SeeqPod
Encyclopedia
SeeqPod was a search and recommendation engine specifically for indexing and finding playable search results including audio, video, podcasts and Wikipedia articles that are publicly accessible on the World Wide Web
. The site claimed to have indexed more than 13 million individual tracks and files. On April 1, 2009, SeeqPod filed for bankruptcy protection under chapter 11. The service is currently unavailable. In August 2010, Intertrust Technologies
announced that it had acquired all software and patents developed by SeeqPod, Inc. via the Chapter 7 Bankruptcy proceeding. Intertrust did not acquire the domain names used by the company.
GenoPharm’s unique algorithm mimics the way a biologist searches through biomedical literature for connections between genes. The system, meant to serve as an add-on to a biologists brain, has allowed researches to find indirect connections between genes and therapies that had never been noticed before. This expedited the research process, allowing biologists to do in minutes what normally would have taken days.
The unique ability to understand complex, hidden relationships between genes and diseases was soon applied to playable media content on the internet under the name SeeqPod.
Since SeeqPod is powered by the GenoPharm algorithm, the engine solves search queries by linking relevant information automatically from each analyzed source of information, creating connections similar to how the human brain might. This is in contrast to the traditional search engines, which rely mostly on familiar keyword associations.
R&D Magazine recognized the development of SeeqPod's search technology by naming it the winner of the 2008 R&D 100 Award in Software, dubbed the 'Oscars of Innovation' by The Chicago Tribune.
A number of record companies have attempted to sue SeeqPod, including Warner Music Group, Elektra Records, Rhino Records, and most recently EMI and Capitol Records. In addition, a multi-billion dollar lawsuit was filed by EMI and Capitol Records against Kasian Franks
as the founder of SeeqPod. However, the suit from EMI and Capitol Records was recently thrown out of court.
Due to economic conditions and litigation, SeeqPod filed for bankruptcy protection on April 1, 2009 and continues its acquisition talks with a number of companies interested in its technology. Around this time, the company looked at changing its business model by potentially licensing its technology to third-party developers. Some speculated that SeeqPod had been purchased by Microsoft or that the company has licensed SeeqPod's software. , the SeeqPod service is unavailable, it no longer redirects to another website.
SeeqPod founder and CEO/CVO, Kasian Franks has recently started another company, Mimvi Inc., which uses specialized algorithms to automatically aggregate, re-rank, organize and personalize digital content on the Internet and on mobile devices. Mimvi focuses on personalized search
, discovery and recommendation technology for video content including music, travel and comedy. This technology is also applied to a consumer search engine that serves as a "Google" for discovering mobile apps for the iPhone/iPod/iPad, Android, Symbian and Windows Mobile platforms. Though the service is currently in private alpha mode, the company will be publicly traded starting in the end of February 2010.
In April 2010, SeeqPod was acquired by Bloson, a social network with the purpose of raising money for charitable causes. Bloson specifically acquired SeeqPod’s domain and the contact information of its user base, which equals around 4 million users.
, along with Elektra Records
and Rhino Records, filed a complaint against SeeqPod in the U.S. District Court Central District of California. Warner Music Group alleges that SeeqPod is liable for copyright infringement by linking to sites containing unauthorized and illegal copies of copyrighted music. The complaint points to SeeqPod’s ability to search for a particular type of content – music – that is copyrighted. SeeqPod is claiming safe harbor under Title II of the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act
(DMCA), the Online Copyright Infringement Liability Limitation Act
("OCILLA"), which creates a safe harbor for online service providers (OSPs, including ISPs) against copyright liability if they adhere to and qualify for certain prescribed safe harbor guidelines and promptly block access to allegedly infringing material (or remove such material from their systems) if they receive a notification claiming infringement from a copyright holder or the copyright holder's agent. In February 2009, Capitol Records
and EMI
filed a complaint against SeeqPod and its search engine technology.
