First of all, I just have to say...OH.MY.GOD. No wait, make that oh.my.effing.god! Can this be true? The Beatles are finally gonna have their songs on iTunes store after the whole Apple vs. Apple fiasco?

And not only that, Apple (as in the computer company) is allegedly in negotiation with Britain's EMI group. Apple wants to gain them rights to come out with a Beatles edition iPod, much like the U2-inspired edition that Apple currently has.

As we told you guys in an earlier article, The Beatles remains as one of the very few bands that haven't taken a bite of Steve Jobs' apple. Bob Seger and Metallica have already given in, and so has the Red Hot Chili Peppers. To date, iPod users have resorted to downloading their fave Beatles tunes off Limewire or other download services. Is all that about to change now?

Being a Beatlemaniac myself, I couldn't be more psyched about this but then again, these are all still mere speculation. And when Apple was contacted regarding the matter, the company's spokesman merely said that the company does not comment on "rumor and speculation."

But the latest buzz is that Apple is "close" to reaching an agreement with EMI to become The Beatles' exclusive online music store for a limited window of time. Oh, and that's not all, Apple is also said to be wooing EMI to let them use a a Beatles song for a company ad. Trivia: Nike was the only company to ever have used a Beatles song for an ad - "Revolution" - back in 1987, for which the company was sued by the Fab Four.

During that whole controversy, the Beatles was reported to have commented that they "don't sing jingles to peddle sneakers, beer, pantyhose, or anything else." Perhaps mp3 players then? Hahaha. I dunno 'bout the rest of you guys, but if Apple does come out with a Beatles-edition iPod, not even George and John's rise from the grave will stop me from getting one.

Yahoo! Financial has an interesting article about Apple and the fast rate at which Digital Music has grown. Music industry executives are targeting Apple at this week?s Midem music trade show in Cannes. People in the music industry are concerned that the iTunes Music Store?s flat rate pricing has done lasting damage to profitability and are adamant that Apple will be forced to move to a variable pricing structure.

"I'Â?m hearing that the artists aren'Â?t happy, the publishers aren'Â?t happy. Someone other than Apple needs to be happy for this industry to grow,"Â? said Amit Shafrir, president of AOL'Â?s premium services arm.

Record companies say Apple'Â?s 99-cent per song pricing has set the benchmark too low, but have failed to persuade the company to switch to variable pricing, which would allow popular songs to be sold for more.

"Â?For the time being we all must work with Apple and make the most of iTunes,"Â? said Eric Nicoli, chairman of EMI Group PLC, the world'Â?s No. 3 record company. "Â?Single pricing is almost unique to the music industry,"Â? Nicoli added. "Â?If you look at any other consumer category- including things like iPods - they sell at different prices."

MSNBC and the Wall Street Journal report that Apple is in talks with major labels to license music videos for sale through the iTunes Music Store:

Apple has approached the four major music companies, Warner Music Group Corp., EMI Group PLC, Vivendi Universal SA's Universal Music Group and Sony BMG, a joint venture between Sony Corp. and Bertelsmann AG, to license music videos for sale through iTunes, according to people in the media industry. The videos, which could go on sale as early as September, would likely be sold for $1.99 each, with the possibility of a discount if consumers buy a music video and a song at the same time.

What's more, a followup story at the Wall Street Journal suggests that Apple may have more than music videos in mind for its video iPod:

Steve Jobs has spoken with Disney President and soon-to-be CEO Bob Iger about ways to license various Disney content for a video iPod, according to an internal Disney email I have obtained. That could include anything from clips from ESPN and ABC News to short cartoons.

...and that the new unit won't be without...particular competition:

If the past is any measure of what?s to come, Jobs will enter the arena late (as he did with the iPod) only to leapfrog over the competition with some entirely different device. And that could leave everyone from Microsoft?s Bill Gates to Sony?s Howard Stringer once again racing to copy their far smaller rival.

The buzz surrounding the family member that will take the iPod to the next generation has never been at such a fevered pitch. With rumors of music videos being sold through the iTunes Music Store as early as September, could a video iPod be just weeks away?