Technabob » piracy

Mac App Store Not Yet Released But Already Cracked?

Lambert Varias — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 14:38:26 +0000

The Mac App Store – Apple’s desktop version of the iOS App Store – won’t be open until January 6, 2011, but the infamous Hackulous community claims that they have already cracked the virtual store’s security. For those that are unfamiliar with Hackulous, the community is known for its Apptrackr and Installous software. The former indexes links to millions of cracked iOS apps, and the latter is an iOS app that is a pirate version of the App Store, giving users the option to either download a cracked copy of an app for free or purchase it from iTunes. This week, they revealed that they are preparing to do the same for the yet unreleased Mac App Store.

Hackulous calls their Mac App Store breaker “Kickback”. They won’t be kicking off the new year by releasing the software or launching another pirated store though. Hackulous decided that they’ll wait until the Mac App Store is as cluttered as its iOS counterpart.

Why? Because the main reason (or so they say) why the community started all this DRM-breaking business is that there are countless apps on the App Store but most of them have no trial or even a lite version. Apple’s archaic and too simple layout for the App Store doesn’t help people discover which apps really are worth it either. The idea is that iOS users who want to try an app that doesn’t have a free trial version can hit up Installlous and test drive the full app for free. For as long as they want.

Check out TorrentFreak for more of Hackulous’ cracking plans.

Nec Program Identifies Illegally Copied Videos: Your Move, Pirates

Lambert Varias — Fri, 07 May 2010 12:37:20 +0000

Japanese IT company NEC claims they have developed “a video content identification technology that detects illegal copies of video content uploaded to the Internet in a matter of seconds.” I’m not entirely sure how this works, so bear with me on this one. According to the company’s press release, the software tags each frame of an original video. It can then be used to scan another video, get its own “video signature” and compare it with the original video’s signature.

NEC claims that their technology has an astounding 96% average detection rate, and can even detect 2-second clips, yet generates a relatively small amount of data and can be operated by a lowly 3GHz single-core-equipped PC . From what I understand the program can’t snuff out torrents; I think it’s primarily aimed at videos hosted online in sites like YouTube or Megavideo. Check out NEC’s press release at Akihabara News. If you can explain in simple terms how the app works and what this means in the larger scheme of things, feel free to drop us a line (or ten) in the comments.

[Picture above contains original art by Roboworks]

Command & Conquer: Draconian Shutout: Ea Blogger Booted Out of Game Because of Drm

Lambert Varias — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 19:25:43 +0000

EA.com editor-in-chief Jeff Green recently tweeted about his difficulties with his own company’s DRM: “Booted twice — and progress lost — on my single-player C&C4 game because my DSL connection blinked. DRM fail. We need new solutions.” Similar to Ubisoft’s new DRM, Command & Conquer 4 requires gamers to be constantly connected to the Internet even in single player mode, a requirement as absurd as it is faulty. At least Green was man enough to share his criticisms about EA’s policies.

Granted, it may have been Green’s “finicky” Internet connection that was the direct cause of his problem, but why should one’s enjoyment of a single-player game be dependent on another service (beyond electricity of course)? Green proposes alternative modes of verification, but unless people stop buying games with DRM, I doubt that EA would listen even to one of its own.

[via Ars Technica]

Ubisoft Apes Steam, Will Require Internet Connection for Their Pc Games

Lambert Varias — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 13:22:45 +0000

Let the outrage begin. The ninjas of Ubisoft have revealed their latest arsenal against PC pirates: the ancient art practiced by Steam. As with Valve’s popular platform, Ubisoft games will soon require users to authenticate their copy by connecting to their user accounts online. The online account also means that game saves will now be stored on Ubisoft’s servers, and account holders will be able to install their Ubisoft games on an unlimited number of computers. In short, customers will soon be able to play anywhere, as long as that anywhere has an Internet connection. So… not anywhere.

The online account dependency will debut with the game The Settlers 7:

Your Internet connection. Is required. To play. This game. I’m not much of a PC gamer, and I don’t have the solution to piracy, but I think restrictions like this only serve to alienate customers and encourage pirates. With the exception of the PS3 (so far, Sony’s knocking on wood), no major video game system has escaped piracy, and I’m fairly sure that this measure can be circumvented.

A “self-professed pirate” has this to say to Ubisoft’s paying customers: “This is fine, I only have to access the Internet once to get Ubisoft games. You’re the ones paying for a broken copy.”

