Well, NBC has more "viewers" and additional revenue (not sure what their cut is, though). Apple gets more downloads and increases their video presence...that is good too.

My only issue is the draconian DRM restrictions, which is why I have been buying more and more music from Amazon

What's this business about Apple "giving in" to NBC. It's obvious HD would cost more across the board (not variably), since load on servers is higher, etc and it's a higher quality product. That wasn't even something NBC was pushing for last year.

Apple only offered NBC a minimal notion of "variable pricing" (old stuff is cheaper than new), so that NBC could crawl back without completely looking stupid. Even that isn't variable in the way NBC wanted: it's again, across the board pricing (old = cheap, new = normal).

NBC totally caved, as made clear by the absence of all the silly bundling deals they wanted, and ability to price premium shows higher (independent of age).

who caved. The content is available and viewers are satisfied. The more times iTMS is accessed, the better. Stop there for one thing and pick up a few other things. Just like a supermarket or department store. Apple still wins.

Yeah, Amazon's music service rocks. I go there first always, then if I really have to, the itunes store.

Works better, especially if you want to purchase music over multiple machines, etc.

Amazon doesn't matter, and in fact, for consumers, it may be a trojan horse. Unless iTunes/Apple completely trounces the industry, without exception or doubt, labels and studios will continue to hope that a viable competitor would make it possible for them to get it their way.

It is of critical importance to know who won here (and it is Apple; and NBC lost). At this moment, iTunes and Apple represent consumers, since they were able to convince labels to accept minimally intrusive DRM (as opposed to PlayForSure draconian DRM designed by the labels themselves). Apple will continue to press for DRM-free music (EMI was the only bold one to accept this). Obviously, labels don't want this (don't let the Amazon deal fool you; they'll do anything only to chip away at iTunes, even if it means temporarily elliminating DRM).

Every time we buy from Amazon, we give labels hope they'll get their way. Make no mistake; if they win, DRM will be right back, more restrictive than anything we've seen. So please, don't buy music from Amazon. Don't play into labels' hands.

Amazon has no DRM. Decent quality music, and less money.

Despite the recent state take overs by the government, this is still a capitalist economy (I think), so is not competition good?

Amazon is far from insignificant, and are the number 2 online seller of digital (DRM free) music.

iTunes stuff is good too

No, if Apple represented consumers, they'd do the consumer friendly thing and license Fairplay to other hardware makers. That would allow your itunes content to play on any device.

But I guess you don't care about that, since all that matters is that "Apple won!".

So, now NBC can figure out how much they lost in the past 8 months for being morons (as usual).

As for 'Apple Won' - yes, that IS important, as the labels are only interested in beating Apple, and then raising prices, and introducing more draconian DRM. Morons like Testudo don't understand that.

As for licensing Fairplay to other manufacturers... Why? So the 2.6% of Zunes sitting on shelves can play iTunes music downloads? Why? With Amazon covering that portion of the market, there's no need for Apple to busy themselves with c***.