Step aside Universal Music, Sony BMG is now offering its catalog of music on Nokia's Comes With Music service. You know, the freebie, all you can eat music download service expected to launch mid-2008 (oops) "second half" of 2008. Remember, you'll have to buy a Comes with Music device first and the free download period from the Nokia Music Store (to your PC or phone) only lasts for 12 months. Still, consumers keep the downloaded (and DRM'd) tracks at the end of the period and "can transfer their downloaded material by substituting their new [Comes with Music] device or computer for the original devices" later on. While no Comes with Music devices have been announced yet, we certainly wouldn't be surprised if Nokia's touch-screen Tube or some other S60 touch device was first.

Man, Qtrax just can't stop over-hyping and under-delivering, can it? The company's trumpeting new deals today with EMI Publishing, Sony / ATV Music Publishing, and TVT Records, but of the three deals, only TVT will actually have music available for download. The deals with EMI and Sony / ATV are for publishing rights only, and since publishing companies only represent songwriters, and don't actually own the rights to the song recordings, Qtrax still can't offer songs to consumers. It's confusing, but Qtrax needs both types of deals to make things work. Still, considering that the EMI and Sony agreements are extensions of existing agreements, it's a little strange for Qtrax to hype them up -- if you're keeping score at home, this is essentially the same sort of half-truth Qtrax launched under, so it's pretty ballsy of the company to try and pull it again. On the other hand, getting TVT on board is no small feat -- TVT artists include Lil Jon, Ambulance LTD, Dude 'N Em, The Polyphonic Spree, and The Cinematics, so it looks like Qtrax might be getting better at this whole "signing actual deals with labels" thing.

Update: We had said in an earlier version of this post that several major labels had denied having deals in place with Qtrax -- while that's still true, the information was a few weeks old. The deals announced today are for real, but until Qtrax sorts out actual content-distribution rights, nothing's really changed.

[Via Tech Digest]

Well, that makes three -- Sony and XM announced today that the two companies have reached a settlement in the Pioneer XM + MP3 case. As you'd expect, terms of the deal are super-secret, but we hear XM tells that to all the multinational record conglomerates it gets in bed with. Anyway, with Warner, Universal, and Sony all lined up, all XM has to do is woo EMI and this nightmare of dullness should finally be over -- and we should start seeing some hot new devices.

If you thought picking up a full-length studio album on a USB stick was hot stuff, di[rec] is out to make such an idea seem second rate. Founded by two ex-Sony BMG colleagues, the company is looking to round up support from their former employer, Warner Music, and various independent labels as it records live performances, mixes and masters on-site, and offers up the show on a USB drive or "download voucher" as folks are filing out of the exits. Sadly, there's no word yet on how much the outfit plans on charging gullible concert goers for the privilege of reliving their deafening experiences over and over, but it has already given the system a go at Nova Rock in Austria last month. So, for those of you at the festival just weeks ago, how about clue the rest of us in on the quality and value of di[rec]'s offerings?

[Thanks, Lars G.]

Although it seems like Sony BMG has been paying for its devious inclusions on certain records for quite some time, it looks like the joint venture will now be coughing even more dollars to compensate those affected. US regulators have now said that the company "agreed to reimburse consumers up to $150 for damage to their computers from CDs with hidden anti-piracy software," which comes on top of allowing customers the ability to exchange the album if they so desire. Moreover, Sony BMG must now "provide an uninstall tool and patches to repair the security vulnerabilities on consumers' computers" for another two years, and if its hand hadn't been slapped enough, it can no longer "collect information for marketing purposes" nor "install software without consumer consent." Great, we're elated that someone up there understands that this DRM gauntlet isn't the way to go, so why are we still fighting the agenda in so many other areas?

Listen up anyone who "purchased, received, came into possession of or otherwise used" music CDs containing Sony's flawed DRM software anytime after August 1, 2003. Under the terms of the class action settlement approved Monday, you are entitled to file a claim for a replacement CD, free downloads of music from that CD (with Apple's iTunes named as one of the three download services, ironically), and even "additional cash payments" which we presume are likely to amount to a stack of Abes, not Benjamins, folks. Pretty much what Sony BMG was already offering to their customers when this whole fiasco hit back in November. Additionally, Sony BMG definitively agreed to halt manufacture or distribution of that XCP and MediaMax nastiness masked by the rootkit. Now be sure to get your claim in now consumers, so that Sony BMG hears loud and clear that you do know what a rootkit is, and yes, you care. Afterall, the settlement only lasts until the end of 2007 at which point Sony BMG is free to introduce copy protection software once again. Click the read link for a PDF copy of the settlement.

[Via c|net News]