First of all, get your facts straight if you're going to write an ariticle about something. It is simply not true that iTunes is locked in or that iPod and iPhone are your only options to play your tunes on a mobile device. Aside from all those laptops, you can play your iTunes bought music on any mp3 device out there if you really want. There is a snyergy between iTunes and iPods, but it is not a lock.

More importantly, you seem to fail to realize that Amazon mp3s wouldn't even exist if it wasn't for the ground broken by Steve Jobs and Apple. In fact, the only reason they are able to offer the cheaper DRM free songs is that some of the major lables want the freeedom to raise and vary their prices as they wish and once again bundle their songs so that in order to get the song you want you have to buy other songs you don't want ...in Amazon they've found a willing partner to again screw the customer as they wish. So for now they entice you with this very good and welcome deal, and writers like you help by singing praises of "freedom", but like the drug dealer, if they succeed then see if your freedom endures.

Universal is not going to Amazon because it wants to charge cheaper prices than iTunes or offer DRM free songs as iTunes has asked them to do. They haven't been complaining that Apple is forcing them to charge more than they want and to keep their songs hobbled by DRM when they'd rather sell them DRM free. They'd rather do just the oppisite but first they had to find a willing partner and lure you away from iTunes. If iTunes loses it's leverage as a result, you can see if Amazon stands up to the labels the way Apple has. You'll probably just watch your illusionary freedom vanish.

hank

houston