U2's next album release has slipped into next year, which is not ideal for Universal Music, their record company. In a masterful statement, the chart-topping band blames the fact that, in the words of Bono, “we've hit a rich songwriting vein”. He adds: “It gets a bit dark down here but looks like we've found diamonds, not coal. I thought a while back we might have the album wrapped by now, but why come up above ground now if there's more priceless stuff to be found?” It's the sort of stuff that would have caused a profit warning in the old EMI days, had U2 been signed there.

— Universal is fighting back despite U2's album delay, and is arguing that its Christmas release schedule is jammed with key artists, ranging from the Pussycat Dolls (6million sold last time) to Snow Patrol (4.5 million last time). That's true enough, but it brings problems too - Keane and the Kaiser Chiefs have to come out on the same day, October 13, and so one of them won't make the top of the charts.

— As Sony's Reader Digital Book hits the shops, information is pretty scant as to when Amazon Kindle, its market-leading rival, will make it to these shores. Amazon is still “not disclosing details about future devices, international availability or sales”, according to a spokesman. It is Amazon's style, copying Apple's annoying habit, to remain tight-lipped to the moment of launch, but the big publishers do not believe any preparations are imminent. Amazon was content to hand Sony a year's headstart in the US; don't bank on the Kindle coming here this year.

— ITV has quietly launched a shopping comparison website, PriceTerrier.com, although the launch has been so low-key that barely anybody noticed. There's no ITV branding on the site, and there are no immediate plans to promote the digital dog on air, which is surely the advantage that the commercial broadcaster has. The idea may be a sound one, but it is surely doomed to fail in practice unless ITV puts some effort into it.

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