Businessweekreports that Sony plans to launch a store that will compete with iTunes. Like iTunes, Sony's store will sell music, movies, books and downloadable apps for smartphones and other mobile devices. The tentative name for the online store is Sony Online Service.
On Nov. 19, Sony said it plans to launch an online store selling music, movies, and books as well as other downloadable applications for mobile products. Sony's top executives didn't specify when the Internet store, tentatively called Sony Online Service, would go live or what it would look like. But the online storefront, announced at a management strategy meeting in Tokyo, is likely to bear some similarities to Apple's iTunes store and would be Sony's most ambitious attempt to link its products to its own vast library of digital content.
The article says Sony wants its store to differ from iTunes. One difference is that Sony members will be apple to have accounts they can upload videos and other content to.
Sony will try to differentiate its service from iTunes. One example: Users will be able to upload videos shot on camcorders, save photos taken with digital cameras, and post other digital content to their personal online accounts. That's how Google's suite of Net-based services (such as YouTube video-sharing and Picasa photo site) works.
Internet Retailersays the new Sony store will be based on the Sony PlayStation Network's infrastructure, billing and log-in systems.
We don't know who styled Leighton Meester for her five song set at the American Eagle Outfitters flagship store preview party on Tuesday in Times Square, but they did a terrible job. Leighton wore tie die spandex pants, a beehive hairdo, a black bare midriff top and jewelry that did not work with the ensemble. Her makeup was harsh and unflattering. Unfortunately, her performance wasn't any better than her outfit. She she was flat for most of the song "Good Girls Go Bad" but couldn't seem to hear it in her earpiece. Kudos to her for singing live, though. Take a look:
At the grand opening of the American Eagle Outfitters store in Times Square Tuesday night, Leighton Meester talked about her music career. Leighton talks about what she loves about performing. Pete Wentz also weighs in on Leighton's burgeoning music career. Take a look:
Beyonce was brave enough to go crowd surfing at her London concert. Watch as she leaps into the crowd in this fan submitted YouTube video. Take a look:
John Mayer talks about his fourth album, which he recorded at his home. John said he built a recording studio and gym in his home so he could wake up and have total privacy, work out and then hit the studio -- all without having the paparazzi follow him for blocks shouting questions at him.
He says the song "Who Says?" might as well be renamed "Who Cares?" because he had to get to that place where he doesn't care so much what people say about him. He says he's a control freak, but he's working on changing his attitude. Take a look:
In a new
interview
Susan Boyle reveals that she was beaten daily at school for being slow and bullied by the other children. Susan says she has a slight learning disability and that they used to punish children for being slow. She also talks about the loneliness after the death of her mother.
The Britain’s Got Talent star says she was lashed with a belt every day by brutal teachers and cruelly taunted by other kids.
She said: "You're looking at someone who would get the belt every day. 'Will you Shut up, Susan!' -- whack!"
*****
“I was often left behind at school because of one thing or another. I was a slow learner.
"I'm just I’m a wee bit slower at picking things up than other people. So you get left behind in a system that just wants to rush on, you know?
"That was what I felt was happening to me."
She added: "There was discipline for the sake of discipline back then. But it's all very different now. I think teachers are taught to understand children with learning disabilities a lot better."
*****
"After mum died it didn’t fully register until maybe six months after. That's when the loneliness set in and there was nobody around except my cat Pebbles. When you lose someone as powerful as your mum you feel as if a part of you is taken away and that does things to your confidence.
My confidence was pretty down at that time. A good way of levelling it out, I found, was to tell myself that even though she's not here physically, mentally and spiritually she is.
That's what keeps you going. I have my faith, which is the backbone of who I am, really."
What a horrifying story. We have great respect for her for staying strong all these years and not giving up on her dream, despite all the naysayers. We wish her continued success in life. Her new album, I Dreamed a Dream is available for pre-order at a huge discount at Amazon.com. It will be released on November 23rd.
