Apple Sells Chili Peppers' Tickets While Fighting Beatles

A British judge will decide this month whether Apple Computer Inc. violated terms of an agreement with The Beatles, but the computer giant is wasting no time as it pushes into a new area of the music business.

Apple Corps is a music company owned by The Beatles members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr as well as the widows of George Harrison and John Lennon. It is suing Apple Computer, saying the company breached a 15-year-old agreement that it would stay out of the music business. Both parties have argued their sides in a London court.

The computer company claims the agreement allowed them to sell software, hardware and digital files, including entertainment, while using an apple logo. The music company claims that an agreement reached to settle an earlier lawsuit prohibits the computer company from using its bitten apple logo to sell music. Apple Computer's logo has been rainbow-colored and monochromatic. Apple music's logo is green, shiny and whole.

While the case was in its closing stages this week, Apple Computer announced more music sales through iTunes. In addition to exclusive deals on music from Dave Matthews Band, the computer company announced the sale of music and concert tickets for the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

U.K. High Court Justice Edward Mann said he is unlikely to decide the case before Easter but is likely to issue a decision by the end of April.