MySpace Music Takes On iTunes

(NEWSER) - Apple has joined forces with four major record labels on a mission to get music buyers to start buying albums again instead of just single tracks, the Financial Times reports. The project—codenamed "Cocktail"—will bundle album downloads with lyrics sheets, sleeve notes, photos, and assorted interactive features in an effort to lure consumers into buying the whole package. More»

Rival launches today

(NEWSER) - Apple’s iTunes meets its first serious challenge today with the launch of MySpace Music, CNET reports. The second-largest online social network has joined forces with Amazon and the world’s four biggest record labels to offer free streaming and paid downloads. The move also pitches media mogul and MySpace owner Rupert Murdoch against Apple CEO Steve Jobs. More»

Social networking site turns to recording labels in effort to broaden appeal

(NEWSER) - MySpace has spent the past few weeks approaching major record labels, trying to hammer out a deal for a new online music service, the Wall Street Journal reports. The deal—tentatively MySpace Music—would likely let users stream unlimited music for free, and buy downloads that could be played on mp3 players, the Wall Street Journal reports. More»

Promotion deal pushing music companies to switch to DRM-free MP3 format

(NEWSER) - Pepsi and Amazon aren’t music producers, but they may inspire large-scale changes in the industry, Reuters says. The two companies will launch a music download promotion of MP3 songs during the Super Bowl next year, a deal pushing music titans like Warner Music and Sony BMG to consider distributing songs in the same format, which bypasses digital rights management technology. More»

Touch, Classic get capacity upgrades

(NEWSER) - Sure, Steve Jobs stole all the headlines at Apple's shindig today, but there was some product news, too: The new version of the iPod Nano adds a video camera, microphone, and FM tuner, CNET reports. The new Nano also has a slightly larger screen, which is now 2.2 inches instead of 2. At $179, the new 16GB Nano will be $20 cheaper than its predecessor. The 2GB iPod Shuffle is also getting a $20 price cut—to $59. More»