You all know the slogan: “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.” At the Digital Rights Strategies conference in New York City, a similar message could be heard: “DRM doesn’t anger consumers, content owners abusing DRM anger consumers.”

Few, of course, would argue that the mere existence of DRM is a bad thing. Locked away in a vault somewhere or trapped in one of those nifty mirrors featured in Superman, DRM can do little harm. Such assertions are merely academic, of course. Tools are designed to be used, and DRM is being used to do what it was designed to do: control how consumers interact with content.

But the growing backlash against DRM is causing dissension in the pro-DRM ranks. Paul Sweeting’s excellent report on the DRS conference records the frustrations of the DRM community at the tactics of the content industry. They apparently feel that an overzealous content industry is abusing DRM; this is a bit like Smith & Wesson complaining that bullets can kill.

When DRM proponents start pointing fingers and attempting to separate the theory (really, the ideology) from the practice, we have to stop and ask: what’s going on here? It appears that players in the DRM ecosystem know the tide is turning against them because DRM is punishing the wrong people, namely the folks who are buying DRM-laden content. This is bad for their business, because a DRM backlash could harm DRM peddlers.

US defence-tech behemoth Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $16m deal to provide the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)’s fingerprint database with extra processing power.

The contract will run over five years, and will involve the provision of additional HP Superdome UNIX-based kit, similar to that already provided to the Feds by Lockheed in 2003.

“As a long-time partner with the FBI, Lockheed Martin is proud to continue serving an important role in the modernisation of this critical infrastructure that is key to accomplishing the FBI mission,” said Steve Lubniewski, Lockheed’s enterprise-solutions president.

The new servers will join the Criminal Justice Investigative Services (CJIS) armoury. CJIS provides the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System, as well as linked names, criminal histories and other law-enforcement info. Lockheed supports and maintains CJIS IT infrastructure, and is also a prime contractor for the division’s Technology Refreshment Program.

Gmail was launched on April 1, 2004, and has revolutionized the way many of us use email. The interface has remained largely untouched since it launched, but get ready, it’s soon to undergo a change in what they describe as a “New Version”. Only a select few people have access to use the new interface — mainly employees and trusted people outside the company called “Trusted Testers“.

Unfortunately, there are no leaked screenshots to look at yet, but if you are one of the lucky few testers, I would love to take a peek.

How do I know they are working on a “New Version”? Well, Google lets every-day users who are fluent in both English and another language translate small snippets of English text into the language of their choice. This is how they can offer services in several languages without spending a dime on professional translators. Unfortunately, exposing sensitive information in this manner makes it hard to keep a secret.

One of my readers, who wishes to remain anonymous, stumbled across an interesting snippet of text (which I confirmed exists) spilling the beans on a new version of Gmail that is either currently being tested, or about to be released to testing in short order.

Adobe today announced two major upgrades to its digital photo and video software for consumers: Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 for Windows & Adobe Premiere Elements 4 for Windows. Tight integration and a shared Organizer, with a common database accessible from either application, allow users to do more with their photos and videos. Available separately or together in a single retail package, Photoshop Elements & Adobe Premiere Elements software give photo and video enthusiasts more creative ways to organize, edit, create and share digital photos and home movies.

“With video and digital cameras now part of our everyday lives and social networking sites on the rise, people are demanding sophisticated tools to show off their photos and videos,” said John Loiacono, senior vice president of Creative Solutions at Adobe. “Sophistication doesn’t mean complication. The combination of Photoshop Elements & Adobe Premiere Elements offers a whole new user experience for consumers, which makes sharing impressive photo and video creations much easier and more fun. With access to all photos and video clips from one convenient place and options to export to YouTube, mobile devices and interactive galleries created with Adobe Flash technology, we expect our new products to be high on holiday wish lists.”
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The social networking Web site MySpace is launching a free, advertising-supported cell phone version Monday as part of a wider bid by parent News Corp. to attract advertising for mobile Web sites.

Fox Interactive Media, which oversees News Corp.’s Internet properties, said it also plans to roll out versions of FoxSports.com, the gaming site IGN, AskMen and its local TV affiliates in the coming months that will work on cell phones that can access the Internet.

The company said it also plans to offer a mobile version of its Photobucket picture sharing site in coming months.

Starbucks Corp. plans to give away 50 million free digital songs to customers in all of its domestic coffee houses to promote a new wireless iTunes music service that’s about to debut in select markets.

From Oct. 2 to Nov. 7, baristas in the company’s more than 10,000 U.S. stores will hand out about 1.5 million “Song of the Day” cards each day. The cards can be redeemed at Apple Inc.’s online iTunes Store.