Amazon : Get Easy Access to Over 6 Million DRM-Free Songs from Amazon MP3 On New T-Mobile G1 Powered by Android Software

Today announced that the Amazon MP3 music store will be pre-loaded on the T-Mobile G1, the world's first Android(TM)-powered mobile phone in partnership with Google. T-Mobile G1 users can search, download, buy and play music from Amazon MP3, which offers over 6 million DRM-free MP3 songs from all four major music labels and thousands of independent labels that can be played on virtually any hardware device and managed with any music software.

"Amazon wants to make it easy for customers to discover, buy, and play their music wherever they happen to be--whether sitting at their computer or on the go," said Bill Carr, Amazon.com Vice President for Digital Music and Video. "We look forward to the release of the T-Mobile G1, which will put Amazon MP3's vast selection of low-priced DRM-free music at the fingertips of even more customers in more places."

The T-Mobile G1 comes pre-loaded with an Amazon MP3 application, giving customers a phone-optimized version of the Amazon MP3 store and the immediate gratification of buying and playing their favorite music. Amazon MP3 has worked to make its DRM-free music available through numerous products and services, such as Pandora MySpace Music, and now Android and T-Mobile G1.

Downloading music from Amazon MP3 using the T-Mobile G1 requires a Wi-Fi connection but searching, browsing, listening to samples and buying MP3s can be done wherever customers are connected to the T-Mobile network. Downloaded MP3s can be played anytime on the T-Mobile G1, PCs, Macs or any other MP3 music player.

Launched in September 2007, Amazon MP3 offers a massive selection of DRM-free MP3 music downloads with more than 6 million songs from thousands of record labels. Every song and album in the Amazon.com digital music store is available exclusively in the MP3 format without digital rights management (DRM) software, enabling customers to play their music on virtually any personal digital music-capable device, including PCs, Macs(R), iPods(R), iPhones(R), Zunes(TM), Zens(TM), and to burn songs to CDs for these customers' personal use. Amazon MP3's 100 bestselling songs are 89 cents, unless otherwise marked, with over 1 million songs available at 89 cents. Amazon MP3's 100 bestselling albums are $8.99 or less, unless otherwise marked. Most albums are priced from $5.99 to $9.99, with more than 80 percent of Amazon MP3's album catalog priced at $8.99 or below.

The T-Mobile G1 is the world's first Android-powered mobile phone in an exclusive partnership with Google. The T-Mobile G1 combines full touch-screen functionality and a QWERTY keyboard with a mobile Web experience that includes the popular Google services that millions have enjoyed on the desktop, including Google Maps with StreetView, Gmail, YouTube and others. With a fun and intuitive user interface and one-touch access to Google Search, the T-Mobile G1 is also the first phone to provide access to Android Market, where customers can find and download unique applications to expand and personalize their phone to fit their lifestyle.

Android is an open, free mobile platform developed by the Open Handset Alliance. It includes everything a manufacturer or operator needs to build a mobile phone. Android was designed from the ground up to enable the best user experience possible on a mobile phone. It leverages web and Internet content to provide advanced services such as Mobile Mash-ups.

Songs and albums on Amazon MP3 are generally sold by Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

Google and T-Mobile have launched the G1 smartphone at $ 179

T-Mobile USA will sell the first phone powered by Google Inc's Android operating system for $179, slightly cheaper than its rival, Apple Inc's popular iPhone, the wireless service said on Tuesday.

That price competes with the entry-level price of $199 for the iPhone, with a two-year contract. T-Mobile's new G1 phone is seen as Google's answer to the iPhone and is the Web search leader's biggest push yet in the cell phone market.

The phone will go on sale next month for $180 -- about $20 cheaper than its archrival, Apple's (AAPL) iPhone. We're still sorting through features and details, but overall, the phone looks impressive.

The G1 phone, made by Taiwan's HTC Corp , will debut on October 22.

G1 users will have free push GMail, wireless syncing with Google calendar, and support for YouTube. Additionally, the Google Maps feature has a built-in compass which enables users to view locations and navigate 360 degrees by moving the phone with their hands.

But non-Google app users can still use the G1 for communication as it syncs with most other POP3 or IMAP e-mails. There's no support for Microsoft Exchange at the moment, but executives said there's plenty of opportunity for a third-party developer to create a product.

The G1 will have integrated Wi-Fi for surfing and checking e-mail, and users can also hop onto T-Mobile's expanding 3G network for mobile Web access. There's also a GPS chip that can use cellular data for assisted GPS services such as location-based searches.

