Quote:Wal-Mart Stores Ending MP3 Sales

(AP) Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is ending its digital music sales this month after seeing increased competition.

The world's largest retailer confirmed Tuesday that it will stop selling MP3s as of Aug. 29. Customers who already bought digital music through its site may continue to use and manage their music there.

Wal-Mart began selling digital music in 2003 to compete with Apple's iTunes. The company faces tough competition from Amazon.com and as iTunes has become the largest digital music seller.

The company declined to discuss the move further, saying in an email that it was a "business decision."

Quote:Wal-Mart's Video Service Reaches iPad
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: August 10, 2011 at 12:06 AM ET

The Vudu video-streaming service is coming to the iPad, but not as an app.

Vudu is starting to streaming video to the iPad's Web browser on Wednesday, joining other companies in avoiding the fees that Apple applies to any content sold through dedicated apps.

...Vudu.com's business model is similar to Apple's own iTunes. It rents out movies for $1 to $6 for a 24-hour or 48-hour viewing period. It also sells them for $5 and up, which allows viewing any time. Its claim to fame is that it has many movies on the same day they're released on DVD.

By using the browser instead of an app, Vudu bypasses Apple's iTunes checkout process, but the movies can only be viewed with a live Internet connection. They can't be downloaded and played back later, as iTunes movies can.

...Vudu is owned by Wal-Mart Stores Inc. The Little Rock, Ark.-based retailer bought Vudu a year and a half ago.