MyGadgetFinder.com

The BBC is reporting that its iPlayer software is now available for the iPhone. This is an interesting development given the huge controversy over the corporation’s initial decision to produce it for Windows users only.

iPlayer is a new development that allows users to watch TV programmes on demand via the internet for a limited period of time - but not to save programmes for later playback.

Unfortunately the issue of whether the Digital Rights Management (DRM) software that stops users doing this is still in place is now very confused - it may have been removed, possibly inadvertently, in the player’s latest release in order to produce the MP4 files that the iPhone can handle.

And what on earth is the point of DRM from a publicly-funded broadcaster when users are perfectly free to make copies of programmes using VCR or DVD recorders anyway?

Read a BoingBoing article on this subject >>

Here’s what the corporation has to say about the latest developments;

BBC iPlayer comes to the iPhone

…it is the first time the service has been available on portable devices.

The iPhone and iPod touch are able to stream shows from the iPlayer website over wi-fi networks. The iPhone cannot stream BBC video over the cell network. A BBC developer said that the corporation was currently working on other versions of the iPlayer for “many more” devices.

Anthony Rose, writing on the BBC internet blog, said: “We started with iPhone because it is the device most optimised for high quality video currently available.

“It displays the BBCiPlayer site and BBC programmes nicely.” Read full article here…

Learn more about the iPlayer here and about digital rights management issues here.

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed for more news and offers. Thanks for visiting!

The most talked-about gadget of the moment: the Amazon Kindle. This e-book reader offers you all the convenience of loading your books onto a hand-held gizmo - but at a price.

As well as the costs you incur using it, the material you buy is subject to DRM (digital rights management) software which restricts what you can do with it. For instance, swapping and lending is out, activities you’d think nothing of doing with a regular book.

At the moment it’s US-only so British gadget fans might have to wait a while before they can even contemplate getting their hands on the thing. (So what’s new already? And it’s just as boring as usual.)

So, in the meantime, here are two views on the thing. John Naughton, writing in The Guardian quite liked it (but with typical British understatement didn’t really see what all the fuss is about).

Over at BoingBoing Gadgets they thought it was promising, but clunky and expensive - and also worryingly laid down with DRM technology.

If anyone’s had a chance to get their hands on one, we’d love to hear your comments.