Hacker's doubleTwist launches iTunes copying

The music sharing startup, doubleTwist, released a self-titled program which allows consumers to move music files, images and video from their computers onto other devices, like Sony's PSP and a handful of cell phones.

Users are now able to copy and use copy-protected Apple Inc iTunes songs on many popular non-Apple devices. Such devices include Sony PSP game console, Nokia N-Series phones, Sony Ericsson's Walkman and Cybershop lines, LG's Viewty and Windows Mobile smartphones such as Palm's Treo and HTC.

DoubleTwist has not informed Apple of their plans, but said that they expect no pushback from them.

Founder Jon Lech Johansen shot to fame when he became the "enfant terrible" of the Digital industry when he released software which cracked the encryption codes on DVDs at the age of 15.

Now 24, Johansen, doubleTwist's chief technology officer, has remained on the frontline of such controversies and has had several run-ins with Apple over efforts to help consumers "liberate their media", from iTunes' copy protection regime.

"Users can only play back the music they have already purchased and they are authorized to play," said Monique Farantzos, 34, doubleTwists's co-founder and chief executive.

Media from a computer can be moved to a variety of mobile devices by dragging and dropping the files to a desktop folder which then drops copies on the external device over the web. One hundred songs can be converted in half an hour or so, with a slight degradation in sound quality, the company said.

"The digital media landscape has become a tower of Babel, alienating and frustrating consumers. Our goal is to provide a simple and well integrated solution that the average consumer can use to eliminate the headaches associated with their expanding digital universe," she said.

The software is available as a free download from the company's website.

On the Net:

http://www.doubletwist.com