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Print E-mail del.icio.us 11 comment(s) - last by Soviet Robot.. on Nov 21 at 2:49 AM
Creative does a 180 on FM recording

Last month, Creative drew the ire of many Zen owners with the release of a firmware update that disabled FM radio recording. Although no one that heavily used the feature was likely to download and install the firmware update, Creative also announced that future players would also have FM recording removed.

The RIAA was of course cited as the main reason behind the move by Creative as the organization has become quite litigation-happy in recent years.

Apparently, Creative has had a change of heart and has released a new firmware update which re-enables FM recording on its Zen Vision: M player. A single line in the readme file of firmware version 1.60.01 reads "Adds FM recording (for players with current firmware version 1.50.02 or 1.51.02)."

There was no reason cited for adding FM recording back into the fold, but Zen Vision: M users can consider themselves safe... for now.

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a reason...
By yzhu92 on 11/18/2006 11:02:24 PM , Rating: 3
probably cos someone wanted to sue them cos they marketed the feature so they cant just remove it.




RE: a reason...
By Chillin1248 (blog) on 11/18/2006 11:53:19 PM , Rating: 5
I concur.

I just don't see how you can market a feature which most likely persuaded many buyers to acquire this [Zen] instead of, for example, a I-Pod, and then remove it later on with no basis in the EULA (for the software part) or with the warranty/license agreement.

-------
Chillin


RE: a reason...
By Archmaille on 11/19/2006 2:25:33 AM , Rating: 3
Wouldn't doubt it. You could also look at all the complaining that went on here at DailyTech alone when the firmware was released to remove FM recording.


About time
By FXi on 11/20/2006 7:15:32 AM , Rating: 4
The removal of the recording feature infuriated customers and was just plain stupid really.

There are easily half a dozen ways to record over the air FM to a digital destination now as it is. Even if the RIAA complains (which is the only thing they seem to do as a group), there is no effective way to argue that this isn't a common accepted free for all. If a song is broadcast free over the air, it can be recorded. This has been true for decades and would be pretty difficult to argue in court that suddenly there was a reason to stop this accepted practice.

RIAA is nothing but a group of leeching lawyers fronting for an overpaid industry in desperate need of lessons in how to compete rather than litigate.




RE: About time
By camped69 on 11/20/2006 11:30:43 AM , Rating: 2
EXACTLY.


RE: About time
By Soviet Robot on 11/21/2006 2:49:59 AM , Rating: 2
The stupid thing on RIAA's part is that the corporate radio station owners pay the RIAA's labels more than they deserve. They have it fully licensed to broadcast over the air. We should have the right to "capture" any free broadcast that is approved by the copyright holder.

Distributing it is another thing, but then again these are thought crimes. Making it legal for someone to make a personal copy of a DVD they already own(a license, really) does not mean they are selling those copies.


Why Creative, Why?
By Soviet Robot on 11/20/2006 1:39:52 AM , Rating: 3
I've only used the FM recording on my Zen Vision M a few times and it was always for talk radio, not mainstream major label/RIAA crap pop music, but this move is a shocker.
You stood up to Apple, now why can't you stand up to the fag law firm known as the RIAA?




RE: Why Creative, Why?
By abhaxus on 11/20/2006 12:59:40 PM , Rating: 2
While I agree with your post, there's no reason to use a homophobic slur in describing the RIAA. They do enough damage to their reputation without you harming yours by being a bigot.


RE: Why Creative, Why?
By Soviet Robot on 11/21/2006 2:46:39 AM , Rating: 2
"fag" doesn't always mean homosexual. And who are you to say I am not a homosexual or that I hate homosexuals?
I used the insult "fag" in the sense of a stupid law firm that I don't like, not homosexuality.


Just this one player?
By Aquila76 on 11/19/2006 4:54:01 PM , Rating: 2
Creative removed FM recording from ALL of their players. When are the firmware updates coming to re-enable it for the other devices? I use this feature all the time on my Zen Nano Plus to record lectures and things that are broadcast on FM for the hard of hearing.




RE: Just this one player?
By neothe0ne on 11/19/2006 9:25:28 PM , Rating: 1
I was under the impression they had ONLY removed FM Recording, not the Microphone. Then again, I never installed the new firmware, and I doubt anyone else did. Maybe Creative reinstated it because no one downloaded the new firmware?


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