By all rights, it should be a banner few months for digital music.
A high-powered new generation of digital music players is heading for Christmas stockings. Almost simultaneously, the major record labels are releasing their catalogs online after years of stalling. Unfortunately, the two campaigns might as well be happening on different planets. People using hot new music devices such as Apple Computer’s iPod or Compaq Computer’s iPaq will not be able to play music from the Pressplay and MusicNet subscription services, which for the first time will make songs legally available online.
The disconnect speaks volumes about the fragmented state of the so-called digital rights management industry, which provides anti-piracy technology. Consumer electronics companies that once paid some lip service to helping fight digital music piracy are now releasing products that will boost demand for the huge amount of free–if legally questionable–music still available online.

Artcile from CNET News.com