According to this article in the Guardian, record label island Records is trying a a way to market singles: they're putting them on a flash drive and selling them in HMV for about $7.50. Island is testing the waters with British pop rock band Keane's new single "Nothing in my Way," which will come on a chip along with a few other tracks, screensavers and videos. Plug the chip into a USB port and you can download the whole mess onto your computer and play as you wish.

Aimed at older downloaders and those reluctant to abandon CDs for iTunes and other online music stores as a gateway drug, the chip idea is entirely experimental: Island isn't sure if it find favor among the buying public, let alone have a chance of achieving its other stated goal of reviving the singles market. Should be interesting to see what happens.