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Release Date: August 05, 2009
Genre: Games
Release Date: May 22, 2009
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Release Date: August 29, 2009
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Release Date: March 27, 2009
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iTunes New Music Releases

Release Date: September 29, 2009
Genre: Rock
Release Date: September 20, 2009
Release Date: September 15, 2009
Release Date: August 25, 2009
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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Release Date: April 05, 2009
Genre: Games

Discover New Music

  • Odyssey Number Five

    • 10 out of 10
    • Powderfinger
    • Guitar-driven rock out of Australia, Powderfinger has not seen much exposure in the States, but should get a nod for their toe-tapping songs. Building off their previous release, "Internationalist" (
  • The Wall (Deluxe Packaging Digitally Remastered)

    • 10 out of 10
    • Pink Floyd
    • Okay, someone had to say it, and though others on the iPO staff are more qualified to review this album, I decided the time was now. This is the quintessential concept album. Though others came before
  • Live at the Magic Bag, Ferndale, MI

    • 6 out of 10
    • Supersuckers
    • Man, there's nothing like good, old fashioned, rock and roll... add a bit of industry resentment to that with a double-shot of cynicism, and you get one of the best "new" rock bands going. This album
  • One Word Extinguisher

    • 8 out of 10
    • Prefuse 73
    • It's an album about a breakup, done with beats instead of mopey lyrics. But the beats are raw, and the emotions are there, even if there aren't many words on top of it. While possibly not Scott Herren
  • Rift

    • 8 out of 10
    • Phish
    • This quasi-concept album (the only of its kind) from these Vermonters finally showcased their ability to convey a message with a studio album, whereas previously they only succeeded in doing so live.

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News

iPod shuffle Chip Maker SigmaTel Acquires Rio Technology, Design Team

D&M Holdings Inc. has announced the sale of the intellectual property and other technology assets for the Rio MP3 player to SigmaTel Inc., which provides flash chips for Apple's iPod shuffle as well as the chips for MP3 players from Creative, Samsung and other companies. Under the deal, SigmaTel will also acquire most of the Rio technical development team, while Rio will hold a no-fee, grant-back license that enables it to continue to access the MP3 technology it developed.

According to an article at AppleInsider: "While SigmaTel supplies Apple with controller chips for the nearly 1 million iPod shuffles it sells each month, the company is rumored to have lost technology bids for forthcoming flash-based iPods." Thus, the Web site noted, "the move by SigmaTel to acquire Rio's assets may be a strategic one aimed at securing its prominence in the MP3 player market."

Another AppleInsider article posted earlier in the week cites a research report from analyst Shaw Wu that speculates Apple may have tapped PortalPlayer to provide the system on a chip for a forthcoming 2GB iPod mini that would use flash storage, rather than a hard drive. PortalPlayer already provides the systems on a chip for the iPod mini and full-size iPod.

Rio's Cambridge, England- and Santa Clara, Calif.-based design team has created hard drive designs based on SigmaTel's 3500 family of audio system on a chip solutions, according to a press release issued by SigmaTel. "Not only will SigmaTel be able to more rapidly meet the needs of our large and growing customer base in the flash and hard drive digital audio market, but we will also be able to accelerate the development of our multimedia solutions," said company CEO Ron Edgerton.

SigmaTel also gains as many as 15 patents and patent applications, including some that are among the first ever issued for MP3 player technology. Financial terms of the deal with D&M Holdings were not disclosed.

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