Beyonce is guest-starring on Lady Gaga's upcoming album, The Fame Monster. Beyonce chimes in on the single "Telephone" which is really great. It will be available for purchase on iTunes on Novmeber 23rd, as will the new album. We do hope Beyonce returns the favor and appears in the video for "Telephone." Listen up:
Lady Gaga guest stars in Beyonce's new video, "Video Phone." They book look fabulous. Beyonce works the futuristic assassin look so well that we're thinking a spy thriller really must be in her future (and we don't mean Austin Powers-style, but the real thing). She also does a pinup girl/Bettie Page look and the bangs are really working. Gaga has Beyonce's dance style down pat and she tones down her costumes, wearing a leotard, stilettos. She also wields a plastic gun. Love them both. Take a look:
Could Microsoft stores turn out to be more fun than Apple stores? Microsoft store employees are trying to make that way. Engadget posted this video that shows employees dancing and singing inside the new Microsoft in Mission Viejo to the latest Black Eyed Peas song. Some tech bloggers are making fun of this but it looks like some customers started joining in by the end of the video. Take a look:
The music video for Shakira's "Give It Up To Me" has been released. The video was released live on Ustream. This is Shakira's second single release from her She-Wolf album that hits stores on November 23rd. Once again Shakira impresses with original dance moves and an entertaining song. This video is the first time Shakira has had backup dancers in a music video. We weren't as thrilled with Lil' Wayne, but thankfully it is mostly Shakira after the beginning of the song. The music video starts around the 5:20 mark. Take a look:
Another trailer for the film, Nine, has been released. Kate Hudson sings
Mauray Yeston's entertaining song "Cinema Italiano" in this trailer. We saw just a teaser of Hudson's performance earlier. Nine also a website now at nine-movie.com. This is the second trailer that has been released. If you missed the first trailer you can watch it here.
Annie Lennox was awarded with the 2009 Woman of Peace Award by former winners of the Nobel Peace Prize in Berlin. Annie was honored for helping raise awareness of the HIV/AIDS impact on women and children, especially in South Africa through her "Sing" campaign. Annie wrote the song "Sing" and asked 23 of the world's most famous female singers to help record it. Annie is wearing a HIV Positive t-shirt to help raise awareness of the disease's devastating effect all over the world, especially in Africa. Take a look:
You can read Annie's Myspace blog here. This is the video for "Sing" which features the voices of Annie, Madonna, Celine Dion, Dido, Faith Hill, Joss Stone, Pink, Melissa Etheridge, Fergie, Bonnie Raitt, KT Tunstall, Shakira, Beth Orton, Sarah McLachlan, Anastacia, the Sugababes, KD Lang, Martha Wainwright, Angelique Kidjo, Beverley Knight, Shingai Shoniwa, Gladys Knight, and Isobel Campbell.
Rihanna is trapped in a prison cell in part of her music video for "Russian Roulette." She's involved in a high stakes game of Russian roulette as well. Director Anthony Mandler told MTV that he sees the video as more of a metaphor for Rihanna's very public life than as commentary on Chris Brown's assault of Rihanna.
"I think that with this song and the meaning of this song and how loaded it all is, no pun intended, how much imagery and perhaps symbolism that is loaded in this song, the only way to do it was to do something that was visually challenging," he told MTV News about the video, which premieres Friday (November 13) on "20/20."
Mandler thought of the video as a metaphor for Rihanna's very public life in the gossip pages, as opposed to a direct comment on her February assault by then-boyfriend Chris Brown.
Here's Rihanna's dark and moody video. Take a look:
Entertainment Tonight has a sneak peek of Kate Hudson singing "Cinema Italiano" in the film version of the musical Nine. Kate looks so much like her mom Goldie Hawn in her go-go dancing days on Laugh-In: she looks fabulous. Take a look:
We just love Gabby Sidibe, the star of Precious. Gabby is just so full of energy and life: she is a scream. In this interview with Conan O'Brien, Gabby admits that as a teenager she was just obsessed with the boy band 'N Sync. She knew all the guy's birthdays and went to 23 of their concerts. Take a look:
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