Hypebot Digital Music Quick Hits

– Just ahead of the iTunes phone announcement later today, Verizon has just released three MP3 phones. The Motorola E815, UTStarcom CDM-8940, and an upgraded LG VX8100 will each allow consumers to add music directly from their PCs mirroring the expected Motorola iTunes phone. WATCH HYPEBOT FOR iTUNES PHONE UPDATES !

CelebrityAccess MediaWire – The Orchard has joined the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM) as a founding associate member and the first digital distributor to financially support the new organization. Based in New York, The Orchard is the leading distributor and marketer of independent music worldwide and is the music industry’s preeminent independent trade association in the US.

Newly incorporated, A2IM was created to represent the interests of independent labels in business, government and the media. It will also serve as the leading edge for the exploration of new and innovative forms of music exposure and distribution.

– Samsung and XM Satellite Radio are developing a combination MP3 player and  satellite radio receiver called the neXus, is expected to hit the market within the fourth quarter of this year. It is expected to be compaitble with the upcoming XM + Napster service.

– Norwegian programmer Jon Johansen or "DVD Jon," has done it again. "It" is the cracking of a key Windows Media Player encryption that masks user and port information for WMA streaming files.