Online Music Sales Surge in Britain

In case people get music from a cloud, not an iPod

(NEWSER) - Apple has bought the online music service Lala to broaden its reach in the digital music business. Lala relies on so-called cloud computing: It allows users to buy songs for 10 cents and listen to them on the web, but they're not downloaded to the person's hard drive or devices like iPods. More importantly, Lala is developing an iPhone app to make it even easier to get music on the go, notes the Wall Street Journal . More»

(NEWSER) - Apple will unveil a new line of iPods complete with point-and-click cameras on Sept. 9, Apple Insider reports. In addition to the 3.2-megapixel camera—which, according to a “Taiwanese rumor site,” will grace the probable last-generation hard-drive iPod in addition to the Flash-based Nano and Touch—Apple may also unveil iTunes 9. The new software will likely include social networking features, a first for the Mac maker. More»

At least five sites can help

(NEWSER) - Sure, you can listen to the hundreds of gigs of music you have on your computer—but why limit yourself? Mashable lists the top Web sites and applications to help you really utilize your audio library:

• Last.fm: One of the Web’s most popular music social networks, the site’s best feature is Scrobbler, which analyzes your listening habits and gives you recommendations based on your own tastes.

Teen trades his Apple for a Sony for 1 week

(NEWSER) - In honor of the debut 30 years ago this week of the Sony Walkman, 13-year old Scott Campbell tried using the device for a week in place of his iPod. Campbell found the gadget took some getting used to, he writes for the BBC: “It took me three days to figure out that there was another side to the tape." More»

Apple, Microsoft take page from Pandora's book in broadening users' horizons

(NEWSER) - In test-driving new software from Apple and Microsoft designed to facilitate music discovery for users of their respective media players, Walter Mossberg gives the edge to Zune’s system over rival iTunes’ upgrades. “Though I didn't happen to have as much time to use Zune's software as I did Apple's Genius, I got more out of my Zune experience,” he writes in the Wall Street Journal. More»