HotRecorder for Media converts songs from iTunes and Yahoo Inc.'s music service into standard MP3 files that can play on any MP3 device. The resulting files can then be played on devices that do not support copy-protection.
HotRecorder operates in a similar fashion as many other programs, it grabs the sound, in real time, as it travels to the computer's sound card for playback, the point at which music is unlocked from any copy protection. The software is able to block noises from other applications and it creates a separate MP3 file for each song.
The software was formally released on Thursday for the initial price of US$19.95 but the company says it will increase to US$29.90 in two months.
The company's founder, Mookie Tenembaum, has said that his company merely provides the software and cannot police its usage. However, Apple and Yahoo both have service terms that forbid circumvention of copy-protection technology. If HotRecorder cannot be found to have legitimate uses then it may find itself it legal trouble including a possible court injunction blocking it from sale.
News source: The Globe and Mail
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