While similar cases have been filed against YouTube
, MP3Tunes.com, Veoh
, PornoTube
, and Divx/Stage 6, this case is particularly important as it directly tests how copyright law applies to search engines. Unlike the before-mentioned cases, which involve hosting copyrighted material, SeeqPod is the first to be sued for merely searching and presenting media available on other people's servers.
World Wide Web
The World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet...
. The site claimed to have indexed more than 13 million individual tracks and files. On April 1, 2009, SeeqPod filed for bankruptcy protection under chapter 11. The service is currently unavailable. In August 2010, Intertrust Technologies
InterTrust Technologies
Intertrust Technologies Corporation invents, develops, and licenses software, technologies and intellectual property for Digital Rights Management and trusted computing. The company holds over 150 patents and has over 300 patent applications pending worldwide...
announced that it had acquired all software and patents developed by SeeqPod, Inc. via the Chapter 7 Bankruptcy proceeding. Intertrust did not acquire the domain names used by the company.
History
SeeqPod's search and recommendation technology is anchored by a biomimetic algorithm originally developed at the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab under the name GenoPharm.GenoPharm’s unique algorithm mimics the way a biologist searches through biomedical literature for connections between genes. The system, meant to serve as an add-on to a biologists brain, has allowed researches to find indirect connections between genes and therapies that had never been noticed before. This expedited the research process, allowing biologists to do in minutes what normally would have taken days.
The unique ability to understand complex, hidden relationships between genes and diseases was soon applied to playable media content on the internet under the name SeeqPod.
Since SeeqPod is powered by the GenoPharm algorithm, the engine solves search queries by linking relevant information automatically from each analyzed source of information, creating connections similar to how the human brain might. This is in contrast to the traditional search engines, which rely mostly on familiar keyword associations.
R&D Magazine recognized the development of SeeqPod's search technology by naming it the winner of the 2008 R&D 100 Award in Software, dubbed the 'Oscars of Innovation' by The Chicago Tribune.
A number of record companies have attempted to sue SeeqPod, including Warner Music Group, Elektra Records, Rhino Records, and most recently EMI and Capitol Records. In addition, a multi-billion dollar lawsuit was filed by EMI and Capitol Records against Kasian Franks
Kasian Franks
Kasian Franks is the founder, CEO, and CVO of Mimvi.-Career:Franks was born and raised in Berkeley California. At UC Berkeley, he studied Computer Science and Software Engineering. While at UC Berkeley, Franks consulted for Genentech and eventually started his own company in 1993, The Berkeley...
as the founder of SeeqPod. However, the suit from EMI and Capitol Records was recently thrown out of court.
Due to economic conditions and litigation, SeeqPod filed for bankruptcy protection on April 1, 2009 and continues its acquisition talks with a number of companies interested in its technology. Around this time, the company looked at changing its business model by potentially licensing its technology to third-party developers. Some speculated that SeeqPod had been purchased by Microsoft or that the company has licensed SeeqPod's software. , the SeeqPod service is unavailable, it no longer redirects to another website.
SeeqPod founder and CEO/CVO, Kasian Franks has recently started another company, Mimvi Inc., which uses specialized algorithms to automatically aggregate, re-rank, organize and personalize digital content on the Internet and on mobile devices. Mimvi focuses on personalized search
Personalized search
Personalized search refers to search experiences that are tailored specifically to an individual's interests by incorporating information about the individual beyond specific query provided. Pitkow et al...
, discovery and recommendation technology for video content including music, travel and comedy. This technology is also applied to a consumer search engine that serves as a "Google" for discovering mobile apps for the iPhone/iPod/iPad, Android, Symbian and Windows Mobile platforms. Though the service is currently in private alpha mode, the company will be publicly traded starting in the end of February 2010.
In April 2010, SeeqPod was acquired by Bloson, a social network with the purpose of raising money for charitable causes. Bloson specifically acquired SeeqPod’s domain and the contact information of its user base, which equals around 4 million users.
