IPOD

Apple Computer Inc. said on Friday that its main supplier of iPod music players let employees in a China plant work longer hours than allowed by Apple's code of conduct, and that it had taken steps to address the issue.

EMI Group, the world's third-largest music company said on Thursday it has signed a deal to provide preloaded music videos for Microsoft's soon-to-launch Zune player.

Imesh subsidiary MusicLab unveiled the latest version of BearShare on Thursday, its recently acquired fellow peer-to-peer network.

Fox Entertainment Group announced plans no Monday to distribute movies and TV shows to consumers from the company's network of Internet sites, including MySpace.com.

Nokia announced a $60 million acquisition last week of music streamer Loudeye Corp., a move potentially pitting the world's largest cell-phone maker against the current king of portable music, Apple Corp.

Alltel Corp. the No. 5 U.S. cellphone provider, said on Tuesday it will provide a service to download audio clips from the Internet to cellphones in a bid to expand its business beyond voice services.

Apple Computer Inc. on Monday introduced its new professional desktop computer line called the Mac Pro, which will use the Intel Corp. Xeon chipset, as Chief Executive Steve Jobs took the stage at the iPod and Mac maker's annual conference for software developers.

Several options grants to top executives at Apple Computer Inc. were dated just before sharp increases in its stock between 1997 and 2001, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing a review of regulatory filings.

Microsoft's aim to extend beyond PCs will be further tested as it battles iPod in the portables market.

France's highest judicial body has ruled unconstitutional significant parts of a law meant to force Apple and other companies to sell music that would play on any portable music device.

Apple Computer strengthened its grip on the digital media market this week, adding three major media sources to its list of iTunes content providers.

Microsoft's might, and cash flow, will go up against Apple's iPod in the digital music and player markets.

At the annual Microsoft analyst conference, the software giant unveiled plans to spend hundreds of millions of dollars investing into its new Zune portable music device.

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group on Tuesday became the latest division of a major Hollywood studio to offer television shows, including the hit sitcom Friends, for sale on Apple Computer Inc's iTunes Web site.

Microsoft Corp. officials made official last Friday that the software giant is readying a portable music device, quelling rampant speculation. Though the new device, dubbed Zune, benefits from the technical expertise and financial backing of the software-giant, it needs more than technical success to hurdle competition.

According to one industry analyst, the new iPods from Apple Inc. will feature a host of advanced features, but may be stymied by delays.

Microsoft Corp. officials for the first time have confirmed that the software giant is readying a portable music player and integrated service, shedding new light on a topic that has fueled rampant speculation in news reports and blog postings for weeks.

Now might be a good time to put the Apple back into the investor's cart.

The iPod and a growing need for local news have done the unthinkable: They have cost Chicago, one of America's great jazz cities, its last major source for jazz programming on local radio.

Apple Computer Inc., maker of the ubiquitous iPod media player, was given an ultimatum on Monday to change the song download terms and conditions of its iTunes online download shop, having been found to have broken a local consumer protection law.

Japanese Web and telecom conglomerate Softbank Corp. is working with Apple Computer Inc. to develop mobile telephones with built-in iPod music players, Nikkei reported on Friday.