New figures from the Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA) are proof that the internet has been anything but the curse many in the music and film industries feared it would be.
Spending on music, film and video games in the UK rose last year for the first time since 2009, thanks to big increases in digital sales and streaming services such as Netflix and Spotify.
It has taken too long for the music and film industries to embrace the internet. For many years it was seen as the enemy; record labels pursued file-sharers and resisted putting their songs online. Meanwhile, revenues declined year after year.
Consumers were always going to value the internet’s convenience, and many who were unable to buy what they wanted turned to piracy. Now, with the exception of a few outspoken musicians, the music and film industries have entered the 21st century. People can access movies and songs at the touch of the button, and are willing to pay for it.
Looking at the ERA’s figures, which show a 34pc rise in music streaming revenues and a 40pc rise in digital film sales, it is clear that the industry’s obstinance was foolish.
Summary: This article backs up the point of how technology and easier ways to access music as well as the internet generally. The future years ahead may face an increase in digital purchases opposed to physical copies. This is due to the way we can put music on laptops, tablets, phones, etc and also link these devices to portable speakers or even the car so therefore physical CDs aren't needed and therefore will face a decrease in purchases from stores. An example of this is how Beyonce released her music via iTunes.
Stats: This show a 34pc rise in music streaming revenues and a 40pc rise in digital film sales
The traditional alarm clock is the gadget most in danger of being made redundant by smartphones, a study claims.
Stand-alone satellite navigation systems are also at risk of becoming obsolete next year due to smartphones, according to the list of the "top 10 endangered technologies" compiled by pixmania.com.
Meanwhile the increasing popularity of retina-display tablet computers puts small-screen televisions at risk, and the DVD player is becoming less popular as consumer turn to online streaming servives such as Netflix and LoveFilm.
Docks to connect iPods to speakers are at risk as consumers instead use Bluetooth or wireless streaming services.
Laurent Cohen from Pixmania.com said: "As technology evolves and people become more comfortable with the latest tech, older gadgets are naturally pushed into retirement."
Kieran Alger, editor-in-chief at technology magazine T3 added: "It's a cliche to say technology moves fast but we're seeing that pace of change quicken.
"Technologies like Blu-ray that aren't really that old are already looking a bit beleaguered with new on-demand services coming thick and fast to take their place.
"However, at the centre of everything is the smartphone - it's the most important device we all own.
"It is single-handedly threatening a wide range of other product categories as it adds more weapons to its arsenal and grows ever more powerful."
Top 10 endangered technologies:
Alarm ClocksStand-alone sat navsiPod docksFlip camerasBlu-Ray playersDVD playersThe watchBlackberryTV Remote controlSmall Portable TVs
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/10548196/Facebook-mined-private-messages-to-advertisers-lawsuit-claims.html
Facebook is being sued over claims it mines users’ private messages to advertisers without their consent.
According to a complaint filed in California, the social network “misleads users into believing they have a secure, private mechanism for communication, when in fact Facebook... mines user data and profits from those data by sharing them with third parties”.
The lawsuit, brought by Facebook users Matthew Campbell and Michael Hurley, who are seeking class action status, stems from claims in 2012 that the website scans private messages for information that is used to work out how many “likes” a page has. At the time Facebook said “no private information has been exposed”.
On the latest lawsuit, a Facebook spokesman said: "We believe the allegations are without merit and we will defend ourselves vigorously."
It comes less than a month a US court ruled that investors could pursue claims against the social network over its $16bn IPO in 2012.
A group of shareholders left out of pocket by the initial public offering in May last year, have spent the past year arguing that Facebook and its bankers left material information out of the “S-1” document it filed ahead of its market debut.
In particular, they claim that Facebook should have published more information about the impact growing mobile usage was likely to have on revenues at the social network, including internal forecasts which the company passed on to the banks underwriting its IPO.
Facebook and the banks involved in the legal row claim that the information was immaterial, and that it was under no obligation to make such disclosures.
However, Robert Sweet, US District Judge in Manhattan, sided with the investors, clearing the way for them to lodge a slew of claims against Facebook and dozens of banks, including Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs.
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