I haven't thought about the Apple record label in years. You remember? The Beatles? Are you with me now?

Apple Corps sued Apple Computer in 1981 over the Apple logo. Apple computer settled for $80,000 with a promise NOT to get involved in the music business. (Oh, Really??)

The Beatles label sued Apple Computer again in 1989 over a music making program. Apple Computer again settled - for $26 million... and the courts further defined what role each company could play in Europe. Apple Corps was awarded naming rights to music content and Apple Computer to devices that deliver such content. Sounds pretty cut and dry, yes?

Not...

It seems that the ruling specifically restricted Apple Computer from distributing content on physical media - like a CD. Hmmmm.

Enter - the iPod. Enter - iTunes. Are these items devices or media? More importantly... what's the difference between a hard drive or a flash memory device and a CD?

Let the litigation begin.

Click here to read the article at the UK Times Online.

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