Apple has just made history by surpassing Wal-Mart to become the United States’ No. 1 music store. It marks the first time in history that a seller of digital downloads has beaten a big CD retailer. According to market research firm NPD Group, Apple sold more albums in January and February than any other U.S. retailer. The NPD Group said that Apple probably received a sales boost during the two months when people started cashing in the iTunes gift cards (a $20 sample is pictured ... Read More

Apple iPhone Apple just announced memory upgrades for both gadgets. After being released in June and September of 2007, respectively, the iPhone is now available in 16GB; and the iPod Touch is now available in 32GB. That’s 2000 more songs, 100 more music videos or 20 more TV episodes for the iPhone -- double that for the iPod Touch. Maps, Mail, Stocks, Weather, and Notes are some of the main applications now added to the iPod Touch – porting them from the iPhone. ... Read More

[Reuters] The independent research by two statisticians from the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business found buyers saved $7 billion that they might have otherwise been ready to pay in a study of eBay auction behavior in 2003. Applying the same analysis to 2004 buyer data, consumers saved $8.4 billion, said Wolfgang Jank, one author of the study. A linear projection of the research findings would mean consumers saved around $19 billion during 2007, Jank said. Online shopping has grown tremendously ... Read More