Nokia to Add Microsoft PlayReady Mobile DRM to S60, Series 40 Devices

By Al Sacco
Mon, August 06, 2007

CIO — Nokia, the Finnish handset maker, has expanded its partnership with Microsoft to include licensing of the software giant's PlayReady mobile digital rights management (DRM) technology, according to an Aug. 6 press release.

Nokia's S60 and Series 40 mobile devices will begin to support PlayReady in 2008, and the technology is meant to make it easier for content and service providers to offer copy-protected digital media that can be simply accessed and moved between mobile devices, PCs and other electronics.

Nokia E62

"People are increasingly using their mobile devices for enjoying digital content, such as music, games, videos and photos," said Ilkka Raiskinen, Nokia's senior vice president of multimedia experiences, in the release. "By adding support for Microsoft PlayReady technology, we are enabling service providers to offer a wide range of content and create truly compelling experiences across mobile devices, personal computers and online services."

Nokia already uses the Windows Media DRM 10 and Open Alliance Mobile (OMA) DRM copy protection technologies, according to PCWorld.com.

PlayReady can be applied to most types of digital content, including music, video, games, ring tones and images in various formats including Windows Media Audio (WMA), Windows Media Video (WMV), AAC, AAC+, AMR and H.264, according to Nokia.

MORE ON NOKIA

Nokia: Our Mobile Phones Can be Hacked, But Not Easily

A-GPS Service Enhances Nokia Mobile Phone-Based Navigation

The Business-Savvy Smartphone Review: Nokia E62

Earlier this month, Microsoft released its PlayReady Porting Kit, and the technology is designed to be fully backward-compatible with Windows Media DRM 10 so that devices with PlayReady support can also access Windows Media DRM-based content.

DRM technologies are employed to curb piracy and other intellectual property abuses by limiting the ways that content downloaded from the Web can be transferred and copied; however, the current widely used technologies, such as Windows Media DRM 10 and Apple's FairPlay DRM, have come under fire from consumers and other critics because they dictate what users can and can't do with content they paid for legitimately. PlayReady is meant to address some of these complaints because it makes it easier for users to transfer their copy-protected media from a Nokia mobile to device to a PC or other platform.

In related news, Nokia recently announced a new service that reduces the time it takes for its cell phone-based GPS navigation systems to determine the starting locations of users to get them to their destinations faster.

You are here: Technology Topics » Security » News Short

Most Recent Security Stories

White Papers »

Overcome Top 7 Admin Challenges of Active Directory

As Active Directory's role in the enterprise has drastically increased, so has the need to secure the data. Gain insight on creating repeatable, enforceable processes that reduces administrative overhead and enables robust, customizable reporting and auditing capabilities. Brought to you by NetIQ.

Top Solutions and Tools to Prevent Devastating Malware

Custom malware frequently goes undetected. According to Forrester Research, the best way to reduce risk of breach is to deploy file integrity monitoring (FIM) tools that provide immediate alerts. This white paper has been brought to you by NetIQ, the leader in solving complex IT challenges.

Insiders Can Ruin Your Company. Take Action.

Did you know that 80 percent of threats to an organization come from the inside? The threat from insiders is often overlooked in organizations worldwide. This white paper from NetIQ, discusses key technology solutions that help to prevent and detect insider threats.

X-Ray of the PCI Process-4 Proactive Steps

This white paper from Forrester Research Inc., helps break PCI into understandable components. Security and risk professionals will gain knowledge and insight into creating a compliant and secure IT environment. Follow these four proactive steps now before your next audit. Brought to you by NetIQ.

Streamline Compliance and Increase ROI

Streamline, simplify, and automate compliance related activities; especially those that impact multiple business units. This white paper from NetIQ, outlines solutions that will help your business gain the maximum return on investment possible while aligning your compliance programs.

Identity Governance: The Business Imperatives

This white paper describes the business challenges and opportunities that are driving interest in Identity Governance while discussing considerations your organization should make to help achieve project success.

Webcasts »

Gartner Next Generation Network IPS Webcast

Learn how Gartner's criteria for next generation IPS helps organizations achieve effective threat prevention despite changes in network communications, new applications, and changes in the threat landscape.

McAfee Continuous Compliance

3 minute Flash video - overview of the need for and value of Configuration Control.

Taming the Wild West: How to build a strong cloud security strategy

Cloud deployments are playing a critical role in propelling innovation for many companies. At the same time security has become the #1 one of the top concerns for IT and business leaders as they migrate into the cloud. In this webinar, learn from Accenture discusses how to recast the cloud as a "fresh chance to rethink your approach to security."

Virtualization Success is a Team Effort

As greater numbers of datacenter servers transition from the physical to the virtual world, the components of virtualization success come to the fore. What scores of organizations have discovered is that success is derived from an optimal pairing of the right software platform with the right hardware platform.

Customer Spotlight: How IPC The Hospitalist Company Implemented Oracle on VMware

Have you been looking to hear about customer's experiences with the new VMware vCenter Site Recovery Manager product? View this webcast to learn about VMware customer, Navicure, and their experiences testing and evaluating the recovery manager, their progress in implementing it in their environment and their advice other customers considering using vCenter.

Quantifying the Business Value of VMware View - Webcast

Many enterprises have discovered that the use of virtualization to support desktop workloads creates a range of significant benefits. These benefits include price efficiencies, improved IT management and greater agility and choice for end users.

This VMware sponsored webcast with IDC will provide both quantitative measurement of the business value -- defined as the expected ROI -- and qualitative analysis associated with the use of VMware View™. IDC will also provide an analysis of the View Composer and ThinApp™ features of VMware View, including the business value of these solutions and an overview of how they work.

Attend this webcast to learn about:
- Challenges and barriers that might impede the adoption of desktop virtualization
- Navigating roadblocks to facilitate a strategic implementation
- Optimizing qualitative and quantitative benefits to IT and your business

Newsletter Sign-Up »

Receive the latest news test, reviews and trends on your favorite technology topics

Choose a newsletter