FairPlay

FairPlay is Apple Computer's name for its digital rights management (DRM, alternately: "Digital Restrictions Management") built in to the QuickTime multimedia technology and used by the iPod, iTunes, and the iTunes Music Store. Every file bought from the iTunes Music Store with iTunes is encoded with FairPlay. It digitally encrypts AAC audio files and prevents users from playing these files on unauthorized computers.

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While the iTunes jukebox remains the most popular method to buy and play FairPlay-protected files, the actual decoding is performed by Apple's QuickTime. In fact, every QuickTime-based player is capable of using these files, including RealPlayer and Media Player Classic.

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FairPlay is rumored to have been based on technology created by the company Veridisc. Neither Apple nor Veridisc has confirmed this.

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Apple Computer: Apple Computer, Inc. is a Silicon Valley company based in Cupertino, California, whose core business is computer technologies. Apple helped commence the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II microcomputer and has since further shaped it with the Macintosh. Apple is known for i...

Digital rights management: Digital rights management (DRM)1 is an umbrella term referring to any of several technical methods used to control or restrict the use of digital media content on electronic devices with such technologies installed. The media most often restricted by DRM techniques include music, visual artwork, com...

QuickTime: QuickTime is a multimedia technology developed by Apple Computer, capable of handling various formats of digital video, sound, text, animation, music, and immersive virtual reality panoramic images....