Quickies

A new study from Canada suggests that file sharing networks have no effect on CD sales. This isn't the first study to suggest that.

Birgitte Andersen and Marion Frenz crunched government-sponsored research data, and concluded: "Among Canadians who engage in P2P file-sharing, our results suggest that for every 12 P2P downloaded songs, music purchases increase by 0.44 CDs. That is, downloading the equivalent of approximately one CD increases purchasing by about half of a CD."

Across the whole Canuck population the picture is ambivalent. They write: "Analysis of the entire Canadian population does not uncover either a positive or negative relationship between the number of files downloaded from P2P networks and CDs purchased. That is, we find no direct evidence to suggest that the net effect of P2P file sharing on CD purchasing is either positive or negative for Canada as a whole."

The San Jose Mercury News reports that, according to U.S. Census data, 70% of the people from California reporting a Mexican heritage are U.S. citizens. That should, but won't, put to rest the myth of the hordes of illegal aliens overwhelming the state.

The Google Phone software platform has been officially announced. Of course, Google wants to sell ads to people on these phones. Will the user pay for the data transfer for those ads? Will the ad buyer pay for that? What incentive does the user have to get an ad-filled phone?

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