San Jose, California-based Diamond Multimedia Systems Inc has launched an internet music portal, to provide links to vendors of the controversial MP3 music file format. Diamond is eager to stress that all music accessible via the www.rioport.com web site will be legitimate in response to claims from the record industry that MP3 encourages piracy. The launch comes in the same week as speculation began about a possible second legal challenge to one of Diamond’s flagship products. Last year Diamond released its Rio MP3 player, a walkman-style device, after a legal battle against the Recording Industry Association of America which claimed the device was illegal under the Audio Home Recordings Act. Diamond counter-claimed that as the Rio was write-only (a user can upload music files to it, but not download) it was exempt from the AHRA. A week ago, a young UK hacker released a piece of read-enabling freeware for the Rio, much to Diamond’s chagrin. It is not yet known how this development will affect the legal status of the Rio, or whether the RIAA will attempt again to have the device banned.
