Shore predicts DRM is moving to portable storage

[Bob Russell]

We are all tired of the frustrations associated with device-dependent DRM methods. Often, you can't even use content on multiple devices. The President of Shore Communications, John Blossom, says that with the rise of inexpensive portable storage, we will see the DRM controls move from devices to storage media.

Specifically, he sees a trend in technology so that "personal storage devices are becoming personal content and software application servers." He believes that This of course would imply that content companies were ready to license content effectively independent of specific devices."

"[T]he content industry is now faced with the opportunity to build relationships with their clientele through personal storage devices in a way that is likely to have an explosive force similar to the migration of recorded content from proprietary phonograph cylinders to more universally adaptable discs. This of course would imply that content companies were ready to license content effectively independent of specific devices."

Three factors that he sees driving the shift are:
* Smarter portable storage technologies
* Better DRM technology (such as Navio's cross-platform "solution")
* Personalized search

For a more complete discussion, be sure to check out the original article.