Are you ready for an update, iTuners? Well and good, because iTunes' 7.1 update is now here. What's new in this version? Now you can enjoy your fave iTunes movies and TV shows as well as more goodies right in your own couch via the Apple TV.

Get to preview and purchase high-quality hit movies as well get new and classic games that were designed especially for the Fifth Generation iPod. With update 7.1. You'll also find that this new software supports a new full screen Cover Flow. Organize your iTunes according to how it will suit your preferences best through the improved sorting options on board.

Get the iTunes 7.1 update right here by clicking on the Download link below. Enjoy, folks!

Download: iTunes 7.1

  

Video games publisher Electronic Arts might not strike you as a one-stop shop for games and music, but thanks to a new deal with iTunes, the latter has now become a reality...besides the one-stop shop part. The deal between iTunes and EA which was published today means that gamers and music-lovers alike, will be able to access music from their favourite EA titles and purchase it from the iTunes store.

From Madden NFL and Burnout: Legends to Need for Speed, your favourite tracks are now available to download using the most popular legal music download store on the internet. The range of tracks is simply huge and you can get exclusive mixes, non-album cuts and previously unavailable international tracks from the store.

Today marks the world debut of the unforgettable version of The DoorsÂ? Riders on the Storm that Snoop Dogg remixed exclusively for Need for Speed Underground, just one example of how this deal will be beneficial to both gamers and music lovers. EA will continue to add songs, scores, themes, beats and ringtones from EA games from past and present so head over to the store if you like your games with a hint of stylish music.

In celebration of Ms. Pac-Man's 25th anniversary, Namco Networks announced today that the game can now be purchased and downloaded via iTunes. Fifth-gen iPod owners can grab a copy for themselves for US$ 4.99 on the iTunes Store.

"Appearing on almost every gaming platform, Ms. Pac-Man has achieved iconic status since debuting 25 years ago and has become one of the top-selling video games in history," said Scott Rubin, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Namco Networks. "Launching on the iPod is a great way to kick-off a year-long anniversary celebration."

The iPod version of Ms. Pac-Man has all of the original's fan favorites, including the four unique maze designs, 256 maze levels and the "coffee break" animated intervals from the original game. The iPod version also features retro art from the original arcade cabinet and a tutorial level which allows players to perfect their ghost avoidance skills.

This version also allows players to listen to the original retro game sounds or music from their fifth generation iPod library while playing.

Although Apple and Cisco temporarily settled their dispute over the name "iPhone", industry analysts warned that this does not mean Apple will suddenly open up its more profitable technologies, in particular, iTunes.

Instead, the more likely scenario is that Cisco and Apple could partner in the near-term or lower profile projects that could include integrating Cisco's Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP technology into Apple's iPhones.

Market researcher IDC senior analyst Danielle Levitas said she doesn't expect Apple to open up iTunes any time soon. Associated Press quotes her saying that Apple partnering with Cisco is more about Apple preparing to tackle the "connected-home" market where digital entertainment is delivered through a variety of devices.

Eventually, Levitas said that Apple would open up, and Cisco would be the first to benefit, but this would not happen in the next 12-18 months.

It must be remembered that earlier this month, Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs urged the world's major music companies to abolish DRM that were preventing Apple from selling music that would play on any device. One analyst said that Cisco could use  the iPhone name as a negotiating tool to have Apple open up to the idea of cooperation with other companies.

 

Here's an interesting, and somewhat unorthodox, justification for pirating cooked up by The Ish blog. As the author notes, what happens if the stuff you get for free is flat out BETTER than what you get by paying iTunes?

The above picture reflects the differences that can occur between using iTunes and piracy and, as noted in the article, there's quite a large difference between the two:

As you can see in the above image, by purchasing the episode from iTunes rather than just pirating it, i actually get less of the show. Â?and to be honest, pirating this episode took maybe 2 to 3 minutes more work (emphasis theirs).

Of course, that isn't to say it's full proof. DRM is still an issue, even if Steve Jobs himself is trying to make it a non-issue. Quality will also be an issue depending on how much "ARR!" you put into your piracy activities. Still, there's an important point to be made here: If a service can't live up to the expectations of consumers, and there's a free alternative that's equal to or better than the service given, what good would it do for us to pay?

Steve Jobs' anti-DRM statements have apparently scared movie and recording studios. DRM, or Digital Rights Management refers to control of access of copyright owners  to associated  digital works and devices; something that Apple and even Microsoft could eliminate in putting up an online music store within reach for anyone.

Recently, an elite group comprising of the world's largest recording and movie studios, Coral Consortium, has released an open letter to Steve Jobs saying "We have been wrestling with the issues around interoperability for some years and have concluded that it is not so much a technology problem as a business problem."

DRM has been an issue of technology, it would seem, until some up-and-coming bands and artists who weren't able to earn themselves a recording deal from any of the major recording companies were finally able to sell their songs through iTunes. Recording companies insist that DRM-protected downloads are still better than those that are not, that if your music or movies for sale are readily available on the internet, they're not very valuable, consumer-wise.

