Megabox: For your spies only

Megaupload Founder Kim Dotcom, who today received an apology from New Zealand’s Prime Minister over an illegal spying operation, has released a video preview of his new artist-to-fan service Megabox.

As previously reported, Dotcom was arrested in a raid at his home in New Zealand in January this year. Today’s revelation that NZ authorities carried out illegal surveillance on Dotcom, following reports that search warrants used during the raid were illegal, could deal a serious blow to US authorities attempting to extradite Dotcom (Actual surname Schmitz). The extradition hearing has been pushed to March 2013.

Referring to the Government Communications and Security Bureau (GCSB), Prime Minister John Key said: "It is the GCSB's responsibility to act within the law, and it is hugely disappointing that in this case its actions fell outside the law".

Dotcom remains adamant that Megaupload, which attracted over 50 million visitors each day was merely an online storage facility and has accused Hollywood of lobbying the US Government to prosecute him.

Dotcom certainly seems to span the genres- leaping from gangster action to conspiracy then straight to spies, suspiciously in time for the release of new Bond film- is he actually in league with Hollywood after all, in some kind of Byzantine film noir twist?

Dotcom is preparing to launch Megabox, essentially a direct-to-fan service in which users can choose to give away tracks and earn revenue from ads and various other options, pocketing 90% of all revenue. The video features Radiohead and Rihanna, though it's unclear if these artists will officially feature as part of the service- it seems unlikely.

Watch the video here.