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EMI baffles us: Offers Beatles MP3s... on memory sticks

EMI and Apple Corps have released a £200 USB memory stick in the shape of an apple, with all The Beatles' albums in MP3. We're so unimpressed we felt compelled to complain

Nate Lanxon Special to CNET News

Core blimey (arf!). For just £50 more than the beautiful box set of CDs, you can get a USB stick in the shape of a piece of fruit. True, it contains all The Beatles' remastered albums on it, in FLAC and MP3 audio format, but you could make those yourself.

This, apparently, is what Apple Corps and EMI thinks moving into the world of digital distribution is all about. We're not even bothered about the £200 price tag -- at the end of the day, it's a collector's item, and if there's a group of people who like collecting, it's Beatles fans. No problem.

But for the love of all things beautiful, if 30,000 limited-edition apple-shaped USB memory sticks is the best you can do, instead of at least setting up your own download store, then goddaughter help you.

For collectors and Beatles fans, head over to the group's Web store to pre-order. For everyone looking to pay for the individual albums in FLAC, tough noogies -- EMI's not interested in your money.