There's a full HTML browser on board that's built on the same underlying technology as the recently released Chrome desktop browser. The G1 version, or "Chrome Lite," uses the WebKit engine and has been tailored for the mobile screen.

The handset will have a multimedia player, and it comes preloaded with an Amazon application that enables users to search, download, and buy music from more than 6 million DRM-free tracks. The G1 also has Bluetooth capabilities, a dedicated search button, and users will be able to download applications from the Android Market.

The new phone will feature Android Market, where customers can find and download applications to expand and personalize their phone.

Google, which first revealed its plans for Android in November last year, aims to differentiate itself by letting multiple independent vendors offer applications to Android users.

"Because the platform is open we think Android is somewhat future proof," said Andy Rubin, Google director of mobile platforms, speaking at the launch event.

A similar strategy helped increase the buzz around Apple's second-generation iPhone, which can support more than 3,000 applications that can be downloaded from Apple's iTunes store.

Google is well ahead of rivals Yahoo Inc and Microsoft in Web search on computers and is looking to use Android to retain its dominance in search related ad sales as cell phone Web use gains prominence. But so far no clear winner has emerged for the mobile Web.

Microsoft has been gaining ground solidly with its operating system for advanced cell phones, some of which are also made by HTC.

Nokia offers mobile Web services through Symbian, the leading mobile operating system for smart phones with around 60 percent of the market. Nokia accounts for 40 percent of the global mobile device market.

Plantronics announced Voyager 835 Bluetooth Headset

Plantronics has announced another new Bluetooth headset called the Voyager 835. The headset uses AudioIQ technology with two microphones to help remove extraneous sounds that could affect call quality.

The headset also includes an in-car charger and can be paired to two phones at the same time. The ear loop is a slim line design that allows for all day comfort. The headset weighs less than 12 grams. Talk time is up to 5 hours and standby is up to five days. The headset will be available in October for $119.95.

n the car, on the street or at the airport, be heard above the noise with the Plantronics Voyager 835 Bluetooth headset. Dual-mic AudioIQ noise canceling technology provides clear sound by separating and enhancing your voice to minimize distracting background sounds. Windsmart technology reduces the wind noise your callers would otherwise hear. A comfortable, contoured eartip channels sound directly into your ear, so you can focus on what’s important—your conversation. Plantronics QuickPair technology lets you easily pair your headset with your Bluetooth phone and multipoint technology lets you stay connected with two Bluetooth phones—like a PDA and personal phone— all from one lightweight headset.

NBC iTunes Downloads Top 1 Million Since

Lots of great things were revealed at the Let’s Rock event this month. We received updated iPods, saw the unveiling of iTunes 8, and another highlight was Steve Jobs’ announcement that NBC would be returning to iTunes. Naturally, the news was received with much enthusiasm by NBC fans, and I quickly went to download some of the classic TV shows on my MacBook Pro, such as The A Team and Alfred Hitchcock. iTunes users flocked to the NBC offerings since the announcement, as NBC shows have been downloaded over one million times. Now, that’s impressive.

Taking the stage at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Steve Jobs announced the arrival of HD TV shows on the iTunes Store. Not surprisingly, the shows were priced at $2.99 a piece. "We're adding new content to iTunes. HD TV shows,” Jobs said. “You can buy them for $1.99 in SD, HD will be $2.99... and you can watch them on your computer." But Apple also revealed that NBC was returning to the iTunes Store with its most popular shows, some of them in HD.

Relations between Apple and NBC have been strained since 2007, following the duo's disagreement when trying to settle on the pricing for the TV shows. However, George Kliavkoff later emphasized that NBC was keen to get its content back up on iTunes. Therefore, Jeff Zucker, President and CEO at NBC Universal, announced the official return of their shows to Apple's iTunes Store on September 9.

World of Apple points out that, before NBC’s pull-out, the company's shows accounted for some 40 percent of all iTunes video sales. It seems NBC is just as popular now, as it was back in 2007, among iTunes users, with Hollywood Reporter stating that over 1 million NBC TV shows have been downloaded through Apple's iTunes Store, since the network's return on September 9.

It is worth noting that a good deal of the 1 million downloads can very well be HD giveaways such as Battlestar Galactica (Season 4), The Office (Season 4), Heroes (Season 2), In Plain Sight (Season 1), Monk (Season 7) and others.