Tag: iTunes

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EMI Music and Apple Offers DRM-Free Digital Music Download

London, 2 April 2007

EMI Music today announces that it is making all of its music catalogue at a higher quality (higher bitrate) and free of Digital Rights Management (DRM) restrictions. EMI Music is giving an option to online music retailer to sell the DRM-free music in the format of their choice. EMI Music group is giving customers the option to purchase music with DRM at a lower price with lower bitrate or to purchase DRM-free music at higher bitrate.

Apple‘s iTunes Store is the first online music store to bring EMI’s offering to the consumer. The pricing and offers are good only for tracks by EMI Artists:

  • Individual track encoded in 128 kbps AAC with Apple FairPlay DRM costs $0.99/€0.99/£0.79
  • Individual track encoded in DRM-free 256 kbps AAC costs $0.99/€0.99/£0.79
  • iTunes customers can upgrade their previoulsly purchased 128 kbps AAC with DRM to DRM-free 256 kbps AAC for only $0.30/€0.30/£0.20 per track
  • Complete album purchased on iTunes is automatically sold as DRM-free 256 kbps AAC at no extra costs

EMI Music will still employ DRM on digital music subscriptions, due to the nature of the service itself.

In addition to the deal with Apple, EMI also states that such deal will be made available to other online music store. EMI has given online music stores the options to encode the songs in the format of their choice (AAC, MP3, WMA, or any other unprotected format).

On February 6th, 2007, Apple published Steve Jobs’ open letter on Music and Digital Rights Management (DRM). In the letter, Steve Jobs calls for the removal of DRM from online music store, noting that music has been sold without any digital restrictions for years in the forms of records, tapes, and CD. EMI Music then contacted Apple to offer DRM-free digital music download.

EMI Music Group Press Release:
http://www.emigroup.com/Press/2007/press18.htm

Related:
http://www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughtsonmusic/

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Apple Inc. Turns 31

Founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne on April 1st, 1976, Apple Inc. turns 31 year old today.

Apple Inc. 31 year old

Happy Birthday, Apple.

The year 2007 is a significant year for Apple Inc.
During MacWorld San Francisco 2007 keynote, Steve Jobs announced name change from Apple Computer Inc. to Apple Inc.

Apple released AppleTV in mid-March, after it was announced on MacWorld San Francisco 2007. It was originally scheduled for release in February, but for some reasons that Apple wouldn’t provide it was delayed till March.

Two other products from Apple is coming in 2007. The first one is the much anticipated Apple iPhone, as it was announced on MacWorld San Francisco 2007. Apple has been rumored to have been working on a mobile phone for the past 3 years. Steve Jobs revealed the existence of the project and announced its scheduled release sometimes in June 2007. The Apple iPhone has been dominating the tech news starting with the rumors of its existence, its announcement, and the trademark lawsuit filed by Cisco. Apple and Cisco settled the dispute in a relatively short time after. Both company agreed upon the usage of iPhone trademark.

The other product coming in 2007 is Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard. Currently it is tracking for Spring 2007 release date. Remember, Spring Season ends on June 20th. It is speculated that Apple will release Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard during Apple’s WorldWide Developer Conference, taking place on June 11 to June 15. Mac community hungers for any news regarding anything Mac and anything Apple. One rumor stated that Leopard would be delayed until october due to some dubious reasons. So far, Apple has been tight lipped about Leopard release date. One thing remains the same: Apple affirms that Leopard will be released in Spring 2007.

For Apple, the year 2007 is the beginning of “The Next 30 Years”.

http://www.apple.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Inc.

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South Park: Season 11 Episode 5 – “Fantastic Easter Special”

South Park: Season 11 Episode 5 – “Fantastic Easter Special”
Original Air Date: 2007-04-04

Note:

From South Park Studios: (announced on April 1st, 2007)

Determined to get the real story behind why he has to decorate eggs for Easter, Stan falls in with an eccentric society that guards a legendary secret.

From Comedy Central Press Release:

It’s a “fantastic easter special” on an all-new “South Park” on Wednesday, April 4 at 10:00 P.M.

Stan refuses to decorate another Easter egg in an all-new “South Park” entitled, “Fantastic Easter Special,” premiering on Wednesday, April 4 at 10:00 p.m. (ET/PT) on Comedy Central.

Season 11 Episode 5 - Season 11 Episode 5 -

Discussion about the episode, here.

South Park Season 11 on iTunes Store – UNCENSORED (available on Saturday April 07th, 2007)

If you are looking for South Park episode, you can get it at iTunes Store instead of downloading the AVI or RM files off torrents from site likes mrtwig.net.

Remember downloading TV episodes off torrents is generally frowned upon by the TV networks or Viacom. Viacom will sue you and YouTube and Google and everyone. It’d be very very very wrong to download South Park episodes off torrent sites such as mrtwig.net where you can find high quality South Park episodes in AVI and RM. So please, do not download the episode torrent from site like mrtwig.net where the high quality AVI and RM torrents are posted within the hour after the episode aired on Comedy Central.

You may be able to find the “Fantastic Easter Special” torrent at sites like mininova, but remember that Comedy Central and Viacom don’t want you to do so.

Meanwhile, South Park – The Complete Ninth Season DVD was released on March 06th, 2007. It includes the infamous “Trapped in A Closet” and the Emmy® Award-winning episode, “Best Friends Forever.”

