Version 7.2 of Apple's iTunes software has finally been released. This new version also supports Windows Vista, so those of you who don't run a Mac OS at home but have an iPod can still use it.

Perhaps the hottest feature in this new iTunes version is added support for "iTunes Plus", Apple's new DRM-free offerings. These DRM-free tracks cost an extra 30 cents but also boast higher-quality encoding. DRM-free tracks will start popping up on the iTunes Store today, if they haven't already.

Users will also be able to upgrade their previous iTunes Store purchases to their DRM-free versions as they became available. The installer (available for XP, Vista and Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later) can be downloaded for free by clicking on the "via" link below.

Electronista has reported that according to "French sources familiar with negotiations for multiple online music stores", Apple is preparing to launch EMI's DRM-free music library on iTunes this week. It could meet Apple's regular Tuesday update schedule, but nothing's sure yet.

According to Electronista, their contacts reportedly said that the companies' technicians are now "in the later stages of encoding and hosting the files before they go live".

The terms of the Apple-EMI deal require that whole albums are will be offered as "a second tier of 256Kbps AAC files without the iTunes-only FairPlay copy protection scheme."

The relatively late debut may be attributed primarily to the decision to release the whole catalog at once, as opposed to a gradual rollout. Another possible reason according to Electronista is legal issues. Apple and EMi reportedly signed a final deal just last week following negotiations of similar contracts with both the new Amazon Store and Europe's VirginMega service.

  

It looks like Apple is getting serious about offering quality games to iPod owners through its online service iTunes. The company announced earlier today that Gameloft's LOST has just been added to the official lineup, bringing the total number of games to 14. The price is similar to other games in the store at 4.99 euro or around US$ 6.71.

LOST is based on the hit TV series with the same title that has Jack and the other castaways in their quest to seek truth and survive. Some of the game's features that are worth mentioning include:

• Storyline created by the writers behind the series
• Play Jack and interact with other main characters of the series: Kate, Locke, Sayid, etc.
• Production quality that measures up with the LOST phenomenon: faithfully reproduced settings, intuitive and extremely varied gameplay
• Explore the island's main sites: the beach, the jungle, inside the Hatch, the Black Rock, etc.
• Relive the most eventful moments from the series: the crash scene, running from the black smoke, meeting the Others, etc.
• Take on a multitude of challenges: exploration, hunting, helping the wounded, searching for dynamite, etc.

Quite recently, Tom Salta's original soundtrack for Wii video game title Red Steel has also been added to the store. All these gaming related additions are fine but it is still a mystery if the Beatles will ever show up at the store.

Composer and music producer Tom Salta has announced that his original soundtrack for the Ubisoft title Red Steel is now available for download through iTunes. The award-winning soundtrack will also hit retail outlets by Persist Records/Sumthing Distribution on May 29.

"We're really happy to make this possible, especially with Tom's spectacular work on Red Steel," said Didier Lord, Executive Director of Ubisoft Music. "It's an important move as it will be Ubisoft's first soundtrack released on major digital distribution channels Â? the first of many to come!"

Red Steel was one of Ubisoft's launch titles for Nintendo's Wii video game console, and it let players use the Wii's remote and Nunchuk controller to wield guns and katanas. The Red Steel soundtrack itself has received numerous accolades for its "unique approach and vibrant musical palette."

Drink up! Coca-Cola is going to give everyone in Europe the chance to go on a fizzy binge for the next couple of months as their latest partnership with Apple will reward consumers with free music. Right now, this is Europe's biggest music promotion in history. Maybe even the whole world's history. How big? We're talking TWO BILLION tracks to be given away!

The partnership is to last from May until August, with a launching event during the Cannes Film Festival. The brunt of those free iTunes downloads will be subsidized by Coke.

Alongside the free music, other freebies are to be given away: iPods and free tickets to future concerts to be hosted by Apple and Coke. These concerts are to be recorded and made available for download in iTunes in the future as well.

Looks like a major promotional campaign for both companies. Still no word if they're giving away iPhones though, but we're wishing all the same.

Apple's online store iTunes is still lacking one important thing: The Beatles.

As you are all aware, rumors have been going around since time immemorial that the much-loved band will be making its presence felt there. The last one of which was the alleged Valentine's Day gift to fans but it's already May and no "Blackbird" or "Norwegian Wood" made its way to the store.