Criticism
On January 18, 2008, Warner Music GroupWarner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
, along with Elektra Records
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
and Rhino Records, filed a complaint against SeeqPod in the U.S. District Court Central District of California. Warner Music Group alleges that SeeqPod is liable for copyright infringement by linking to sites containing unauthorized and illegal copies of copyrighted music. The complaint points to SeeqPod’s ability to search for a particular type of content – music – that is copyrighted. SeeqPod is claiming safe harbor under Title II of the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act
Digital Millennium Copyright Act
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act is a United States copyright law that implements two 1996 treaties of the World Intellectual Property Organization . It criminalizes production and dissemination of technology, devices, or services intended to circumvent measures that control access to...
(DMCA), the Online Copyright Infringement Liability Limitation Act
Online Copyright Infringement Liability Limitation Act
The Online Copyright Infringement Liability Limitation Act is United States federal law that creates a conditional safe harbor for online service providers and other Internet intermediaries by shielding them for their own acts of direct copyright infringement as well as...
("OCILLA"), which creates a safe harbor for online service providers (OSPs, including ISPs) against copyright liability if they adhere to and qualify for certain prescribed safe harbor guidelines and promptly block access to allegedly infringing material (or remove such material from their systems) if they receive a notification claiming infringement from a copyright holder or the copyright holder's agent. In February 2009, Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
and EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
filed a complaint against SeeqPod and its search engine technology.
While similar cases have been filed against YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
, MP3Tunes.com, Veoh
Veoh
Veoh is an Internet television company based in San Diego, California. It allows users to find and watch major studio content, independent productions and user-generated material. The company is a subsidiary of Israeli start-up Qlipso....
, PornoTube
PornoTube
PornoTube is an advertising-supported pornographic website that provides audio, videos, and photos of explicit sex for free.-Background:It allows its users to upload their own pornographic media . It is one of the highest-traffic pornographic sites on the Internet along with YouPorn and has been...
, and Divx/Stage 6, this case is particularly important as it directly tests how copyright law applies to search engines. Unlike the before-mentioned cases, which involve hosting copyrighted material, SeeqPod is the first to be sued for merely searching and presenting media available on other people's servers.
See also
- GroovesharkGroovesharkGrooveshark is an international online music search engine, music streaming service and music recommendation web software application, allowing users to search for, stream, and upload music that can be played immediately or added to a playlist...
- imeemImeemThe online service imeem was a social media web site where users interacted with each other by streaming, uploading and sharing music and music videos...
- Last.fmLast.fmLast.fm is a music website, founded in the United Kingdom in 2002. It has claimed 30 million active users in March 2009. On 30 May 2007, CBS Interactive acquired Last.fm for UK£140m ....
- Pandora (music service)Pandora (music service)Pandora Radio is an automated music recommendation service and custodian of the Music Genome Project available only in the United States. The service plays musical selections similar to song suggestions entered by a user...
- ShareTheMusicShareTheMusicShareTheMusic is an Internet platform for legal and free music sharing, owned by Desh, ltd.It was launched worldwide on 26 October 2009. In December 2009 ShareTheMusic.com has been admitted to Microsoft BizSpark .The guiding idea of the service was to make it possible for all the Internet users,...
- SongzaSongzaSongza is a web radio that streams music for free. Songza is different from other web radio services for two reasons: the stations on Songza are made by people and Songza helps people find stations by personalizing the Songza experience based on a user's interests and by displaying an activity feed...
- jamendoJamendoJamendo is a music website and a community of music authors. It bills itself as "the world's #1 platform for free and legal music downloads under Creative Commons licenses."...
External links
- SeeqPod Suit Thoughts – Comments on Warner Music Group's lawsuit against SeeqPod
- PC World – Five Ways to Share Music Without Getting Sued
- Macworld – Seeq and ye shall find
- Programmable Web – SeeqPod API
- Mashable – SeeqPod is an Active Music Search & Discovery Tool
- R&D Awards List 2008