Recording and movie companies are surely facing tough competition. For sure, downloading DRM-free MP3s now is a business issue rather than one of technology; and the business issue is appearing to be bested by the techie companies already.

 

Fred Amoroso, the CEO of DRM, electronic licensing e-licensing, and software asset managment provider">Macrovision, the original DRM company, has made a response to Steve Jobs' open letter regarding the role of Digital Rights Management (DRM) in the current electronic content marketplace. In his response, Mr. Amoroso highlights four major points.

First, is that DRM is just broader than music, and that DRM has an impact across many forms of content across different media. Therefore, the discussion should not be limited to just music.

Second, Amoroso asserts that DRM increases, rather than decreases consumer value. He says that without reasonable, consistent, and transparent DRM, there will only be a delay in consumers receiving premium, quality content in their homes in the way they want it.

Third, Amoroso believes that DRM will increase electronic distribution. He says that if owners of high-value content are asked to enter or stay in an environment/platform that offers no protection for their content, there will be no reason for them to enter.

And finally, Amoroso notes that what DRM needs is for it to be interoperable and open. He says that true interoperable DRM will speed the shift to the electronic distribution of content and make it easier for consumers to manage and share content in the home. He adds that it will also enable an open environment where content is portable across a number of devices and not held hostage in just one company's product.

Amoroso expounds:

As an industry, we can overcome the DRM challenges. A commitment to transparent, interoperable and reasonable DRM will effectively bridge the gap between consumers and content owners, eliminate confusion and make it possible for new releases and premium content to enter the digital environment and kick off a new era of entertainment.

We feel that we should have enough self-control to not laugh out loud at the use of words like "enabler" and "not decreases consumer value", and take those points suggested by Mr. Amoroso with reason. We're not sure about you folks though. We'll leave the laughing, nitpicking, and debating for and against DRM to you guys.

Anyway, here's a pseudo-analytical look at this. Jobs' letter said something that implies something like this: "The industry wants something impossible, like a unicorn headed for candy mountain." Macrovision's response is this: "Yeah! Candy Mountain rocks! Let's grow pink wings, turn into unicorns and fly to Candy Mountain!"

Double plus ungood. Read the exec's letter yourselves via our "read" link below.

Yesterday, it was Patrick Swayze and his dirty dancing ways. Today, it's Shimada Kambei and the rest of his band of samurai who are invading iTunes. Funimation Entertainment announced on Tuesday that it was offering Japanese anime for sale on the iTunes Store. According to PlaylistMag.com, iTunes users can now download "Samurai 7", "Speed Grapher", and "Desert Punk" beginning today.

Funimation president and CEO Gen Fukunaga said that his companyÂ?s anime series are the first to be offered on iTunes. "This is a great opportunity to offer our top-rated anime series through the worldÂ?s most popular online music, TV and movie store," said Fukunaga.

Each episode is priced at US$ 1.99. Season passes are also available for US$ 38.99 each. Hopefully we'll be seeing "Basilisk" available soon.

After creative Apple chief Steve Jobs sent an open letter to Torgeir Waterhouse of the Norwegian Consumer Council about his feelings against DRM, Yahoo! and Monster Cable also aired similar opinions on the limiting technology.

Dave Goldberg, head of Yahoo! Music, told Silicon Valley Watcher that he long advocated removing DRM because there is already a lot of music available without DRM. "It also just makes things complicated for the user," he said. Goldberg noticed that Yahoo! Music experiments found that non-DRMed music actually experienced a boost in sales.

Monster Cable's top chief, Noel Lee, was also found to have supported Jobs' ideas presented in his open letter. Lee elaborated, "Monster Cable shares Mr. Jobs' vision of breaking constraints for legal music downloads. We've always believed in the power of music. So much so, we launched Monster Music to introduce high definition surround to the world without restrictions."

The manufacturer of high performance cables' music service, Monster Music, sports a format called SuperDisc for high-definition surround tracks and completely DRM-free music. The company successfully negotiated DRM-free files with Universal Music for a SuperDisc release called "Away from the Sun."

Well, alright maybe not Patrick Swayze hizzownself exactly, but thanks to Apple's recent announcement that movies from Lionsgate Entertainment's will be available for purchase and download from the iTunes Store starting today, iTunes users will now be able to grab a copy of the seminal '80s movie "Dirty Dancing" (complete with the tagline, "Have The Time Of Your Life").

According to MacNN, both companies said that more than 150 titles are expected to be available through iTunes this month, broadening the iTunes catalog to more than 400 titles.

"We're delighted to offer these incredibly popular Lionsgate films on iTunes, and look forward to adding even more films in the future," said Steve Beeks, president of Lionsgate. "iTunes lets users download these wonderful films to watch on their computer, TV or iPod, so movie fans can take their favorite Lionsgate films with them anywhere."

Lionsgate's collection of movie titles available on iTunes in the coming weeks will include legendary action adventure films and thrillers such as "Total Recall" and "Rambo," indie classics such as "Monster's Ball" as well as perennial favorites such as "Chaplin" and "The Boys From Brazil."