Instead of going against the flow that iTunes has set up over the past few years, RealNetworks' Rhapsody has decided to take a different approach to compete against Apple's leading digital music distribution service - by embracing the iPod's MP3 format. Find out what Rhapsody's new "Music Without Limits" strategy is all about by reading our full article after the jump.

If you live in Europe and are bothered about the tracks you download having DRM, well then here's some good news that's surely to make you guys jump for joy.

7digital.com has just announced that will be offering mp3s from Warner Music International that's DMR-free. more on this after the jump!

If you consider yourself an audiophile that lives outside the US, acquiring music online can sometimes be a bummer. Now, the latest offering of Amazon could probably help you out.

They have released an announcement that they will be launching Amazon Mp3 this year giving access to music lovers to one of the biggest collection of online songs. Details in the full article.

Since Sony's demonstration in Las Vegas, you may have wondered how the process of transferring Blu-ray movies from your PlayStation 3 to your handy PlayStation Portable actually ran. Details at the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show were flat-out dry, but thanks to new info running around, you'll be able to see a bigger picture. More on the popular BD Live feature at the full story.

Some downloadable media are free, but that just means we don't pay for it. Some of those media - videos in particular - are only free because they come with ads, and if no one watches those ads, the system becomes ineffective.

This reasoning might explain why Microsoft has filed for this patent: a system that "enforces advertisement playback for downloaded media." More in the full article.

The Blu-ray Disk Association has announced something that might pique your interest. BD+ technology is now available for Blu-ray.

In case you've been living under a moss covered rock, here's a quick rundown: BD+ is an additional layer of protection for Blu-ray disks. The extra layer is an optional DRM mechanism found in BD-ROM disks. Basically, it provides better content protection by using encryption schemes. A number of movie companies have expressed interest on the said technology - especially 20th Century Fox (who "pressured" the Blu-ray Association to provide the additional layer). Anyway, Blu-ray.com reports that BD+ Technologies, LLC is already distributing specs to movie outfits.

Hmm... So can we expect 20th Century Fox movies in the near future? Interesting news indeed. The pirates might go scrambling to crack this one, though it *may* take a while (if at all). Anyway, we'll keep you posted on more news regarding this one.

According to Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) President Dan Glickman, the Advanced Access Content System (AACS) support for "managed copy" of HD DVD and Blu-ray movies will be available before the end of the year.

This will finally let users create their own official backup copies. Whenever we talked about backup copies, we all know that there's potential for exploitation. This is the very reason why studios are going to implement some other security measures.

Accordingly, once the "managed copy" specification is already in place, studios will be able to specify what options they would like to offer and for how much. An example of which is users having an option to create just one free backup copy.

Other options include creating a version suitable for mobile usage for a nominal fee and multiple copies at discounted pricing. The HD DVD Promotional Group added that the new feature is going to be retroactive meaning discs sold prior to the "managed copy" support still have to deal with DRM.

On the other hand, the same is not true for the Blu-ray format. One major Blu-ray partner maintains that there is a fear that managed copy could be exploited and provide a backdoor to AACS security. Speaking of which, certain reports are saying that the recently compromised AACS security is delaying the release of the new feature.

The whole Internet community is reeling with the issue concerning Digital Rights Management (DRM) and user-generated online sites. As you all know, a software key that could break the encryption of HD-DVD format has been unleashed online and thousands of websites published the key.

DRM groups say the bloggers just crossed the line this time. The said key was published on Digg and needless to say, it was picked up by God knows how many websites. An executive from Advanced Access Content System (AACS) said that they are considering to confront those who published the exploit with "legal and technical tools."

The bloggers, on the other hand, commented that they are protected by the First Amendment. Digg management, for a time, removed the entries containing the key. However, the users posted an even more number of websites containing the exploit and Digg eventually acquiesce with its users. A part of Founder Kevin Rose's statement reads,

After seeing hundreds of stories and reading thousands of comments, you've made it clear. You'd rather see Digg go down fighting than bow down to a bigger company. We hear you, and effective immediately we won't delete stories or comments containing the code and will deal with whatever the consequences might be.

AACS Chairman Michael Ayers seemed amused by this as he referred to Digg's decision as an "interesting twist." Ayers added that people can talk about the pros and the cons of the matter but publishing the software key itself is a different matter. When you do that, he explained, you leave the "realm of protected speech." He also released a statement telling the users that the key is already invalid,

We will take whatever action is appropriate. We hope the public respects our position and complies with applicable laws. There has been a lot of misunderstanding. The key that has been leaked has now been revoked. This is the first round and will not be the last.

AACS, reportedly, is now employing stronger tools and copy protection system that have been designed to counter these breaches.

Flick fans who are in the market for a new DVD player may want to steer clear of the Sony DVP-CX995V DVD player. Some owners have been complaining that this model and some older ones have a chronic inability to play Sony's own movie releases.

Basically, what happens when you pop a disc in is the drive stops playing and the things shut down. Some have reported calling Sony technical support and the customer care representatives seem more than willing to admit that the problem is triggered by a DRM code in the programming.

Sony said that it is not looking into the prospect of revamping the policy but instead offered firmware updates that should address the issue. Unfortunately, the update is still unreleased and no news detailing the date of release has come from official channels.

Among the titles that wouldn't play are "Stranger Than Fiction" and "The Holiday." In related news, Microsoft and Apple have recently made moves to abolish DRM in their music formats in cooperation with major music labels.

Earlier in the week, we reported a deal between EMI and Apple regarding selling Digital Rights Management (DRM)-free content which has pleased digital music fans around the world. In a move to react with the status quo, Microsoft has followed by announcing that it, too, will do the same for the Zune community.

In a statement by Katy Asher, a spokeswoman for Microsoft, it was revealed that the company has also been holding talks with record outfits in an attempt to cut the consumers some slack.

It can be remembered that there has been an outcry both in the U.S. and in Europe against DRM because the policy essentially restricts compatibility and transferability of content in an attempt to curb piracy of copyrighted material. Apple and Microsoft has embedded DRM code in their media formats, making consumers clamor for a more flexible policy.

"We plan on offering it (DRM-free content) to them as soon as our label partners are comfortable with it," says Asher. She said that Microsoft has recognized what the people want and is working on giving them what they desire.

Analysts suggest that the move by Microsoft is based on Apple's policy because of the influence that the iPod line of players have over the community. We'll keep you posted as the situation brews in the ranks of the Zune team.