Tokyo - Sony plans to shutter its Connect digital music service in North America and Europe next year, and end its portable players' reliance on the company's proprietary ATRAC file format.

Los Angeles - NT Media on Wednesday announced the launch of its NTMM online music store, which uses a points system to offer discounted prices for songs. The store's catalog includes over 2 million songs from all the major labels, as well as independent distributors like The Orchard, IODA and CD Baby. Users can pay 10% less for all purchases by paying with "points," which can either be purchased or earned through passing songs or creating showcases. NTMM offers its songs in Microsoft's WMA format -- which is not compatible with Apple's iPod.