iTunes

Apple has added movies from two indipendent companies. Apple has not yet commented on the release of indie content in iTunes. The snowboarding movie "That" from Forum Snowboards and movies from Studio 411 are available now. While these independant films seem to focums on sporting themes, other indie producers are sure to dying to get their films on iTunes. Anyone still has the capability to release video content for free via podcasts in iTunes. This does not allow them to charge for the content if its in the podcast section.  "That" is currently being sold for $1.99 while other movies in this section are selling for Apples standard $9.99 movie pricing.  Variety

Electronics arts puts some of the best sounding music in their games, which will now be available on iTunes.  Music from games like Madden NFL, Burnout, Need for Speed and many others will be available. Every song that can be heard in these games can now be purchased via iTunes as well as exclusive mixes. EA Music

IFC Entertainment today announced that its independent theatrical catalog will now be available on the iTunes Store ( www.itunes.com). Included in the announcement are all IFC's 2007 Independent Spirit Award nominees. This is the premier award for the independent film community and for the 2007 Spirit Award competition IFC Entertainment received the most Spirit Awards nominations of any one film company.

Apple, which launched its online video service in the United States 15 months ago, is about to take its first step into conquering the European market, Luxembourg's economy minister said.

"Apple is going to extend its electronic retail activities in Luxembourg by launching this coming spring its iTunes video platform for the sale of videos in Europe," Jeannot Krecke told AFP, confirming press reports.

The iPod maker is expected to make two announcements this week - the first will be to allow streaming of protected AAC content via USB; the second will be to licence its Fairplay DRM to the company's Made For iPod licencees.

This will have the effect of enabling you to play songs bought from the iTunes Store through third party devices like hi-fis using digital connections. It may also mean that devices like iPod docks will be able to display more information - artwork and other track info, for example - which is stored alongside the protected audio. Tech.co.uk

Apple's iTunes music store has sold over 2 Billion song downloades to date. ITMS has just moved into the 4th spot on the music sales list passing Amazon. They are selling at a rate of 5 million songs per day.

NBC News said Monday it will offer "NBC Nightly News" and "Meet the Press" via video podcast free on iTunes.

While NBC has been streaming its video on MSNBC.com and offering audio of both shows as audio podcasts, this will be the first time that both shows will be available for video download.

"NBC Nightly News" will be available every weeknight at 10 p.m. EST; "Meet the Press" will be available via video podcast at 1 p.m. EST, both after their West Coast airings. The "NBC Nightly News" video podcast begins Tuesday. Link

The Walt Disney Co. has sold 125,000 digital copies of films through Apple Computer Inc.'s iTunes store in less than a week, generating $1 million, Disney chief executive Robert Iger said Tuesday. Disney expects revenue of $50 million in the first year from its iTunes partnership, Iger said at an investment conference in New York sponsored by Goldman Sachs. "Clearly customers are saying to us they want content in multiple ways," Iger said.

Several rivals of Apple Computer Inc. plan digital music devices to work closely with their own online music services, just as Apple's iPods and iTunes do, The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.

RealNetworks Inc. on Monday plans to announce a deal with SanDisk Corp. to sell a digital music device that is designed to work with RealNetworks' online music service, Rhapsody, according to The Journal.

The National Football League (NFL) and Apple® announced that they will bring 2006 NFL regular season action to the iTunes® Store (www.itunes.com ), offering video downloads of highlights from individual NFL games the day after they are played.

For the first time ever, football fans will be able to download highlights of each NFL regular season game for $1.99 per game. Fans may purchase a "Follow Your Team" Season Pass for $24.99 and have game clips from their favorite teams delivered automatically as they become available for viewing on a computer or iPod®.

Apple® today announced iTunes® 7, the most significant enhancement to the world’s most popular music jukebox and online music and video store since it debuted in 2001. iTunes 7 delivers stunning new features such as the new album and Cover Flow views of music, TV shows and movies, enabling users to quickly find titles in their library as well as casually browse through and re-discover titles they already own. In addition, the iTunes Store (www.itunes.com) is now offering over 75 movies from Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar, Touchstone Pictures and Miramax Films, that customers can purchase and download to watch on their computers and iPods, and soon on their flat screen televisions with Apple’s upcoming iTV* player. Movies will become available on the iTunes Store the same day they are released on DVD, with new releases priced at $12.99 when pre-ordered and during their first week of availability, and $14.99 thereafter, and library titles available for just $9.99 every day.

“Here we go again! First music, then TV shows, and now movies,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “In less than one year we’ve grown from offering just five TV shows to offering over 220 TV shows, and we hope to do the same with movies. iTunes is selling over one million videos a week, and we hope to match this with movies in less than a year.”