[via Gamespy & Ars Technica]

Oh, L’Ironie: French Anti-Piracy Group Pirated Font for Its Logo

Lambert Varias — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 13:37:47 +0000

Last year, a law was passed in France that, simply put, allows the government to screen the Internet usage of its citizens (supposedly) to watch out for copyright infringement. Using a three strikes rule, French citizens who are accused of online piracy for a third time will be sent to court, where a judge can give them a fine, or even disconnect them from the Internet. It’s freakin’ scary right? And just to show you how serious the French government is about this whole thing, they set up the Hadopi agency, an organization dedicated solely to enforcing this new law. Here’s the agency’s logo, which was unveiled last week:

Remember those logos pirates! For they will be the last thing you – nah. Here’s le kicker in all of this serious law and order shit: turns out the font used in the logo was unlicensed. The font, called “Bienvenue”, is an “exclusive corporate typeface” meant only to be used for France Telecom-Orange products. In other words, the anti-piracy agency just committed piracy.

Hadopi has already apologized, and France Telecom-Orange said that they won’t sue, but the creator of the font, Jean-François Porchez, is considering pressing charges. Also, Hadopi, that’s strike one.

[via TorrentFreak via Boing Boing]

Isoscrewed: Isohunt Owner Issued Summary Judgment for Copyright Infringement

Lambert Varias — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 13:51:12 +0000

2009 has definitely been a bad year for the… uh, head pirates. Pirates-in-chief? Anyway, Judge Stephen Wilson of the US District Court, Central District of California has ruled in favor of Columbia Pictures’ “motion for summary judgment on liability as to inducing infringement” against Gary Fung, owner of several torrent sites, including the infamous IsoHunt. A summary judgment is basically a ruling that says that the decision is so obvious that there’s no sense in holding a full-blown trial for a case. I think I know now what the hands below IsoHunt’s logo represent: lawyers.

According to Ars Technica‘s John Timmer, Fung was lawyered fairly easily because he made several incriminating statements on his blog, such as questioning whether copyright infringement should be considered theft, and giving instructions on how to download movies and then burn them to DVDs.

The old “Google should be sued too because you can use their search engine to find torrents” argument wasn’t worth squat in Fung’s case, because one of his sites had specifically incriminating links, like links to torrents of “Top 20 movies” as well as TV shows and “High Quality DVD Rips”. There’s no word yet on Fung’s punishment, or if IsoHunt will be taken down, but I guess with a lopsided case like this it looks like the website’s days are numbered. Or Fung could host his torrent sites somewhere else, ala Demonoid.

No Psp Trophies Because of Absence of 2nd Analog Nub Kidding Because of Piracy.

Lambert Varias — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 11:30:19 +0000

Joystiq asked Eric Lempel, Director of PlayStation Network Operations, if Sony would ever bring Trophies – the equivalent of Xbox 360′s Achievements – to the PSP. Upon hearing the question, Lempel fell on his knees and screamed, “Daaaamn youuu Salazaaaaaar!” No. He did not; Lempel only said: “You’re not going to see Trophies on the PSP.” Why? Give me a P! Give me an -iracy!

Sony isn’t treating everyone like pirates in this case. As Loot Ninja explains, the company is just preserving whatever “value” the achievement (it is what it is) system has. Because everyone in the known universe knows that the PSP has been haXX0r’d to death and beyond, Sony is afraid that a Trophy system on the PSP will only be hacked as well, and if so people will be able to unlock all the Trophies without actually fulfilling the requirements. That of course will devalue the poor system. Sad.

What’s even more sad for Sony is that the ChickHEN custom firmware has been polished for end users, and is now on the Internets, officially ending the reign of the homebrew- and pirate-free PSP 3000.

Oh, Irony: Pirates Unleash Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars Early

Alisha K. — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 14:50:48 +0000

Word on the internet streets is that a copy of Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars has been leaked and the downloads are flying. The game, the first in the franchise for the Nintendo DS, is scheduled for release next week.

There are some reports that the ROM is not fully functional, or may not be working on all DS flash carts, which must be something of a relief for Rockstar Games.

Chinatown Wars drops players into the role of 25-year-old Huang Lee after his father’s death. As you can see in the video below, the game makes use of the Nintendo handheld’s touchscreen interface, because everyone loves interactive theft games!

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Rockstar has not commented on or confirmed the game’s leak.

[via GoNintendo]