Engadget: We’re not exactly sure how they finagled it, but Universal Music announced it plans to collect a share of the thin margin Microsoft’s going to make with each Zune, receiving an unspecified amount for each player sold. In typical RIAA boot camp style, Doug Morris, CEO of Universal said, “We felt that any business that’s built on the bedrock of music we should share in.” So, if we have this straight, according to Universal, any music-playing device sold should provide some profit to them — even if that device will never play a song recorded by Universal. And likewise, Microsoft has no problem setting a new precedent to butter up a big label partner like Universal to possibly be seen as a favorable alternative to the Jobsian iPod-stranglehold on legal music distribution when Apple’s Universal contract is up. (Remember, this isn’t the first time the music industry said it wants a cut of hardware sales.) Is it us, or did something start to seriously reek in here?

The Beatles are coming to an online music store near you “soon.” So says EMI’s head suit David Munns. Why should you care? Well, besides the fact that, you know, the Beatles pretty much invented the modern concept of a rock band, we could see an interesting battle between Apple and Microsoft. Will iTunes or the Zune Marketplace claim such hits as “Yesterday” and “Twist and Shout”? Will you be jamming out to “Day Tripper” on your iPod or Zune?

As we all know, the Beatles are pretty much the only band not available on any of the legitimate online music stores. (I’m sorry, but allofmp3 doesn’t count.) I can’t wait to (possibly) 3 plays/3 days share such obscure hits as “Penny Lane” with random young ladies on the street. “Hey there, hot mama, have you heard of the Beatles? They’re this totally cool band…” (Cue mace to the face.)

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While Ultimate Ears may be known for creating some pretty decent headphones, their high price often scares away many potential buyers. Enter the metro.fi 2, a pair of headphones with the distinctly Ultimate Ears looks, but for—get this!—a fraction of the price. Approximately $80 will nab you the headphones, which incorporate much of the same technology that make Ultimate Ears headphones sound so good. Apparently, Ultimate Ears is trying to go after the cheap-o in-ear headphones that the likes of Sony try to pass off as revolutionary.

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Remember that super-small iPod Shuffle v2.0 from the Showtime event well over a month ago? The good news is that this player is finally shipping. Way too long after it was announced, in my opinion. Nevertheless, it is still a nifty little MP3 player, and it is made by Apple, so we can’t hate on it for too long. Go pick it up from an Apple Store or order it online—just in time for the holidays.

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U2 is planning to release its first 3-D concert film next year, says The Hollywood Reporter.

The untitled feature is being directed by Catherine Owens and Mark Pellington. In conjunction with the film’s anticipated mid- to late-2007 debut, U2 also might take part in the first live 3-D performance projected in theaters nationwide.

For the film, Owens and Pellington shot more than 700 hours of footage with the band in seven South American cities during February and March. Trekking across Argentina, Mexico, Chile and Brazil, the film’s 3-D director of photography Peter Anderson (“T2 3-D: Battle Across Time”) used nine pairs of Sony Cinealta 950 cameras to capture the band with swooping camera angles and kaleidoscopic imagery. The director of cinematography for the film’s 2-D footage is Tom Krueger.

3ality Digital Entertainment, the project’s producer, put together of the largest assemblages of 3-D camera technology ever used for a single project.

It is expected that the film will screen nationwide using the Real D technology in place by theaters screening the digital 3-D release of Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas in Disney Digital 3-D.

The Saint B is an MP3 player concept out of Russia. The unit hangs around your neck where OLED beauty glistens through a flexible black plastic cover. The player charges/syncs via USB. But what we like most about the Saint B is the sinful bang for your buck:

Sin 1: Bastardization/misuse of the cross
Sin 2: Cross is jet black (the color of sin, along with red and hot pink)
Sin 3: The Mariah Carey album you still listen to on it

Plus, the Saint B is completely protected from those pesky vampire muggers who like the iPod so much.

Todd McFarlane is going to be on Bubba The Love Sponge today. Check him out on Siruis Chanal 101.

An “extremely well-informed exec” tells Trusted Reviews that the 6G iPod will be released in December, and it will be capable of 480p resolution. The source confirmed that it will be a touchscreen model with virtual click wheel control, but made no mention of whether wireless connectivity would be part of the package. Added the source, “This is why Jobs isn’t afraid of the Zune.”

We’ve seen the iPod touchscreen patent documentation, and we’ve entertained countless rumors and even reliable tips about the upcoming device; what we need to see now is a real picture of it. One thing’s for sure, if this widescreen iPod is released in the next two months, the Microsoft Zune with its old-fashioned 4×3 screen and crippled WiFi will be slam-dunked.

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