South Park Studios is the official South Park site and that’s where all the new informations come from. There will be no spoilers discussed here until the episode airs.

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South Park: Season 11 Episode 3 – “Lice Capades”

South Park: Season 11 Episode 3 – “Lice Capades”
Original air Date: 2007-03-21

From South Park Studios:

An infestation of head lice plagues South Park Elementary. When Garrison refuses to name names, Cartman finds a way to detect who has lice so they can make fun of the unfortunate kid.

South Park Season 11 Episode 3 Blowtorch Press Image

South Park Season 11 on iTunes Store – UNCENSORED (available on Saturday – March 24th, 2007)

If you are looking for South Park episode, you can get it at iTunes Store instead of downloading the AVI or RM files off torrents from site likes mrtwig.net.

Remember downloading TV episodes off torrents is generally frowned upon by the TV networks. It’d be very very very wrong to download South Park episodes off torrent sites such as mrtwig.net where you can find high quality South Park episodes in AVI and RM.

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Megadeth: “A Tout Le Monde (Set Me Free)” Digital Single on April 23rd, 2007

UPDATE:
Roadrunnerrecords.com mentions that the digital single will be on sale on April 14th. The release date might be different in different countries/territories.

According to Roadrunner Records UK, Megadeth’s first single off “United Abominations” CD will be released on April 23rd as digital single. It is currently unclear if “A Tout Le Monde (Set Me Free)” digital single will only be released exclusively in the UK. The single might appear on iTunes Store, Napster, Zune Store, etc.
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.co.uk/news/sendto.aspx?newsitemID=15562

Megadeth‘s “United Abominations” is scheduled for release on May 15th, 2007. The single “A Tout Le Monde (Set Me Free)” was originally rearranged and re-recorded as bonus track/B-side for Japanese market and for the future special edition of the CD. The new version of the song features vocals by Christina Scabbia (Lacuna Coil) and additional original guitar solo by Glen Drover. The video for the song was shot in Los Angeles on March 8th and 9th, shortly before Megadeth went on the road supporting Heaven and Hell (Dio-era Black Sabbath).

“Set Me Free (A Tout Le Monde)” was released as radio single on March 16th, 2007. Dave Mustaine explained that the song is now titled “A Tout Le Monde (Set Me Free)” for the CD and “Set Me Free (A Tout Le Monde)” for the radio.

“United Abominations”

  1. Sleepwalker (lyrics and mp3 download)
  2. Washington Is Next! (lyrics)
  3. Never Walk Alone
  4. United Abominations (lyrics)
  5. Gears Of War (lyrics and demo mp3 download)
  6. Blessed Are The Dead
  7. Play For Blood
  8. A Tout Le Monde (Set Me Free) – feat. Christina Scabbia
  9. Amerikhastan
  10. You’re Dead
  11. Burnt Ice
  12. Out On The Tiles (Japan Only – However this special track may appear in extraordinary circumstances)
  13. Black Swan (The B-Sides for Special Editions)
  14. The Bodies Left Behind (The B-Sides for Special Editions)
  15. Special Live Track (The B-Sides for Special Editions)

Megadeth “United Abominations” Line-Up:
Dave Mustaine – Lead Vocals, Lead, Rhythm and Acoustic Guitars
Glen Drover – Lead and Rhythm Guitars
James LoMenzo – Bass
Shawn Drover – Drums

Megadeth DVD “That One Night – Live in Buenos Aires” is now available for purchase at Amazon.com. It was released on March 06, 2007.

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Apple Releases iTunes 7.1.1

Apple updates iTunes again, 11 days after version 7.1 was released.

iTunes 7.1.1 addresses a stability issue and minor compatibility problems in iTunes 7.1.

http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/

In somewhat related news, Apple has also re-released iPod shuffle Reset Utility and renamed it to simply iPod Reset Utility. The utility supports 1st and 2nd generation iPod shuffle. (03.15.2007)

About iPod Reset Utility 1.0 for Windows

Use iPod Reset Utility to restore the following iPod models back to their factory settings, when iTunes is unable to do so:
– iPod shuffle (1st Generation)
– iPod shuffle (2nd Generation)

iPod Reset Utility 1.0 for Mac – 3.4MB
iPod Reset Utility 1.0 for Windows – 2.2MB

If you’re using Windows Vista and iTunes, please read the following Apple knowledgebase:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=305042

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South Park: Season 11 Episode 2 – “Cartman Sucks”

This week on South Park:
“Bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha……..”
Yet another ridiculous South Park episode.

From South Park Studios:

Butters has to go to a special camp where they “pray the gay away.”

As always, Cartman hit this one out of the park. You’ll laugh with Cartman. You’ll laugh at Cartman.

Synopsis from iTunes Store:

“Cartman S***s”

When his “ultimate plan” to embarrass Butters backfires, Cartman struggles to keep his classmates from seeing a compromising photograph. Meanwhile, Butters is sent to a special camp where they “Pray the Gay Away.”

South Park Season 11 on iTunes Store – UNCENSORED

If you are looking for South Park episode, you can get it at iTunes Store instead of downloading it off torrents from site likes mrtwig.net.

Remember downloading TV episodes off torrents is generally frowned upon by the TV networks. It’d be very very very wrong to download South Park episodes off torrent sites.