US digitial music service Rhapsody is the latest company to embrace MP3 downloads without copy restrictions.

Songs from all the four leading record labels - Universal, EMI, Sony and Warner - will be available in the digital format.

Rhapsody joins Napster, iTunes and Amazon, who have all started offering MP3 files in recent months.

“We’re no longer competing with the iPod. We’re embracing it,” said Neil Smith, vice president at the firm.

Until recently, Rhapsody, which is owned by Real and MTV, had focused on a subscription service, which allowed users to stream an unlimited number of songs for between $13 (£6.50) and $15 (£7.50) a month.

Streamed songs

Rhapsody’s streamed songs do not play on Apple’s iPod, the world’s most popular MP3 player.

The subscription service will continue to run alongside the MP3 download store.

The majority of MP3 tracks will cost 99 cents (50p), while albums will sell for $9.99 (£5).

The shift comes as the British record industry announced that digital sales were going “from strength to strength”.

The BPI reported that digital formats now account for about 85% of all UK Top 20 singles sales.

More than 200 million downloads have now been sold in the UK since the launch of the first mainstream stores in early 2004. In total, digital formats now account for 8.6% of all UK record company sales income. [BBC NEWS]

007 fans and moviegoers alike can now get their first good look at “Quantum of Solace”, the highly anticipated 22nd James Bond adventure, with the first teaser trailer.

Running for 1 minute 30 seconds and available in 13 languages, the trailer picks up from the end of Casino Royale with Mr White’s interrogation and also includes key action scenes including an snippet of the Aston Martin DBS car chase from the pre-titles sequence, a boat chase filmed in Panama, and a fight with MI6 traitor Mitchell in an Italian art gallery.

Officially, the trailer is available online from 9am PST (12 noon EST, 5pm BST) until 11am PST (2pm EST, 7pm BST) via the following sites:
View Online (AOL.com) - USA
View Online (MSN.com) - UK

Other Sites
View Online (YouTube)

Download (Right-Click “Save As”)
High Def (1080p) - largest
High Def (720p)
Standard Def (480p) - smallest

Television shows around the world will carry the trailer on from later today, and then in theaters when it is attached to Columbia Pictures’ Hancock from July 2nd.

Press Release
Moviegoers eager for their first look at “Quantum of Solace”, the highly anticipated Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Columbia Pictures release of EON Productions’ 22nd James Bond adventure, will be able to catch the new theatrical trailer for the film, featuring expanding footage of the film, on television and on the internet Monday, June 30th, and in theaters when it is attached to Columbia Pictures’ Hancock.

The trailer will make its debut on AOL.com (USA) and MSN.com (international) in an exclusive two-hour window Monday morning, 9:00am - 11:00am PDT. The trailer will be dubbed or subtitled in 13 languages.

Following the exclusive online break, at 11:00am PDT (2:00pm EDT; 7:00pm London time), the trailer will be sent via satellite to media outlets worldwide.

“Quantum of Solace” opens on 31st October 2008 in the UK, throughout the first week of November Europe, and on November 7th in North America. Click here for a complete list of international release dates. Details of the world premiere are yet to be announced. [READ]