Oct 4 2006 12:00AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |
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DVD Jon, the guy who broke DVD encryption in 2003 with deCSS, has developed technology replicating Apple’s Fairplay DRM to allow music, TV show and movie downloads from sites other than iTunes to be played on iPods. iPod accounts for roughly 85% of the portable player market, which could make iPod-compatible formats an attractive option. Though, given the source of the technology and the questionable legality, would be curious if any studios or suppliers that haven’t cut movie deals with Apple would even consider it.

According to the story on GigaOM, DVD Jon, aka Jon Lech Johansen, already has one unnamed company signed on to license the technology. He even took a meeting with Steve Jobs about the technology.

Johansen doesn’t think what he’s doing is illegal; he’s adding DRM rather than breaking it. He and Farantzos were giddy about the prospect of Apple’s iTV, hoping companies will pay up to get movies on the set-top box when it comes out, after seeing the ill effects of being shut off the iPod. Spurned by Apple? Step right up.