Pipe B Blog

The Mini DisplayPort connector used on Apple’s new MacBooks and MacBook Pros uses DPCP to prevent iTunes files from being played on devices that are not compliant with either DPCP or HDCP, a copy-protection technology used with the HDMI standard. DPCP supports the HDCP technology, but is considered a stronger level of encryption according to the Video Electronics Standard Association.

“While Apple’s own Apple TV has used HDCP to protect video files playing from its HDMI port, this is the first time we’ve heard of Apple bringing HDCP DPCP to its hardware,” David Chartier writes on ArsTechnica.

Basically, Apple is moving forward with a new standard that is not compatible with older displays. In the past, Apple has shown a willingness to forge ahead with new technology that doesn’t always play nice with the older stuff, and the decision to use the Mini DisplayPort connector on the new MacBooks and MacBook Pros ensured that DPCP and HDCP would come along for the ride.

Sling Media no longer wants to be put into a box–the theoretical kind, anyway.

Previously just a maker of hardware like the Slingbox, and related software, the company is now thinking bigger. With the official launch of Sling.com fast approaching, the small Silicon Valley company–bought last year by EchoStar–is making a bid to be taken seriously as an entertainment company.

Currently in private beta until November 24, Sling.com is a shiny new video portal that pulls in TV episodes, clips, full-length movies, and professionally produced Web videos to a single destination. The free content is provided by the NBC-Fox partnership Hulu, along with CBS (parent company of CBS Interactive, CNET’s publisher), PBS, BBC America, and Web video sites like College Humor and Break.com, to name just a few. There are short ads before and during the videos.

Up until now, Sling had been mainly in the business of creating hardware and software that allow consumers to get their TV channels from remote devices.

The Slingbox, which allows owners to watch their own subscription TV channels remotely from a computer, marked the first introduction to Sling Media for many consumers. Then the company began releasing the SlingPlayer as downloadable software for Symbian, Palm OS, and Windows Mobile that lets Slingbox owners also get their TV channels on mobile phones. BlackBerry and iPhone versions are on the way.

As most of you have probably heard by now, Senator Barack Obama from the state of Illinois has won the presidential election alongside his Vice Presidential running mate Senator Joe Biden.

Last night may not have been as “exciting” as other elections that were much closer, but it was nonetheless historic and momentous. Winning by a landslide clearly indicates the direction America wants to move in, and it’s also nice to not have to wait for recounts and taking it to the supreme court.

Relatively-speaking, this presidential season hasn’t been too negative (especially compared to some House races), and for that I would like to express my appreciation to both Barack Obama and John McCain. This must have been especially difficult for those in the McCain camp as they were the underdog for most, if not all, of the race.

Electronic Arts announced today three games for Google’s Android mobile phone platform. The publisher said that Tetris will be available immediately and that two other games, the monster hit Bejeweled and Monopoly Here & Now, will be launched in November.

EA has already released at least five games for Apple’s iPhone, including Tetris, Spore Origins, and Scrabble.

The move to bring games to Android is sure to be a boost for the platform, given EA’s size and influence and the fact that on the iPhone, games have become some of the most popular apps of all. However, there’s no way yet to tell how many people will download the games on Android. In addition, EA didn’t say whether it was planning to charge for the titles.

The three games are being provided by EA Mobile.

Mozilla fans are free to try out the faster JavaScript engine in the first beta for Firefox 3.1, and explore improvements to the Smart Location Bar and a slick interface for hotkey tab switching. Now available for Windows, Mac, and Linux users, the new JavaScript engine, called TraceMonkey, is not turned on by default.

To activate it, type “about:config” into the Smart Bar, then type “javascript.options.jit.content” into the filter. Double-click on the preference listed to change the boolean setting from “false” to “true.” Close the window and you should notice an immediate improvement to the JavaScript rendering speed.

Using the SunSpider JavaScript Benchmark test, Firefox 3.1 beta 1 completed the test in 2787.6 milliseconds–about twice as fast as the current stable release, Firefox 3.0.3, which clocked in at 5446.6 ms.

A complete list of changes can be found here: release notes.