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Ok, so we've all heard about the raging success of Apple's iTunes music store. Newsweek tells us we're an "iPod nation."  But Apple is not the only game in town.  One competitor in particular has garnered a devoted following by going in a different direction -- $10 a month to stream any song or album in the catalog, any time you want.
Image: APM Graphic

Some analysts think RealNetworks' Rhapsody service could represent the greatest challenge to Apple's early dominance in digital music. Erick Schonfeld is editor-at-large for Business 2.0 magazine and author of the "Future Boy" column. He wrote a column not long ago called "iTunes vs. Rhapsody." Jeff Horwich guest-hosts.

Google IPO: No Longer a Sure Thing? A report from CNET News.com highlights doubts in the final days before the search engine company's public offering:

"Fresh concerns about shares issued improperly to insiders and signs of weaker-than-expected demand are creating last-minute reservations about the deal--an oddball offering that's nevertheless expected to be among the largest and highest-priced in recent history, if it proceeds as planned."

VNUNet: Microsoft Embarrasses Itself Over XP Service Pack Delay A massive update of security fixes for Windows XP has been delayed multiple times, though company officials say they expect to release it this month.

Will Congress Act to Make Scientific Research Available to the Public...for Free? Scientific research papers can be expensive, and there have been calls for years to change the system by which research is disseminated. A report from United Press International suggests:

"Congress is moving to force a shift to 'open access,' a form of free-to-consumer publishing, for scientific papers. The move angers commercial publishers, who see their livelihoods threatened, and scares scientific societies, who are afraid they will face revenue losses or new costs they cannot afford."