"For the first time, the No 1 album in the United States is loaded with anticopying protections, marking a clear step into the mainstream for the controversial technology. According to figures released by Nielsen SoundScan, Velvet Revolver's Contraband was the top-selling album in America last week, despite being prominently labeled on its cover as being "protected against unauthorized duplication," reports CNet.
"Like other recent copy-protected albums, the Velvet Revolver disc includes technology that blocks direct copying or ripping of the CD tracks to MP3 format. It also comes preloaded with songs in Microsoft's Windows Media Audio (WMA) format, which can be transferred to a computer or to many portable digital music players."
The article points out that this means iPod users can't play the files, and SunnComm, which developed the copy protection that BMG uses, is looking for a solution. CNet continues: "We are actively working with Apple to provide a long-term solution to this issue," a posting on SunnComm's Web site reads. "We encourage you to provide feedback to Apple, requesting they implement a solution that will enable the iPod to support other secure music formats."
Comment: iPod owners can simply rip the CD in iTunes or download the album from iTunes, so it's not a big deal. There's also a Slashdot discussion....
