Panasonic, Samsung, SanDisk, Sony, and Toshiba announced today that they're teaming up to launch the "Next Generation Secure Memory Initiative," which is a new step in the DRM (digital rights management) saga. It's designed to allow users to easily (and legally) stream, download, and copy their HD content on "Android-based smartphones and tablets, TVs and Blu-ray products." This wouldn't be the first time that manufacturers built DRM into flash media — Sony's MagicGate and SanDisk's TrustedFlash come to mind — but this new effort is focused on HD video and has the backing of five big players in the industry. The companies say that they expect the technology to be present in flash storage and embedded flash products by next year. There's definitely space for a better DRM solution and a better way to view legally-purchased video on multiple devices — buying a Blu-ray disc only to find out you can only play it on your Blu-ray player or PC isn't the best experience.