TechCrunch � AllOfMP3 Launches allTunes

My favorite legal MP3 store - I'm pretty sure it is legal, anyway. If you can buy a pair of Levis in Atlanta for $35 but can get the same pair in Moscow for $3.50 after the exchange rate, is it ethical to do so? What if your travel costs were free? That's pretty much the premise of this Russian-based music store. The prices they charge (about $0.10 per song, depending upon the compression you choose) are based upon the prices in Russia, where they operate as a music reseller. They've been challenged in Russian court by the RIAA and "won" by virtue of the case being thrown out by the courts.

Anyway, the new tool, alltunes.com, is most likely an attempt to address the pitfalls of the browser-based allofmp3.com storefront, namely the kludginess of downloading the songs you purchase. Their previously launched AllofMP3.com Explorer works pretty well, but it does not bring them into iTunes' league in re: customer experience.

If you have yet to join the age of digital music, know that when you do you'll have a very good way to fill up your iPod without draining your bank account.

One final tip - your credit card bank will likely deny your initial attempt to pay this retailer. They assume it is fraud until you clear it in advance with them.