Microsoft makes content deal with Universal

SOFTWARE FRIM Microsoft and the litigious entertainment outfit Universal have signed a deal which will put movies and songs onto Vole's iPod rival the Zune.

According to Associated Press, the deal is quite simple. Microsoft flogs Universal's flicks and tunes onto its Zune, and the movie studio takes a cut of the player's sales.

Neither Vole nor Universal said how much it was going to make on the deal, but apparently it is a big cut. Microsoft is understood to be striking similar deals with others in the music industry.

By Microsoft offering the Entertainment industry a percentage of the player sales, it is hoping that they will not get too nasty when it starts offering deals to punters.

The Vole apparently has some cunning marketing plans which will involve using the file sharing and other wireless functions. It does not want to get stuck with lawyers from the Entertainment business hitting them with copyright law suits. µ

L'INQ
AP at SMH