Back to Vegas and the Consumer Electronics Show where Hewlett-Packard formally ended their relationship with Apple yesterday by announcing a new deal with RealNetworks.
As previously reported, HP announced last August that it would not renew its partnership with Apple which had included the sale of HP branded iPods and the inclusion of iTunes on the company's PCs. That deal ran out at the end of last year, and will now be replaced by a partnership with RealNetworks, which means that the RealPlayer will now be pushed via HP, with their US PCs coming with Real's Rhapsody software already installed and a free 30-day trail of their subscription based music platform.
Elsewhere at CES, Real announced a deal with US cable company Cox Communications that will offer the Rhapsody service to 3 million broadband users across the US, and give them the chance to bundle their Rhapsody subscription into their existing cable bill. Cox spokesman Steve Gorman explained: "Our customers won't have to bother with filling out yet another online subscription form or be asked to provide personal information such as a credit card number. With our integrated billing system, Cox customers can experience great music and continue enjoying the convenience of a single bill."