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101 Comments
- Cloned, on 10/12/2007, -0/+57I'd be okay if it was only when I download a song. If it's everytime I listen to the song I would be forced to throw my computer out the window.
- DanThe1Man, on 10/12/2007, -3/+53You can't execute code by playing a mp3. That's why you can't get a virus from one. The only way is to have the media player call the ad. I'm sure that media player will be verrry popular.
- DanThe1Man, on 10/12/2007, -3/+45flanker
I can't help but notice those aren't mp3s. You can execute code (like DRM) in .wma files. I guess that's where the headline is wrong. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -4/+44Next thing you know they'll pay for maternity bills if the tattoo an ad on babies.
- Aliarse, on 10/12/2007, -0/+35You can throw your computer out the window.
For me, however, I'd simply be forced to download music with the ad's ripped out. - z3021017, on 10/12/2007, -0/+31Imagine popup ads DURING your music.
Cause nothin' lasts forever
And we both know hearts can change
"FREE VIAGRA WITHOUT PRESCRIPTION!!! EMAIL VIAGRA@FORREALDEAL.COM!!!"
And it's hard to hold a candle
In the cold November rain - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+31I can see the awful advertising arm of clueless corporations in the works already. Download a copy of a Motley Crue song and a Pop Up of The Betty Ford Clinic Pops up.
- SultanTravi, on 10/12/2007, -2/+30If some awesome geek finds a way to remove the pop-up, won't that essentially make "acquiring" music using P2P much harder to prosecute? The download itself was legal; only later was the ad ripped off... or did I misunderstand how this works?
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -5/+32say it ain't so, people just suck ass now days.
- eridius, on 10/12/2007, -1/+26"Intent has figured out how to embed pop-ups in music and video files unobtrusively"
Wouldn't that require the media players to support displaying popups in mp3s? How is that supposed to work? And since the format is open, if this became popular someone could just write their own decoder that explicitly does not support this. - AlmostEvil, on 10/12/2007, -2/+21@DanThe1Man
There have been instances in the past where you could craft a MP3 file such that it used a buffer overflow to run malicious code.
For example an unchecked buffer in the ID3 tag of an MP3 file as a program opens it. Of course, it all depends on the program opening it in order to be exploited. Winamp and iTunes may be immune but the directshow mp3 decoder may have a bug that has an unchecked buffer overflow in its ID3 tag handling therefore affecting all programs that use the directshow mp3 decoder. (for example Windows Media Player)
BTW, the above is just an example. To my knowledge there are currently no ID3 MP3 exploits for the above programs.
I just did a quick Google search and found this: http://www.gcn.com/online/vol1_no1/25528-1.html
It's a good example of what i'm trying to say. (it's a couple of years old, so has probably been long fixed) - Aliarse, on 10/12/2007, -2/+20I don't like ad's no matter what format they're on.
I use a PVR for TV, and skip past the ads.
I use Adblock+ for Firefox to block the ads.
Radio i can do nothing much about really, apart from listening to my own music, which i usually do. - poedguy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+18This is the one thing I just can't understand about it. How do they embed ads in them? How will portable players display the ads?
- Gizza, on 10/12/2007, -1/+17Actually it would be 'They're', 3rd times a charm.
- 40MS, on 10/12/2007, -1/+16I'd much rather hear commercials than Avril Lavigne's music
- renesisx, on 10/12/2007, -0/+12I suspect they are not actually MP3s, but WMAs.
With WMAs which have DRM they open a pop-up when you first play them in order to retrieve some details from you before you get your license which unlocks the track. This happens on any media player which uses the Windows Media Format SDK to play WMA tracks.
This is hardly new. OverPeer.com were doing this - what, 6 years ago now? They would fill the P2P networks with WMA files like this.
OverPeer, of course, went out of business about 2 years ago. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9Considering that the MP3 format doesn't have any system of launching URLs let alone popups, this is completely inaccurate. Unless they plan on making a special adware MP3 player. But then you could just circumvent it by playing your MP3s in iTunes, etc. So... how is this news?
- LordSkywalker, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10Don't tolerate it. Don't buy it.
- DanThe1Man, on 10/12/2007, -2/+10swifty12
Do you know what DRM is? This is DRM. - cbiz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8Maybe the commercials will be better than the music? Hey man, did ya see the ad before Avril Lavigne's new song!
- FuzzyHacker, on 10/12/2007, -2/+10When was the last time anyone ever clicked on a pop-up ad?
- jeffsback2223, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7I'm sure a program will come along that will block that sort of thing. Give it time. :/
- frozenyoghurt, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8My toenails need clipping.
- mfearby, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7Why digg this down? It's a valid question. If anybody I knew actually clicked on these things then I'd be keeping them from getting their computer and/or their files anywhere near my computer. Popup ads are for spyware-loving idiots!
- nerditup, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6pop up ads are so 2003
- DanThe1Man, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7AlmostEvil
Thank you, I didn't know that. - dougallj, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6Even if a pop up could be embedded in an MP3, wouldn't that raise security concerns as to what else could be shoved in the files? Somehow I doubt that the players I currently use support ads anyway... Does my iPod have pop up support? Or iTunes? Presuming they don't, why wouldn't I just listen to the song with them? If the file can only be played in pop up supporting players, I can't listen to the music on my iPod or in my media player of choice... It sounds inconvenient, annoying and unimplementable.
- Flanker, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6@DanThe1Man: Yes, they're not mp3s. The headline is incorrect, but hey, I didn't write it. =P In my other comment (scroll down), I explained how I found these -- they're from Intent MediaWorks, the company in the article.
