In a recent press release, Apple announced that it will now sell and rent video and DVD titles in HD format. The move seemed likely, following Apple’s launch of the iTunes Replay and the loosening of DRM restrictions. But, nevertheless, the announcement is a welcome one.…

The NPD Group has put together some reports for us all, detailing what most of us already knew: Apple’s iTunes sells a boatload of music. Don’t ask me how much music fits in a boat; just know that it’s a lot. Want a more definitive amount? How about this: one in four songs sold in America is sold on iTunes. The Apple powerhouse continues to beat out Walmart, including Walmart’s CD sales in store and on their website, as well as Walmart Music Downloads. With all that, Walmart only makes up 14% of American sales. Third place goes to Best Buy, and the retailers only get smaller fr…

Seems a little weird for someone who uses a subscription service like Rhapsody to use an iPhone, but for those of you who prefer the RealNetworks offering but still want the iPhone, your time is coming. RealNetworks has submitted an app to Apple for approval that will let you access your Rhapsody ToGo account and stream your tunes over WiFi, Edge or 3G. Check out the demo video for the app below. …

We knew it was coming, but that doesn’t make it any less exciting. Apple has officially announced the upcoming event for the iPod with another classic iPod silhouette and a cheeky slogan. “It’s only rock and roll, but we like it.” The Apple event will be held on September 9 and we’re expecting to finally hear about iTunes 9, with some new features, …

Those people in the music industry never seem to learn. In fact, they seem intent on deliberately unlearning anything past mistakes have taught them. The music industry has been flailing through the digital age trying to find a way to squeeze us for more money, and their latest idea is a doozy. The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) and Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI) are demanding royalties for every time you play a 30-second preview clip of any song on iTunes. That’s right, they want to make money off of the very thing designed to entice you into buying the song. So instead of try before you buy, it’s more like buy a little…