— Philips partners with Rhapsody for digital music: Philips is forming an alliance with RealNetworks (NSDQ: RNWK) to offer online music using Philips’ music players…it would start selling portable and home audio devices compatible with the Rhapsody subscription service early this year.  Philips joins SanDisk Corp (NSDQ: SNDK). Nokia (NYSE: NOK) Oyj and China’s Haier Group in making portable music players that work with Rhapsody. More in release.

—Sharp puts Internet on its TVs: The Aquos Net service, which kicks off later this month, will let viewers click a button on their remote and get Nasdaq stock quotes, local weather information, high-definition images, traffic information from Traffic.com and cartoons. NBC later will put information from some of its sites on the Aquos Net service.

—Vudu adds HD movies: Vudu, the up-and-coming streaming media service, announced that by the end of this month, it will have added its first 70 HD titles to its library of on-demand movies and shows.

—Sony Updates Mylo: Mylo, Sony’s (NYSE: SNE) wireless messaging gadget largely ignored by everyone, is updating it, and added AOL (NYSE: TWX) Instant Messenger in its list of IM clients, and added Flash player capability. It is also increasing the screen resolution to 800 by 480 pixels and building in a camera. Mylo COM-2 users will have free access to commercial hotspots in the Wayport network, including more than 9,000 McDonald’s restaurants, until the end of 2010.