Allofmp3.com, one of the top mp3 download sites in the world for people looking for mp3 mp3 downloads, allowing people do to an mp3 search of the works of thousands of popular artists, and then download the mp3s for as little as ten cents, has been closed down by the Russian government in a bid to gain membership in the World Trade Organization. Allofmp3.com was considered a barrier to entry for Russia, with what has been estimated to be the world’s largest collection of pirated music, all available as low cost and even nearly free mp3 downloads to Allofmp3’s 5.5 million customers.

You know you should have a data backup solution to ensure that you have a harddrive backup – and in fact you may already have one or more backup solutions in place. But what about portable backup solutions – what about if you are on a trip, and your hard drive fails (as mine did last week?) Consider an iPod video for your portable backup data storage!

For my birthday this year I received the Garmin Nuvi GPS, and I have to tell you that this portable GPS is the ultimate in mobile GPS systems! This small handheld GPS navigation unit can fit in your pocket or attach to a beanbag based stand (which molds to fit any place in your car or wherever else you want to put it), has the clearest screen of any I’ve seen, fantastic maps (3d or flat view), will instantly show you a list of all of the restaurants, gas stations, and such in the area wherever you are. But the best part about the Garmin Nuvi GPS is that it’s spoken directions make sense! Now I understand why all the GPS reviews give this Garmin portable GPS system such high praise!

The much-rumoured and long hoped-for Beatles iPod, in the form of a Yellow Submarine iPod – a yellow iPod with the entire Beatles catalog loaded on it – came one step closer to reality with Apple Records (properly known as Apple Corps LTD) and Apple Computer burying the hatchet and bringing to a close their long-standing feud over the Apple trademark.

This year, the Queen of England will not only be broadcasting her message by radio and television, but will also be making it available as a podcast. And, in fact, you can sign up right now, in advance, and have the Queen’s Christmas podcast delivered right to you as soon as it is available.

While it remains to be seen whether the Microsoft Zune will be the iPod killer that they hope it to be, there is one way in which it has already taken the lead: Zune hacks. The Zune can be hacked (i.e. modified) in many ways, while most are afraid to hack their iPod at all.

The Zeon portable DVD player with integrated iPod video dock from iLuv is one hot new device, and they make fantastic Christmas gifts! This portable DVD player with integrated video iPod dock (also misleadingly called the “jWin iLuv Portable Tablet Video System for Apple iPod Video”) is the easiest way on the planet to watch all those video podcasts and television shows you’ve downloaded from the Internet to your video iPod (while traveling, or even at home or work), without developing a permasquint! And with a 7″ video screen, built-in speakers, viewing stand, and remote, it’s also a full on portable DVD player, all in one compact 10″ x 6″ package! Yes, you really can take it with you!

A number of video iPods have shipped with the Windows RavMonE virus, says Apple. The iPod virus, which shows as RavMonE.exe was discovered in a small number of video iPods shipped after Septemer 12th.

Starbucks has just struck a deal to have their own “Starbucks Entertainment” area on Apple’s iTunes internet music store. According to Starbucks, their Hear Music catalog will be available through the iTunes website.

If you’ve been wondering about the Microsoft Zune MP3 music player, and in particular if you have been wondering how much it will cost and where you can buy it, wonder no more. Because Wal-mart accidentally (or not?) leaked that information earlier this week.

MySpace has announced that they will start selling music downloads, in competition with iTunes. Actually, more accurately, My Space is going to allow the indie artists who make up a substantial portion of their userbase to start selling their own music via downloads on My Space, or what some are calling MyTunes.

Forget your fancy Mac MP3 players!

Did you know that you can play an MP3 on the fly on your Mac without using or loading any separate Mac MP3 players, and without even loading or using iTunes?

A new free service on the web allows you to easily create ebooks to take along on your iPod! You can take pretty much any text, upload it or provide a link to it, press a button, and voila! You get an ebook which can be read on your iPod!

You might have heard the word “Zune” recently in the news, or near the office water cooler. Zune is the codename, now nearly certainly confirmed as the actual name, for what some are dubbing “the iPod killer”: Microsoft’s new Zune MP3 player. In addition to the Zune music player, of course, Microsoft has their own iZune music store to go with it. Ok, just kidding, it’s not really called “iZune”, it’s called “Urge”.

Comedy Central has just started making shows, including the first two seasons of South Park, available through iTunes.