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Release Date: August 05, 2009
Genre: Games
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iTunes New Music Releases

Release Date: September 29, 2009
Genre: Rock
Release Date: September 20, 2009
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Genre: Rock
Release Date: August 25, 2009

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Release Date: April 22, 2009
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Release Date: March 31, 2009
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Discover New Music

  • So Jealous

    • 8 out of 10
    • Tegan and Sara
    • So Jealous is the third album from these sisters, and easily the one to single out for an introduction to their music. Some people may not get on board with their vocal styles, which are slightly

  • Cocked & Loaded

    • 8 out of 10
    • Revolting Cocks
    • It's hard to believe it's been more than a decade since Ministry founder and front man Al Jourgensen's side project Revolting Cocks released any new material. 2006 brings us Cocked and Loaded

  • Physical Graffiti

    • 10 out of 10
    • Led Zeppelin
    • This album bears every flavor of genius from the five records that came before. It is, I believe, the band's finest. With Physical Graffiti, Zep came raging back to their musical home territory -- har
  • Another Day on Earth

    • 10 out of 10
    • Brian Eno
    • In his first proper solo release since 1996's relatively cold "The Drop," Brian Eno has constructed a whimsical and ecclectic masterpiece which is arguably one of the year's strongest records thus fa
  • Mezzanine

    • 6 out of 10
    • Massive Attack
    • "Black Milk" knocks me off my feet in this collection of moody and eclectic songs. Massive Attack uses samples and keyboards in a very unique way, but not all the songs pack the same punch.

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News

Congressman Proposes Bill to Require Contract-Free Phones

Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) has proposed a sweeping bill to alter the terms on which customers purchase mobile phones. The "Wireless Consumer Protection and Community Broadband Empowerment Act of 2008" recognizes that wireless service has become a replacement for traditional phone service for millions of Americans and seeks to require broader disclosure of fees and terms, require plans with no early termination fee, proration of plans that do have termination fees, offer a contract-free non-subsidized phone and a host of other remedies that seek to address practices in the mobile phone industry.

Rep, Markey is the chairman of the House telecommunications and Internet committee. Hearings on the bill start on Wednesday.

The mobile phone carriers have responded, according to C|Net, by saying that the early termination fee is necessary to offset the cost of subsidized phones. Accordingly, the Markey proposed bill would require carriers to offer a non-subsidized phone.

The proposed legislation mirrors the rules that have been in force in Europe for some time.

Seeing the handwriting on the wall, some carriers, including AT&T, have already announced plans to prorate termination fees. That move is probably intended to serve as evidence that the mobile phone industry can regulate itself. Rep. Markey’s proposed legislation however goes into much greater detail to protect the interests of the consumers. No doubt that the CTIA and the carriers will fight this bill, but the weight of time, the dependence of so many Americans on cell phones and the precedent in Europe all portend a sea change in the way Americans purchase mobile phones.

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