March 20 - 4:30pm EDT   Thomson announced on Thursday the release of a newly developed, backwards-compatible, lossless MP3HD format. Thomson had a hand in developing the digital MP3 audio format, but unlike MP3, the MP3HD format is lossless, meaning none of the audio information is lost though the files will naturally be slightly larger in size. The MP3HD format is backwards compatible with the original MP3 format, which is compatible with lossless audio codecs including FLAC, HD-AAC and Windows Media lossless. [full story]

July 17 - 1:50pm EDT   AOL today revealed a significant update to WinAmp that gives the software its first access to online music stores. The 5.54 upgrade puts in a commerce foundation that allows buying songs directly from the jukebox; it also permits buying ringtones, tickets, and physical CDs. The company hasn't named any stores that will integrate with the service but is likely to focus on stores selling MP3s and other unprotected music. [full story]

December 12 - 4:10pm EST   Two new software-as-a-service media-sharing products are currently in development for iPhone and iPod touch users, MoboVivo and Orb. MoboVivo is a commercial service that has recently finalized iPhone and iPod touch support, allowing users to "Buy and Sync" television shows directly to their device. The service offers multiple channels, such as MoboDiva, MoboDocs, UrbanVivo, and various lifestyle and entertainment channels. The service is also available to a number of different players and gaming consoles from companies like Archos, Microsoft, and Sony. Episodes are available from the service for $2, and the company says that it is the first to make paid TV downloads ... [full story]