Daily News Links

• German media have been told they face prosecution if they publish pictures of celebrities not at public events without permission.  Read more here (from Media Guardian).
• Album sales have continued their downward slide this year, but sales of digital tracks are up almost 50% over this time last year.  Read more here (from the New York Times).
• Despite some road bumps, veteran software developer Marc Canter says there's a way to finally open up social networking so that it makes sense.  Read more here (from CNET News.com).
• Tapping a South Korean inclination to help one another on the Web has made Naver.com the undisputed leader of Internet search in the country.  Read more here (from the New York Times).
• A handful of Web sites have taken amateur restaurant critiquing to new levels, and chefs are taking notice.  Read more here (from the New York Times).
• Belgian court has ruled that an ISP is responsible for blocking illegal file sharing on its network, could set precedent.  Read more here (from PC World).
• Microsoft has predictably dismissed Red Hat's offer of interoperability collaboration sans patent pledge. Red Hat says interoperability can be built on unencumbered open standards, but Microsoft says it won't build bridges without toll booths when dealing with open source.  Read more here (from Ars Technica).
• Foxtel chief executive Kim Williams has launched a stinging attack on Fairfax Media's $520 million decision to buy Southern Cross's radio stations and production house Southern Star, claiming the price Fairfax paid was at "wild variance" with commercial valuations.  Read more here (from The Australian).
• Mobile operator O2 has beat out Vodafone to win the UK contract for Apple's iPhone, expected on sale by Christmas.  Read more here (from PC World).
• Mozilla and eBay have launched Firefox eBay Edition, an eBay focused version of the popular Firefox browser.  Read more here (from TechCrunch).
• Microsoft says that it is facing a $1bn bill to cover the cost of warranties after failings with its Xbox 360.  Read more here (from BBC News).
• Local.com has secured a patent for the delivery of sponsored directory assistance listings via SMS and MMS, positioning itself as the conduit between advertisers, free 411 service providers and mobile search consumers.  Read more here (from Media Post).
• FoxyTunes is releasing a new version that has several upgrades, and a new feature, Signatunes, letting you add music to your emails and blog posts.  Read more here (from Mashable).
• The number of e-mail worms fell sharply in 2007, security vendors say.  Read more here (from PC World).
• A new study shows that gaming is largely an innocuous hobby when it comes to academic performance and effort, but that angle was completely ignored by mainstream media coverage which tried to spin it into arguing just the opposite.  Read more here (from Ars Technica).
• Toshiba says that EDD Bizz has been using its technology to manufacture DVDs in Germany without a licensing agreement.  Read more here (from PC World).
• Microsoft's Zune killed the PlaysForSure initiative, and now Samsung is striking out with its own music store.  Read more here (from CNET News.com).
• Thousands of gamers are in Paris over the next four days for the Electronic Sports World Cup grand final.  Read more here (from BBC News).
• Research in Motion has received clearance to sell its BlackBerry device in China after eight years of trying.  Read more here (from the New York Times).
• On October 11 Microsoft will launch its Xbox 360 Elite in Japan, where Xbox sales are lagging.  Read more here (from PC World).
• A grandmother targeted by the RIAA for file-sharing is striking back at the controversial music industry association, arguing that it has knowingly engaged in "one or more overt acts of unlawful private investigation" to further its case.  Read more here (from Ars Technica).
• Kate Middleton has made two complaints to police since the weekend about harassment by photographers.  Read more here (from Media Guardian).