The Secure Digital Music Initiative is due to be ratified Thursday night, after 100 companies from the music, consumer electronics, and information technology industries adopt the digital music specification.
The spec, the industry's answer to the widely popular MP3 digital music file format, was initially proposed only four months ago. In order to meet its 30 June deadline, which would get SDMI-compatible portable digital music players in stores by Christmas, the organization adopted a fast track, behind-closed-doors development process.
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