AllThingsD has posted a story that has been generating some buzz this morning. According to Peter Kafka, “multiple sources” tell him that Apple is trying to woo content providers to join a $30 a month subscription plan that will provide iTunes users a variety of TV shows at a flat rate. But don’t get too excited… so far no networks have signed up, nor have the details of what the subscription plan content-wise will provide (i.e. select shows, entire catalog, limited number of shows). What do you think? More Apple rumor mill hype or is this a legitimate plan that can succeed with the right partners? Seems to me that Apple would have a better shot at getting an unlimited music subscription plan going with their established partners than jumping straight to TV.

I don’t know about you, but I was expecting something more from doubleTwist than just the integration of the Amazon MP3 Store after watching the rather cool “Tyranny of Choice” video that mocks Apple’s 1984 parody commercial. In any case, on Oct. 13th doubleTwist users will be able to buy DRM-free music direct from Amazon.com via the application using their account credentials. Afterwards, one will then be able to sync those files — as well as playlists, photos, and video (doubleTwist will transcode them if necessary) — to a variety of handheld and mobile devices. Question: Why do app developers who want to differentiate themselves from iTunes always seem to create apps that look eerily similar to iTunes? In any case, it’s also worth pointing out that you can install Amazon’s own MP3 desktop downloader from here: Windows, Mac, Linux.

You’ve got to give Apple credit for their studio negotiation skills. Today they are announcing that they will be providing iTunes users with a new feature called iTunes Extras. Extras for movies essentially works like DVD extras (except with more interactively) while LP music extras include video interviews, photos, and song lyrics. In addition, iTunes will soon be sporting “Home Sharing” functionality, a new feature that will allow users to copy songs, movies, and TV shows among 5 authorized PCs. [via] MORE »

Sure we’ve seen Mac OS X applications that add UPnP media server functionality to your computer so you can stream content to game consoles (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360) and other DLNA / UPnP-compatible devices. But, now, Yazsoft is introducing a new server called Playback that does the aforementioned duties, and also integrates with iTunes (share playlists, albums, movies), iPhoto, and Aperture. Playback even provides device level access control and bandwidth throttling, so as not to interfere with other applications when you’re working on the PC. Other nice backend features include: lighttpd powered server, growl notification support, spotlight based searching, and thumbnail generation by QuickLook. Price: $15 – 7 day trial demo available.

A while back Apple released the Remote app for iPhone and iPod touch that allowed users to wirelessly control iTunes on their Mac. Now, Apple has added finger gesture control functionality to Apple TV — requires Apple TV software update 2.4 and the latest version of Remote. Another nice feature of Remote, users have the ability to search for media using the handset’s QWERTY keyboard. [via] MORE »

Friends and family always ask me how they can transfer their iTunes music collection to another PC or external hard drive without ruining things. Thankfully, I can now point people to the following CNET video that walks you through what you need to do in order to copy your Windows’ or Mac’s iTunes media collection to a separate internal or external hard drive. There’s also some good preparation tips to take heed. [via]

The moment many of you HP (EX485/EX487) MediaSmart Server owners have been waiting for has arrived. You can now download your free copy of iStream from iTunes to gain remote access of your server’s stored photos, music, and videos via your iPhone or iPod touch (no syncing required). HP cautions, however, that copy protected files may not stream properly — so keep that in mind. Also, HP recommends downloading the latest software updates for your MediaSmart Server and your iPhone or iPod touch before installing iStream. [via]

Back in Janauary Phil Schiller announced in his keynote at Macworld Expo that Apple would soon be moving to a variable pricing model and provide their entire music collection to a DRM-Free, 256Kbps AAC music format. Well, today is the day that all of that has come to pass. Apple is now selling music on iTunes for 69¢, 99¢, and $1.29. Unfortunately, no one knows exactly how Apple and the studios go about pegging price points to individual songs, but it looks like most of the music listed in the iTunes’ “Top Songs” list will be selling for $1.29. iTunes users with existing lower-quality, DRM-encumbered music libraries, of course, can now “upgrade to iTunes Plus” at a 30¢ per song premium (music video upgrades are 60¢ and entire albums can be upgraded for 30 percent of the album price).

UPDATE: Ars Technica – Variable pricing spreads to Amazon, Lala, Rhapsody, Wal-Mart (4/8/09)

Vuze fans will be happy to learn the the latest 4.2 release has added a new “Devices” tab that enables users to play their Vuze downloaded content on game consoles like the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. In addition, Vuze can also add downloaded content to your iTunes library for playback on Apple TV or iPhone / iPod. Note: in all instances, Vuze can create a console or player compatible version of a downloaded file on-the-fly if needed. If it’s been a while since you’ve used Vuze (formerly Azureus), you definitely need to take it for a spin. The Vuze dashboard and social / community publishing features is taking Azureus to the next level as a content platform. [via]

Starting today, via iTunes 8.1 and above, users can now purchase HD movies for $19.99 or rent them for $4.99 sometime within 30 days of a movie’s initial debut in the iTunes Store. In addition, users can order movies in advance and have them delivered to their computer as soon as they become available. Some sites are also reporting that customers get a “bonus” SD copy of their purchase for use on the iPhone or iPod; however, I’m not seeing that in the company’s press release (attached below). Please leave a note in the comments, if you find that information to be correct. My guess is that the iPhone / iPod compatible version mentioned in the press release is one that the iTunes software will create for you from the original HD file.

UPDATE: iTunes HD Movies Won’t Play on Older Non-HDCP Monitors MORE »