FBI Priorities: First Copyright Infringers THEN Missing Persons

I don't know about you but when I think of the F.B.I. I get images of Dangerous Minds in my head. Some of the country's top cops thinking outside the box, finding dangerous criminals, solving unsolved crimes, and finding missing persons. Apparently that may not be the case; TechDirt reports that the F.B.I.'s to-do list now ranks copyright infringement higher than identity theft and missing persons.

From TechDirt:

Specifically, the FBI has consciously decided to give such cases lower priority in the FBI's laboratory, which is used to look at DNA evidence.

So if ever you're looking for one of the 719,558 people reported missing in 2009, just tell the F.B.I. that they may have illegally downloaded The Hurt Locker and the latest Kanye West album. They may just find them that much quicker.

via TechDirt

Holy Hot Dang Batman! IPhone 'Jailbreaking' No Longer 'Illegal'

This one comes in from the U.S. Copyright Office, a ruling was released today stating that "jailbreaking" your iPhone is not, as Steve Jobs had once put it, "illegal." The ruling clearly address the installation of "non authorized" software such as firmware, software, DVD content, and E-books!

I make that determination at the conclusion of a rulemaking proceeding conducted by the Register of Copyrights, who makes a recommendation to me. Based on that proceeding and the Register’s recommendation, I am to determine whether the prohibition on circumvention of technological measures that control access to copyrighted works is causing or is likely to cause adverse effects on the ability of users of any particular classes of copyrighted works to make noninfringing uses of those works. The classes of works that I designated in the previous proceeding expire at the end of the current proceeding unless proponents of a class prove their case once again.

Hooray for consumers' rights!

via U.S. Copyright Office

Apple's for the Children

First let me just extend a big "THANK YOU" to Gizmodo.com for the picture. I don't think anything quite sums up this piece quite like The Breakfast Club holding up an iPhone.

Piper Jaffray & Co. released their annual survey of America's teens to get pulse of consumer spending habits; big surprise: the youngs love Apple!

Here's a basic run down of what the Office of No-Shit uncovered:
1. 15% of the teens surveyed own an iPhone. That's an increase from 8% last year.
2. 22% plan on buying an iPhone within the next 6 months.
3. 87% (up a whole percent from last year) already own iPods - all flavors.
4. Of the 40% of teens that legally download music; 93% of them use iTunes.

So in case you have trouble wrapping your head around what all this means - if you're planning on shopping for any youngin's in your life chances are you'll be swinging by the local Apple Store this holiday season.

via AppleInsider