NXT, maker of SurfaceSound flat panel speaker technology, has announced a partnership with DaimlerChrysler to incorporate their speakers into the Mercedes Benz line of automobiles. DaimlerChrysler is the world’s leading manufacturer of passenger cars. If this proves successful, SurfaceSound speakers may find their way into DaimlerChrysler’s other automobile lines.

The National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA), The Harry Fox Agency and MP3.com recently announced their agreement of a licensing arrangement that -- if approved by individual HFA music publisher principals -- will permit the use of over one million musical compositions on MP3.com's popular My.MP3.com service. The My.MP3.com service allows consumers to listen to music from CDs that they already own or which they purchase from MP3.com's retail partners.

AMERICAN PIMP (MGM/UA), released earlier this year, is a documentary by MENACE II SOCIETY makers Albert Hughes and Allen Hughes about the men who prey on the practitioners of the world’s oldest profession. The sound is in Dolby 2.0 Stereo. HAMLET (Criterion), the 1948 version directed by and starring Laurence Olivier, won the Best Picture Oscar. Jean Simmons also stars. The black-and-white film is on DVD in full-frame (1.33:1) aspect ratio, with Dolby 2.0 Mono sound.

Salon Technology reports that all 3 of the Secure Digital Music Initiative's Watermarks have been broken by hackers. SDMI recently offered a $10,000 bounty to anyone who could break one of their 3 watermarking codes. SMDI adamntly denies the claims that the codes have been successfully hacked and notes even if they had been broken it was a planned scenario, thus the $10,000 bounty.

COMMITTED (Walt Disney Home Video), released earlier this year, is director/writer Lisa Krueger’s romantic comedy about a very determined woman, played by Heather Graham, trying to win back her errant husband (Luke Wilson). Casey Affleck and ER’s Goran Visnjic also star. DRACULA/THE STRANGE CASE OF DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE (MPI Home Video) are two made-for-TV movies from producer Dan Curtis (whose work runs from DARK SHADOWS to THE WINDS OF WAR) on one DVD. DRACULA, directed by Curtis, originally aired in 1973, starring Jack Palance as the famous vampire and Fiona Lewis as his primary intended victim. JEKYLL, directed by Charles Jarrott, also stars Palance and gleaned six Emmy Award nominations when it first aired in 1968. The DVD includes interviews with Curtis and Palance.