iPad Content Work Around For Canadians

The Globe and Mail is reporting that Canadians will be faced with a copyright issue when the iPad is released north of the border. It's an issue that we're already used to regarding video content from US television networks. The apps, books, and video content that is catching fire with our neighbors to the South, may not be available to us here because of domestic licensing and copyright ownership laws regarding certain content. Bummer! The article goes on to describe the dilemma, but the most valuable piece of information that you'll get is the following:

Workaround Tip:

Globetechnology reviewed the iPad earlier this week using a pre-paid MasterCard purchased at Shoppers and created a U.S. iTunes account with a throw-away U.S. mailing address. That allowed us to download all of the apps available on the U.S. store, including iBooks, the ABC Player and Netflix. Some apps are geo-blocked, such as the ABC Player, but we were able to buy and download books from iBooks.

Enjoy your new iPad!

Recording Artists Just Don't Get The Internet!

Representatives from the Canadian Independent Record Production Association (CIRPA) and the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) are urging the CRTC (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission) to regulate internet and new media. "We don't want to force Canadians to watch anything. We want to make sure they have access to Canadian content," says Paul Spurgeon, SOCAN's vice-president, legal services and general council. For their part CRTC chair Konrad von Finckenstein said that the hearings must "respect the principles of openness and individual choice that govern the internet while maintaining access to, and for, Canadian stories, opinions and ideas," adding "It's different than traditional media ... We are not in that universe anymore, yet you are asking me to regulate based on that old model," At least someone gets it...