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.

Now here’s a music subscription model I can endorse! Microsoft is announcing that it has made agreements with major and independent music labels to offer unlimited, on-demand access to its subscription music service, Zune Pass, for $14.99 per month. But the best part… each month subscribers will get to KEEP 10 tracks to add to their permanent collection at no additional charge. What’s more, according to the company’s press release (attached below), Zune will soon have 90% of its music collection available in DRM-free MP3 format. MORE »

Leaders in music, retail and flash memory technology today announced they’re bringing consumers an innovative, new physical music format, dubbed “slotMusic™.” microSD™ cards will soon be made available with pre-loaded, high quality, DRM-free MP3 music of top artists from EMI Music, SONY BMG, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group. A selection of slotMusic cards will first be available at brick-and-mortar and online stores throughout the U.S., including Best Buy and Wal-Mart, with Europe to follow. A complete list of slotMusic albums, availability and pricing will be announced in time for the coming holiday season. SanDisk Corporation, inventor of the ubiquitous microSD format, is leading the technology development behind slotMusic. MORE »

Bad news Yahoo! Music users (and an other example of why we and others have warned you that DRM sucks for your digital media archive). The service has begun sending out email messages notifying customers that the digital download music service will be discontinued and that the DRM license key servers that allow people to play and transfer their tracks on PCs and compatible portable devices will go offline September 30, 2008. What this means to users? It means you’ll need to immediately start burning your DRM-encumbered collection to CD and then ripping your tracks to MP3 to future-proof its compatibility, else be stuck with having your music playable only on your current crop of devices. Sound familiar? This is practically the same news MSN Music announced a few months back that caused such an outrage that it made Microsoft hold off on cutting their DRM license key servers to 2011. Unfortunately, it appears, Yahoo! Music users will just have a few weeks to embark on their transition. [via]

UPDATE: Yahoo! Music now talking about compensating digital music owners…

Kudos to Dell for adding support for these popular codecs and technologies out of the box. Multimedia support has been a long time bug-a-boo (mostly on the legal end) since Dell decided to launch their Ubuntu Linux PC lineup last year. However, that’s now changed. Dell is now bundling support for popular multimedia codecs (including DVD playback of studio flicks), Bluetooth, HDMI, fingerprint reader, Dell wireless, and even pre-installing proprietary ATI video graphic drivers (instead of opting for the generic open ATI drivers) on select systems (note: many of Dell’s Linux systems use Intel’s open graphics chipsets, in case pre-installed proprietary drivers are an issue for ya). At this point, I can’t see anything holding back Dell from rolling their lineup to the mass consumer market, instead of a side offering, which is currently the case. I guess we’ll have to see.

Current Ubuntu line-up: XPS M1330n, Inspiron 1525n, Inspiron 530n. There’s also word that the XPS M1530n and the new Studio 15n will be unveiled this August running Ubuntu (just in time for LinuxWorld). Rumor has it that the Dell E Netbook will also be added to the mix. Personally, I’d like to see the line expanded to include the XPS ONE.

UPDATE: Regarding the side offering bit: If you roll over Dell.com’s Laptops or Desktops drop-down menu under Products in the header, you’ll now find a link to “Open-Source PCs” that takes you directly to Dell’s Ubuntu PC offering. Nice!

Creative, a worldwide leader in digital entertainment, today announced the ZEN® X-Fi® and ZEN X-Fi with Wireless LAN digital media players for music, video and photos. The only players to feature award-winning Creative Xtreme Fidelity X-Fi audio technology, the ZEN X-Fi with Wireless LAN is available today at Amazon.com, Buy.com, Creative.com, Fry’s.com and Newegg.com, and the ZEN X-Fi will be available later this month.

The ZEN X-Fi and ZEN X-Fi with Wireless LAN provide a breakthrough in sound quality for MP3, WMA and unprotected iTunes music with the X-Fi Crystalizer®, a proprietary audio technology developed at Creative’s Advanced Technology Center that restores the highs and lows to music during playback that were lost during the ripping to MP3, WMA or AAC formats. This allows you to listen to your music at a higher quality than was previously possible on any MP3 player. MORE »

Rhapsody®, the leading digital music service from RealNetworks®, Inc. (Nasdaq RNWK) and MTV Networks, today launched its “Music Without Limits” initiative. This strategy is designed to turbocharge the digital music industry in three ways, by:

• Accelerating the move away from proprietary Digital Rights Formats by making music from all major labels available in the DRM-free and interoperable MP3 format;
• Empowering music fans to conveniently stream full-length songs, and buy MP3s, anywhere they want including the most popular music sites and social networks on the Web;
• Integrating digital music directly with mobile phones through a deep partnership between Rhapsody and Verizon Wireless.

MORE »

I just got tipped off by reader John Ryding that a developer by the name of Casey Link has just submitted code to Amarok – one of the most popular music players on Linux – that will allow users to upload their stored music collection to MP3Tunes’ online Music Locker and then be able to access those tracks for playback on any PC with Amarok installed, or any other compatible device, no matter your location (will require a little configuration to access your locker remotely from another PC or device). It all seems pretty cool. What’s more, the developer states that his end goal is to have the plugin support automatic bi-directional syncing between Amarok and MP3Tunes.

Note: If you’re using Windows or OS X, MP3Tunes already has a couple plugins available for you.