Anyway, hopes are running high once more as unconfirmed reports state that Paul McCartney's latest album will be available on iTunes as a pre-order next week. Aside from this, the reports added that the Rockstar plans to make his entire back catalog available soon as well.

So what does this has to do with The Beatles aside from the obvious fact that McCartney belonged to that group? Back in April, computer company Apple Corporation and British music label Apple Inc. had already come to terms regarding the use of trademarks whenever necessary.

The settlement stated that the Cupertino-based company can now use the word "Apple" on its products and iconography. Likewise, the music label company is now allowing Apple Corporation to use digitalized content.

 

Ah, the Disney Channel, a place saturated with enough drama for the prepubescent - a wonderful place filled with lip-syncing 14 year olds and high school musicals. If you hate/love the channel here's news for you. Macworld UK reports that Walt Disney's CEO Bob Iger has confirmed that the company has sold 23.7 million episodes of its television shows and an additional two million films through Apple's media service. Top selling titles include "Cars" and "Pirates of the Carribean".

What's interesting about this bit of news is that this could serve as a nice example that the digital distribution model (something some companies seem to be allergic of), can not only work, but help you be dominant. Bob Igor notes that they make as much online as they do from physical sales. He expounds:

There are cost of goods that are factored out of the iTunes sale, which allows them to sell at a lower price. ThatÂ?s their decision and it allows us to take revenue out that is equal to, in terms of a per-click sale, store sales. So, yes, weÂ?re quite comfortable with iTunes...

This is, hands down, an amazing testament to the buying power of drama starved pre-teens.

Now if only Apple can hurry up with all that "no more DRM" stuff they're mulling around with at the moment.

As talks between Apple and major music companies ramp up this month, the biggest topic on the floor will no doubt be the issue of DRM-free music. Apple CEO Steve Jobs has long been steadfast on the 99-cent price for a song on iTunes, but now he's willing to go higher in exchange for DRM-free tracks.

"At this point, no one can ignore Apple or what Apple wants, given its position in the marketplace," said Jupiter Research analyst Michael Gartenberg. "The fact that they were able to do this deal with EMI puts more pressure on some of the other labels to follow suit."

According to the San Jose Mercury, at least two major recording companies will ask Jobs to "sell a wider variety of content in digital bundles of songs, videos and other multimedia." This from two recording company executives familiar with their companies' plans. Apple already offers bundled tracks, but the companies hope that expanding these offerings can boost revenue.

The iTunes store is indeed one of the most popular sites for purchasing music online. While a lot of people have praised the site for the content and the new features (such as Complete My Album) that they have been offering, here's another thing going for the said site: customer service.

Christopher Breen from Playlist Mag has been gushing about the outstanding service from iTunes. He purchased the album Children Running Through from iTunes; however a week later, he got an apology because of an encoding problem with the said album. He was alter given the option to download a better version along with 10 additional free song downloads.

Now while this is the ideal, if not the expected action by any good company, it is rare that companies would take the initiative to do this (Breen didn't even file a complaint). He gave a fine example of what would normally happen with any other company saying "I'd normally expect a medium-sized run-around after I'd initiated the complaint and then, finally, a grudging offer to let me have the tracks again Â? but only after making me feel like a worm for griping in the first place."

It looks like Nintendo isn't the only company with good customer service, welcome to the list Apple! Hopefully one day, we'll be covering bad/mediocre customer service because it's the exception to the rule rather than what is normally being done.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs got some flak for his call for DRM-free music a while back, with some people saying that it's for publicity and the like, but it looks like Apple is really gung-ho about going the DRM-free route.

According to MacRumors.com, the Cupertino-based company sent short notices to their iTunes partners yesterday to let them know that they would soon be able to offer DRM-free music music videos to customers through the iTunes service. Apple is currently gearing up for contract renegotiations with Here's a quote of what the notice reportedly says:

Many of you have reached out to iTunes to find out how you can make your songs available higher quality and DRM-free. Starting next month, iTunes will begin offering higher-quality, DRM-free music and DRM-free music videos to all customers.

Apple and EMI have already announced earlier this month that they would be distributing DRM-free EMI songs over iTunes. In one of our previous posts here on the QJ Apple blog, we also quoted Steve Jobs as saying that "a lot of people in the other music companies" are "very intrigued" with the idea, so we're guessing that it's only a matter of time until it becomes a widespread reality.