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Tuesdays belong to Apple, like a Hallmark made holiday, they’ve staked their claim for iTunes Tuesday.  Every Tuesday, of every week, except this one.  In this holiday shortened week Apple’s taken liberties with their calendar.  While new music was revealed today, bigger things are planned for tomorrow.  This is poised to be an Apple iTunes Week.

Tomorrow, as announced and discussed a week ago, Apple will reveal its latest and greatest secret to the world.  It’s musical and beyond that, a mystery.  New iPods? The Beatles on iTunes? A ring tone store? a Nano sized iPhone?  What will it be?

Theories and speculation started the moment the news conference was announced.  With less than 24 hrs to go, the speculation has reached a frenzy.   

All will be revealed tomorrow (and then no doubt dissected from blogger to media outlet for the rest of the week) but for one more day, we speculate with some not too scientifically created odds making [Odds are based on circumstantial evidence and popularity of the prediction]

1. New iPod Nano (odds 3:2)  
   Topping the list of most likely, as has been the case for the week, is a new line of iPod Nano’s.  Why? Click to Read More

Vivendi SA, the French-based entertainment conglomerate and owner of Universal Music, reported second quarter earnings earlier today.  They results were mixed. 

Second quarter earnings were reported at $813m (594m Euros). (Down heavily from last years $1.5b (1.1b Euros) largely due to gains from selling shares in DuPont).  Per share, the company earned 67c a share for the quarter.

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If at first you don’t succeed … try again or move on?  For Sony, the answers are all relative. 

Today, in unrelated announcements, the electronics giant announced both that they would disconnect (e.g. shut down) their struggling Connect Music music store and also, that they will be introducing two new video-capable Walkman MP3 players.

It’s a tale of missed opportunities, bad choices, and the struggle to correct them.   As far back as 1997, Sony was poised to try and take the dominance they developed with the original Walkman into the digital MP3 world.   Back then, Sony had a joint venture with IBM for electronic music distribution.  The plan was to create both portable music players and a digital music store. 

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In an age of corporate sponsorships, Tuesday is iTunes day.  Apple has long claimed the day as its forum to introduce new musical additions to its iTunes catalog.  Two weeks ago the day belonged to John Lennon.  This week, it’s his former band mates, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. That overload of ex-Beatles is fueling a new round of thoughts on what is the most speculated of all iTunes mysteries: when will the Beatles and Apple Music take a bit out of iTunes and Apple Inc.

Theories are swirling. The latest buzz is saying maybe, September 5th will be that day.   Apple has previously announced major product changes are on schedule for this quarter.  The Beatles band members are getting increasingly frequent reference on Apple promotional materials (e.g. iTunes Tuesday).  And now, Apple has scheduled a “Special Event” for the 5th and all reports are its iPod related.

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With talk about convergence, Microsoft comes up a lot. They’re into gaming (Xbox), all things computers (Windows etc.), music (Zune and Windows Media Player) and they want to get more involved in the living room (Media Center) and other environments (Surface).  One area that wouldn’t have struck me for a top ten list of their target markets is my car, but turns out that is a destination already on Microsoft’s road map.

GPS or operating system related software technology would be the first guesses for where and what they’re focusing on, and that’s half right.  Entertainment, however, is also a big part.   Microsoft already has a Window’s Automotive Platform and they’re aiming to use it to integrate and control entertainment devices.  The launch was notable enough, even, to be the subject of a Bill Gates  keynote speech.  Now a new patent aims to expand the vision.

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There’s been a lot of activity on the financing front lately.  With big deals like Metacafe’s $30m round, and smaller deals with celebrity investors like,   Exabre (The Filter) some other smaller round deals haven’t gotten a lot of press.  Two that were almost overlooked are game company Conduit Labs and discovery-agent software company uPlayMe

Conduit Labs:
Conduit Labs has raised $5.5m in a first round for an internet gaming site.  Click to Read More

In what is likely the end of MTV’s Urge music service, Viacom’s MTV Networks and Real Networks have shaken hands on a deal to launch a music store joint venture to compete against iTunes.

The Urge music service will merge with Real Networks Rhapsody service to form Rhapsody America.  Music from the combined entity will be available via the net as well as through an integrated service with Verizon’s VCast cell phone service.

Financial details and other terms weren’t immediately disclosed but review of the 8-K filing with the SEC shed a detailed light on the joint venture. 

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