The delay of the video iPod is raising a lot of buzz on what the next incarnation of Apple's ever popular digital player will be. Here are some of those rumors and why Think Secret thinks they will remain likely as rumors:

Rumor: The next-gen iPod will surface as a "talking" iPod  - with voice-activated controls.
The Rumor Buster: According to Think Secret sources say yes, the talking technology is there. But no as Apple has yet to figure out how to implement it. Plus the company doesn't think a talking iPod would be a big seller.

Rumor: Apple's next iPods will be lit by organic light-emitting diode displays (OLED)
Rumor Buster: Again Think Secret sources say Apple ruled out the display technology due to the limited life-span of OLED displays. Plus OLEDs don't shine out in direct sunlight. Apple will continue to use LCD displays.

Rumor: iPod will go wireless because the MS iPod Killer (a possible rumor itself) due out by Christmas will feature Wi-Fi functionality. The rumors were so convincing the Daily Mail ran a headline announcing Apple and Microsoft's "race to launch wireless iPod".
Rumor Buster: iPods will not go Wi-Fi because it doesn't fit Apple's media player plans explained the sources. Wi-Fi will compromise battery life which is one of Apple's top priorities for its portable devices. Plus going wireless means slower transfer speeds and Apple has no plans for a music store interface that enables users to purchase and download songs on the go.

Rumor: Apple has put its iPod phone (or iPhone) development plan in deep freeze but will thaw and release it next year.
Rumor Buster: Several analyst reports have suggested that the possibility of a 2006 release for the iPhone is as cold as as ice.

Granite Digital has shipped its SATA Dual Drive Internal Mounting kits for the Power Mac G5. The kits provide Power Mac G5 users a compact, affordable storage solution that is "simple, quick and easy" to install. Using the simple to install bracket and cables provided in the kit adding two drives takes only a few minutes.

The SATA Double Drive Bracket (included in the kit) can accomodate two standard 3.5-inch SATA (ATA 5 or ATA 6) drives with data transfer rates of up to 300MB/s.

Its unique aluminum bracket design works with older PCI-based and newer PCIe-based G5s using different SATA host adapters. The bracket is $50, while the kit retails for $100 and includes a SATA PCI or PCI-e two-channel host adapter, two internal SATA data cables, SATA power cable, and an aluminum mounting bracket (with screws).

Additional drives are $99.95(160GB), $159.95 (250GB), $399.95 (500GB), and $599.95 (750GB). The SATA Dual-Drive Mount kit for the Power Mac G5 kit is available at the Apple Store comes with a one year warranty.

Finally here a comes a tool that would probably make every aspiring filmmaker scream hallelujah. Glue Tools has recently announced that Cineon and DPX QuickTime Components for filmmakers, editors, videographers and production staff are now available for QuickTime 7.1 for Mac. This would enable applications like Final Cut Pro, Final Cut Express, iMovie, Adobe AfterEffects, QuickTime Player and others to read and write digital film files.
   
Commercial Component Features:

• Reads and writes images.
• Reads and writes 10-bit LOG Cineon and DPX images. (10-bit YUV DPX images are not yet supported)
• Currently supports QuickTimeÂ?s 16-bit per channel API
• MacOSX 10.3 & 10.4 only.
• Can convert any QuickTime movie to a range of Cineon/DPX images.
• Can covert any range of Cineon/DPX images to a QuickTime movie.

DPX or Digital Picture Exchange, is a common file format for digital film work. It primarily represents the density of each colour channel of a scanned negative in a 10-bit log format where the gamma of the original camera negative is preserved as taken by a film scanner. It also has the flexibility in storing color and other information fore exchange between production facilities.

"Our components make it really easy for filmmakers and production staff to load either Cineon or DPX images right into Apple's Final Cut Pro. The appropriate LOG/LIN conversion is even done on the fly! There is no need to have the frames converted using an expensive secondary application," says Robert Monaghan, Senior Engineer at Glue Tools.

In order to own this device you would have to download the Cineon/DPX components first to gain a System ID number. Once you have installed it in your computer, head on to Glue Tool's website to input it in their system for immediate purchase. It is priced at $29.00 each.

Download: [Binary installer for Cineon/DPX QuickTime Components]

Is there an MS iPod Killer or isn't there? That's the question. Recently Reuters cited deep throats close to MS claiming the company has plans of selling its antidote to the iPod epidemic by Christmas. Well, Microsoft said reports of its mysterious MP3 music and video player are based on "speculation and rumours." This despite unnamed music industry execs squealed to the New York Times that they have received briefings about the product.

If such a product exist, the iPod rival is said to have wireless internet capabilities for downloading music without a PC. Why does MS need an iPod Killer in the first place? Nate Elliott, a digital home analyst at Jupiter Research, said it was out of  frustration because "Microsoft... have made no significant headway into Apple's dominance of the market." Elliot added that if MS wants its software to be the dominant music platform it needs to get a product out in the market ASAP. "Microsoft is not a hardware company but they have shown that when they really want to make a success of something they are willing to do it themselves...example is the Xbox."

Elliott also said Microsoft would have a challenge breaking Apple's hold on the market.