Cupertino, Calif. - Apple on Thursday introduced a beta version of the software tools developers will need to create third-party applications for its iPhone, in an event at its headquarters in Cupertino, Calif. [more..]

Washington - A U.S. House subcommittee on Thursday approved a bill that would beef up the government's protection of intellectual property, after removing a controversial provision that would have increased penalties for pirated compilation CDs by allowing each track to figure as an infringement. [more..]

Menlo Park, Calif. - Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB), a venture capital firm focused on technology, said on Thursday that it has launched a new $100 million fund to invest in companies developing applications and services for Apple's iPhone and iPod touch. [more..]

San Francisco - A number of top music managers say that their artists have not seen any revenue from deals made by their labels to offer their music videos on Google's YouTube video site, CNET News.com reported. [more..]

London - Slicethepie, a music discovery site where fans help fund album releases from their favorite artists, plans to release the first album financed through its model on Monday, the debut album from London's The Alps. [more..]

Hong Kong - Five Hollywood studios that sued Chinese Internet café chain media service provider Jeboo, over its subscription movie download service, have settled their pending litigation, with Jeboo agreeing to cease its infringements and pay a "significant" amount in damages. [more..]

New York - Adconion Media Group, an independent online ad network that last week announced an $80 million third round of financing, said on Thursday that it has acquired direct marketing services provider Frontline Direct for $20 million in cash and equity. [more..]

New York - A group of five noted women in media -- Liz Smith, Lesley Stahl, Peggy Noonan, Mary Wells and Joni Evans -- have each contributed $200,000 to pool $1 million for the launch of WowoWow, a new destination site and social network aimed at women 40 and older, The New York Times reported. [more..]

Palo Alto, Calif. - Kapow Technologies, the provider of a mashup creation platform for businesses, announced on Thursday that it has raised an $11.6 million third round of venture capital financing. [more..]

Edinburgh, Scotland - Rapid Mobile Media, a provider of mobile advertising and applications, announced on Thursday that it has raised about $4 million in its second round of financing, led by New Enterprise Associates. [more..]

In order to align the musicians' interests with those of their record label or management company, they should get stock options, much like the company executives get. That way, it would be a true partnership in building the artists' brands for the long run, according to Terry McBride, CEO Nettwerk Management. Read Jay Baage's blog from Canadian Music Week. [more..]

Jay Baage is blogging from the Canadian Music Week about how Research In Motion is partnering with the pop artist will.i.am in the company's latest move to gain more traction in the consumer retail market. RIM Co-CEO Jim Balsillie also had a few words of advice to the room of music professionals gathered to hear his keynote. [more..]

Dulles, Va. - AOL has announced the launch of Open AIM 2.0, a new incarnation allowing developers greater access to its AIM instant messaging network and giving them freedom to integrate the technology into their websites. [more..]

Los Angeles - The homepage of Google's YouTube tomorrow will be taken over by the Icelandic band Sigur Ros, whose feature-length documentary "Heima" will be offered for streaming in its entirety. [more..]

Waltham, Mass. - Online video distributor PermissionTV on Thursday announced that it is powering the distribution of the New York Philharmonic's recent historic performance in North Korea. [more..]

Boston - OurStage, a Boston-based website for independent musicians and fans, has announced a strategic partnership with AOL Music that will extend the reach of OurStage's independent music content to AOL Music. [more..]

Redwood City, Calif. - Electronic Arts said on Wednesday that former University of Arkansas running back and two-time All-American Darren McFadden will appear on the front cover of its NCAA Football 09 title for the Xbox 360, scheduled for release on July 15. [more..]