Apple's iTunes Gains Even More Steam

Sure there were naysayers, but they won't want to look now. Apple's iTunes service has sold more than three million videos in just six weeks! And, in less than three years, Apple has become the seventh largest music retailer in the world, according to the NPD Group.

Say what you want. Criticize the awesome, efficient, robust and secure PowerBooks as iPod companions. Denigrate the new widescreen, media friendly iMacs as "quirky" or late to the party. Bemoan Apple's refusal to license its hardware or iPod technology. Whatever.

Here's the painful truth: Apple stock is trading at an all-time high. That means the company's outperforming others and is doing a lot of things right.

And today the company announces a licensing agreement with NBC to distribute 11 top-shelf programs via iTunes. Meanwhile news reports speculate an additional deal with ESPN is imminent. Can agreements with Fox and ABC be far behind?