reportedly made an ultimatum of some sort to major labels demanding that they start selling their catalogs in MP3 so the retail giant can add them to their upcoming MP3 store, which, coming from a retailer of that size, should get their attention. And as we reported on Friday, Amazon plans to give away one billion MP3s with an upcoming Pepsi/Super Bowl giveaway. More »

Yipee-ki-yay Motherf*ker: Live Free or Die Hard DVD Includes Theoretical Copy For Portables

Appropriately, the DVD release of Live Free or Die Hard by Fox next week will come bundled with a copy of the film playable on a computer. More »

It is Going to Take a Whole Lot of Thongs to Fight the RIAA

If you recall, a jury full of dumbasses recently stuck it to Jammie Thomas to the tune of $222,000 for downloading 24 pirated songs from Kazaa. Now, I don't know about you, but most people can't make this go away by whipping out their checkbook. So what does an average 30 year old single mother of two do to pull together that kind of money? She sells thongs. A whole lot of thongs to be exact. According to Jammie's website, only $16,000 has been collected through private donations to help her fight the charges against her, so it appears that she has resorted to selling "Free Jammie, Free Everyone" branded paraphernalia to help make up the difference. If you would like to help, and pick up a thong, shirt, or mug while you are at it, hit her product website in the link. [Cafepress via Crave]

Nine Inch Nails Dumps Record Labels, Going Direct to Fans

Hear that? It's the RIAA quaking in their diamond-coated boots as yet another A-list band gives labels the finger: Pretty hate machine Trent Reznor announced today that "as of right now Nine Inch Nails is a totally free agent, free of any recording contract with any label." Instead of futzing through the hapless middleman of an inept label, Trent's promising "a direct relationship with the audience as I see fit and appropriate," so we can expect more experiments in direct distribution and promotion, probably culminating in an album release not unlike Radiohead's In Rainbows. More »

Viacom CEO Still All About DRM, Will Hopefully Retire Soon

While it seems like many sensible companies have realized that DRM doesn't curb piracy and just pisses off their customers, it appears that Viacom didn't get the memo. Today, CEO Philippe Dauman whined to the US Chamber of Commerce that it's too easy to copy media and that companies should be using stronger, more widespread DRM and watermarking. He also wants ISPs and hosting companies to work with companies to snitch on pirates and turn them in to the Copyright Gestapo. Just give it up already, people. The tides are turning. Don't fight it. It's for your own good. [Crave]