Music from The Beatles could be incorporated into a video game before it ever appears on iTunes.

Representatives of the band's back catalogue have reportedly had meetings with Activision and MTV Games about creating a title similar to the respective company's Guitar Hero or Rock Band franchises.

The Financial Times reports that the surviving Beatles, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, remain cautious about issuing their albums on new platforms. They have still not allowed Apple to sell their music through its online iTunes store.

Apple has revealed that iTunes is now the world's most popular online movie store, with customers renting or purchasing over 50,000 movies every day.

It follows the news earlier this year that data from market research firm NPD's Music Watch survey found that iTunes became the largest music retailer in the US during January and February 2008.

Apple has also announced that over five billion songs have now been downloaded from its iTunes store.

Apple has announced that major films titles are now available for iTunes users in Canada and the UK.

The company has signed deals with major Hollywood film studios including 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney and Universal to allow iTunes customers to buy or rent their films through its store.

Apple's iTunes movie rental service downloads the film from the online store and gives the customers 30 days to start watching it. Once the movie has started to be played the renter has 48 hours to view it before it is automatically erased.

Napster has launched the world's largest MP3 store with tracks now compatible with the iPod and iPhone.

The new download store is more than 50 per cent larger than any other MP3 store, according to the company, and all sales in the US will be in the DRM-free MP3 format.

Napster's new shop is in direct competition with Apple's market leading iTunes store and will offer a larger number of songs without copy protection or digital rights management than its competitors.

Visitors to the store can subscribe to Napster's on demand streaming subscription service, which is web-based with no need to download software.

Chris Gorog, chief executive of Napster, said that music fans want to find both major label artists and independent music all in one place.

"Our new MP3 store, together with our award-winning all-you-can-eat music subscription service, provides the most comprehensive and exciting music experience available," added Mr Gorog.

Napster created a stir of controversy in its early existence as a peer-to-peer file sharing network when Metallica found that its entire back catalog was freely available on the site and filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against the company.

Apple is close to confirming a deal with the US cable network HBO to start selling the channel's shows on its iTunes store.

It will be the first time that HBO has made its successful portfolio of shows, such as The Sopranos and Sex and the City, available in electronic form and episodes are likely to be sold at a higher standard price than regular TV shows.

Apple's iTunes store currently charges $1.99 for television episodes available; however the HBO shows may be put on at a higher price which may lead to other media companies pushing to change their digital download prices.

Market sources are expecting Apple to announce new deals with movie studios to sell new releases on its iTunes store.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the move would allow Apple to sell more movies through the store, aligning releases with home video releases and increase iTunes' current limited range.

The new deals are expected to involve major motion picture studios such as Fox, Universal and Sony Pictures. Fox's award-winning film Juno was one major release recently made available on iTunes.

The unofficial Apple web blog (TUAW) claims that the company is working on a new iPhone application which will allow the device to control and stream iTunes media libraries.

According to code found in the latest firmware release, Apple is developing the new application, called iControl.

It claims it would allow the iPhone to connect wirelessly to local iTunes libraries, meaning it could browse through and play media from those sources.

Apple's iTunes has announced a new collaboration with Starbucks offering its customers a chance to discover new music.

The Pick of the Week program will involve Starbucks locations across the US stocking a download card redeemable on the iTunes store for songs and videos chosen by the coffee chain's entertainment team.

Artists featured include Carly Simon, Duffy, Adele and Counting Crows, whose new single Washington Square is the first Pick of the Week.

The latest version of iTunes can be downloaded for free at http://www.apple.com/itunes/download. The newest features include:
* Movie Rentals: Rent and watch movies on your computer, or sync them to your iPod or iPhone.
* Ringtones: Turn songs from the iTunes Store into custom ringtones for your iPhone.
* iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store: Download music from the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store on your iPod touch or iPhone.
* Starbucks: Walk into Starbucks and buy what’s playing from your laptop, iPod touch, or iPhone.

In 2008 the image of music lovers idling through stores, flipping over the covers of dusty vinyl to find rare gems, classics from the past and undiscovered hits of the future are sadly confined much more to the realms of romance than practicality.

The advent of computers, the internet, and the various commercial opportunities afforded on these media - not to mention the flexibility they offer to their users – have changed the ways music is bought, sold, rented and shared. More importantly, they have permanently affected the ways in which it is enjoyed; which is vital with music, perhaps more so than any other commodity available online. Even the most nostalgic, hardened DJ must admit that a notebook and modern mixing software offer greater sound quality – not to mention cutting out the need to carry expensive, cumbersome equipment and records to a party.