New Software Strips Copy Protection from iTunes Tracks

A new application making the rounds online allows Windows users to strip the digital rights management (DRM) code from songs they've purchased at Apple's iTunes store. Without the code, those songs can be freely distributed and shared on the 'net; currently, music purchased on iTunes can only be played on up to five authorized computers, and albums can only be burned a certain number of times. The software, called myFairTunes, also strips the DRM code without any loss of audio quality. Previous hacks that stripped DRM code caused some loss of quality to the audio tracks (Lifehacker, via Gizmodo).

In other digital music news, MySpace announced a major partnership yesterday with a company called Snocap. The deal will allow bands with MySpace accounts to sell DRM-free digital downloads directly from their MySpace page. Hear SPIN.com's Peter Gaston talking about this development on this morning's edition of NPR's Marketplace (more).

Talk: Should iTunes and other digital music retailers be allowed to place digital rights management code into purchased music? COMMENT

On the Web:
lifehacker.com
gizmodo.com