Following the example of other companies already deep into CD/DVD protection techniques, Microsoft thought they themselves should enter the scene with a copy-protection technology embedded in their media. But in order to reduce costs, the technique used will not be developed by Microsoft. A third-party company - Smarte Solutions - would provide their technology for future Microsoft releases.
Smarte, the technology leader in piracy management solutions, today announced that replication facilities throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia have become certified providers of Smarte piracy management technology.
Smarte has certified replication sites located within the United States, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Ireland, Germany, the United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Singapore, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. These replication facilities are the service organizations used by Microsoft Corp. to produce SmarteCD protected CD media containing authorized Microsoft software products. This certification contract provides Smarte Solutions immediate revenues and comes on the heels of a separate license agreement announced April 2003 that provides Microsoft use of SmarteSECURE(TM) and SmarteMASTER(TM) piracy management products. As certified providers of Smarte technology, replication facilities are authorized to securely produce piracy-managed media containing SmarteCD(TM) technology for any Smarte Solutions client including Microsoft.
"Smarte has taken the innovative next steps in producing economically viable, technologically advanced and consumer friendly piracy management products," said Tom Powell, lead anti-piracy program manager at Microsoft Worldwide Operations. "The speed at which Smarte got our replicators up and running with SmarteCD technology is a testament to the efficiency of its deployment process and its ability to keep associated costs low."
Comments