There has been an increasing trend in the technical hardware industry to produce products that are specifically designed to restrict functionality of the product. For example: Apple iPod, Apple iPad, Microsoft Xbox, Sony Playstation and the Nintendo Wii.
This restricted functionality can be everything from only allowing applications accepted by the vendor, preventing certain formats to be played or the famous example of DVD players that only play movies from the allowed region. Why should you, the consumer be buying a product that helps the media companies to monopolize and fix prices?