Apple and EMI offer DRM-free songs: Starting in May, you'll be able to buy 256 kbps, DRM-free music of EMI artists though the iTunes Store. The songs will cost more than DRM'd music - $1.29 versus $.99, and Apple will also offer a service that upgrades any previously purchased EMI songs for $.30 per song. You'll still be able to buy DRM'd EMI music for $.99. Popular EMI artists include Beastie Boys, Coldplay, Gorillaz, Paul McCartney, and Rolling Stones. We're sure that the new music format will be popular, but we don't think it'll make a significant dent into music piracy. For a lot of people, $1.29 is still a lot more than "free," even if it is stealing. But we can see non-DRM $1.29 music taking an even bigger chunk of sales away from CD sales.

Leopard to ship in June: Here's a rumor that doesn't surprise anyone - "sources" say that Mac OS 10.5 (a.k.a. Leopard) will ship in June, possibly during Apple's Worldwide Developer's Conference. "Sources" also say the iWork and iLife upgrades will also ship in June, and Apple may possibly bundle iWork, iLife, or both with Leopard.

USB working on Apple TV? The only reason we're linking to this is because everyone other Web site seems to be linking to it, without questioning the content. Supposedly, this video proves that someone got the USB port on Apple TV to work. But we can't figure out what the heck is going on in the video. As far as we're concerned, nothing has been proven. Hey dude in the video, how 'bout telling us what's going on? How 'bout using your camera to show what's connected to USB? And how 'bout telling us what you plan to do to prove that USB works? If you're going to spend six days hacking away to get the USB port to work, spend an hour getting the video done right.

In other news: In case you missed it, Goggle's April Fool's joke was the announcement of a plumbing-based Internet broadband service. Rumor has it that Microsoft's Zune will be updated in June, with bigger screen and touchpad controls. And finally, the MPAA hates these 25 universities.