 When Apple raises the curtain on Tuesday's "special event," it will likely signal its deepest push yet into the living rooms of both Mac and PC users, according to a vast cadre of Apple watchers.

If the analysts and enthusiasts are on target, the iTunes store and client software will soon offer the option of movie downloads, expanding its offerings from music, television shows and music videos to feature films. Also expected are new iPod Nanos--perhaps with wireless capabilities--to shore up the iPod juggernaut for the holiday season.

During their quarterly conference call Lions gate listed several deals they have secured for Movie download.  Listed were Cinemad now, MovieLink, iTunes and two more unlisted options. This just adds some more fuel to speculation of what the next iPod might be. Report

A&E Television Networks and Apple® today announced hit television programming from A&E Network, The Biography and History Channels is now available for purchase and download on the iTunes® Music Store. The new content features popular series such as “Criss Angel: Mindfreak,” “Driving Force” and “Inked” from A&E Network, “The Revolution” and “Modern Marvels” from The History Channel, and selections from the Emmy Award-winning “Biography” series from The Biography Channel. iTunes offers over 200 TV shows for $1.99 per episode for viewing on a computer or iPod®.

“Teaming up with iTunes is a great opportunity for us to both reach our growing fan base and expand our reach to new viewers wherever they are,” said Steve Ronson, senior vice president, Enterprises, A&E Television Network. “iTunes is the leader in TV show downloads, and we are very happy that A&E Television Network brands and programming will now be available to consumers on their iPod or computer.”

Apple® today launched the “Summer of Music” in Japan with free music from iTunes®, Japan’s favorite online music store, collectible iTunes Cards and exclusive live performances at Apple Retail Stores. All summer long, iTunes is offering free music, music videos and collectible iTunes Cards featuring free downloads from the hottest artists in Japan, including Ken Ishii, Simon Le Bon, Hifana, and the world premiere of a brand new video from Beck. Music fans at Summer Sonic will receive collectible iTunes Cards with free music downloads on August 12 in Tokyo and on August 13 in Osaka. Apple’s seven Retail Stores in Japan are holding in-store performances with favorite local and international artists, including upcoming performances by PE’Z and She Wants Revenge.

“The iTunes Music Store in Japan has been embraced by artists and music fans alike and now features a catalog of over two million songs,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of iTunes. “We’re thrilled to launch the ‘Summer of Music’ in Japan with free music from iTunes, Japan’s number one online music store, and exclusive Apple Retail Store performances.”

Apple® today announced that music fans have purchased and downloaded more than 200 million songs from its European iTunes® Music Stores in just over two years, and the iTunes music catalog now includes more than three million songs from major music companies and over 1,000 independent record labels.

Launched in the UK, France and Germany in June 2004, the iTunes Music Store now operates in 17 European countries including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. All iTunes Music Stores offer the same innovative features, breakthrough pricing and seamless integration with iPod® that have made iTunes the number one online music service in the world.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS, Inc.) and Apple® today announced that hit programming from CNN, Adult Swim and Cartoon Network is now available for purchase and download on the iTunes® Music Store (www.itunes.com). The new content features such favorites as Cartoon Network’s “Johnny Bravo,” Adult Swim’s “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” and original episodes of the award-winning documentary series “CNN Presents,” all available for viewing on a computer or iPod®.

For the last three months, Adult Swim has been offering free video podcasts via iTunes, ranking among the most popular television podcasts on the service. In addition to this new effort, CNN has been offering original podcasts, as well as “Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer” and “Reliable Sources” to iTunes users for free for just over a month. Apple

Growing numbers of fans are protesting online when labels delay the digital release of hit radio singles. But these consumer complaints are doing little to stop record companies from deferring the availability of downloads.
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Just ask fans of "Hustlin'," the chart-climbing track from rapper Rick Ross.

User forums inside the iTunes Music Store are burning up with posts clamoring for the song, which has been at radio for more than 22 weeks. Ross' label, Island Def Jam, is yet to offer it for sale as a digital download.

E! Entertainment and Apple® today announced that hit programs from E! Entertainment Television are now available for purchase and download on the iTunes® Music Store (www.itunes.com). New weekly episodes of the second season of hit series “The Girls Next Door,” which debuts July 30 on E!, “The Soup,” E!'s irreverent look at the week's biggest, best and most bizarre moments and events in the world of pop culture, the new season of “Dr. 90210,” as well as all new episodes of “The Simple Life: ‘Til Death Do Us Part” starring Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie will be available the day after broadcast for customers to purchase and download for just $1.99 per episode.