- DanThe1Man, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7mfearby
You can't execute code in MP3s (or get a virus). They are .wma files - that you can get a virus in. The headline is wrong. - DanThe1Man, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8eridius
They are .wma files, which isn't an open format and can execute code. The headline is wrong. - Flanker, on 10/12/2007, -3/+8Hijacking to post links for demos (which just give me an error when I try to play in WMP11.)
http://www.mypeer.com/shared/Joan%20Jett-The%20Word%20(fighting%20Breast%20Cancer)-OTP.wma
http://www.mypeer.com/Shared/SixFootHalo-Inside-PS.wma
http://www.mypeer.com/Shared/SixFootHalo-Inside-OTP.wma - spudnic, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5He knows that, he's proposing something different.
He is suggesting that he would sit and watch an advert (for example an embedded video on a site or whatever) before the download link for a fully DRM free song was shown.
If you think about it it's actually a better deal than you currently get with television. For television there is 1 minute of advertising for every 3 minutes of the show (usually). With songs usually lasting over 3 minutes the advertising/content ratio would be better, not to mention the fact you could listen to it as many times as you like.
Not really sure why he's being dugg down so much, I don't think it's such a bad idea. - DanThe1Man, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6They are .wma files. The headline is wrong.
- RickySan65, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5How would that help with the ad embedded in the song? downloading it via bittorrent isn't going to magically go away then..
- nickdngr, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6they're too
- Flanker, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4You're right. I did some research and found demos from some presentation they gave to the FTC.
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/workshops/filesharing/presentations/ottolenghi.pdf
Demos here:
http://www.mypeer.com/shared/Joan%20Jett-The%20Word%20(fighting%20Breast%20Cancer)-OTP.wma
http://www.mypeer.com/Shared/SixFootHalo-Inside-PS.wma
http://www.mypeer.com/Shared/SixFootHalo-Inside-OTP.wma
I got a big fat error message when I tried to play them. Works great! - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Surely this is great news?
1) Download MP3.
2) Feel safe that the RIAA aren't bothered since it's paid for.
3) Rip out the DRM/Advertising.
4) Listen away to your hearts content.
5) ?
6) Profit! (Don't profit kids, that's REAL piracy :)) - ldkronos, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4I'm more amused by the oxymoron of "unobtrusive pop-ups"
- DanThe1Man, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6You can't execute code in mp3s. That's why you can't get a virus from one. The only way is to have the media player (like the one installed in Limewire) to call the ad. I'm sure that media player will be reallll popular to play with mp3s.
- EntangledPhysx, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4How about this: They remove the DRM from the online music stores, and I will gladly start buying my music. They are making this WAY harder then it has to be!
- Aliarse, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Everyone and their grandma's hate popup ads when browsing the web, i really cant see this taking off when most people despise popup ads already.
- Fhwqhgads, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5Oh, popups in mp3s! That'll entice people off the P2P networks for sure!
- DanThe1Man, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4dougallj
Nothing else can be embedded in mp3s. .wma files, which this company is using, can have all sorts of crap in it. - SamL, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3If you actually want to know how this works, I found some details here:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,119016-page,1/article.html
A loophole in the Windows Media DRM process allows companies to create ersatz media files and link them to adware. Normally, when you download a protected Windows Media file, you also receive a license that lets you play it. According to Caulton, if Windows Media Player can't find a valid license on your PC, it checks in with a remote system running Microsoft's Windows Media DRM Server.
You'll rarely see that happen. Some files, though, are set up to ask you for information before playing. They do this by displaying a URL in a dialog box labeled License Acquisition. Normally that dialog box is used to check for a user name or offer a chance to purchase the file that's being played.
For example, a legitimate DRM-encrypted file might let you play it three times, then bring up a window asking if you want to buy it. Or a band might offer a song to you for free if you agreed to sign up for its mailing list or view a 15-second commercial. At least, that's the way it's supposed to work.
But since the license dialog box acts just like an Internet Explorer window, it can display whatever is on the page it points to--whether a legitimate call for license information or a series of pop-up ads. - snoopl3s, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3"When the wind of change blows, some will be building structures while others will be building windmills."
Brilliant on their part. If you don't like it, buy something else. When people ask me why I think such a big corporation like Microsoft is evil, I will point them to this article. Beggars can't be choosers, so build a Daisy Player or something... - dahoffer, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Thanks for all of the great feedback from everyone - both good and bad! As usual, the press didn't quite get it right. I work here at Intent Media. First off, we don't do pop-up ads. They are annoying as hell. Second, these are not .mp3's. We offer people the choice of watching advertising in exchange for free music and videos. We share this advertising revenue with the people who supply us with content. We do use .wma format and the ability for one of these files to check for a valid license via DRM. If no valid license exists, we present an HTML based user experience that includes opt-in advertising (or a reduced price point) for acquiring the file. In the near future, we will offer alternative file formats and higher quality files if people want using alternatives to Windows DRM. We all love music here, we are using p2p to distribute it legally for those that want it at a reduced price, or in exchange for sharing advertising revenue. I don't think that's such a bad idea. Feedback is welcome - feedback@intentmediaworks.net.
- CarzorStelatis, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4MP3 is a sound format. If it has non-sound related data in it then it isn't an MP3.
- stonedgeek, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I thought the exact same thing at the moment I read the headline. Let's just keep that quite for now though, until the music industry has put all their eggs in this basket :)
- DanThe1Man, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Then what hardware should I use? I can't think think of any music media hardware that doesn't support .wma drm or apple drm. All VCRs support Microvision. All DVD players support Css.
- DanThe1Man, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3arizonagroove
Don't forget the fine writers of CNN Business. -
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