For those who haven't been able to plug their iPod into their computers yet (what kind of creature are you?!), you might want to do so now. There's currently a new update available. Apple has rolled out iPod Update 1.2.1. Now there's been quite a lot of speculation regarding this update.

No one seems to be too sure for which iPod it really is for. Whether it's for the 5th-gen or for the 5.5-gen, or for what model at that. I myself haven't been able to get this update into my lowly Nano (first gen). Much to say, a lot of other people are also asking what the update brings. We've been able to scour the farther reaches of Internet space, and found out a couple of things.

As you see in the picture, all it ever mentions is that it fixes a couple of bugs. As to what it specifically fixes, some say the problem with the battery icon was fixed and will now show when the iPod is fully charged. Some say that it fixes some volume issue with audio books. Are there other bug fixes, though?

What we do suggest is that you check it out for yourself. Plug in your iPod and let it load up iTunes 7. See whether the update shows itself. If you already have, then good for you. Maybe you can comment below and give us some feedback of what you've found out.

It seems that neither the Zune nor the Universal Music Group royalty fee deal won't stop Apple from coming up with more additions to its already big iPod family. There are murmurs being passed around that the Cupertino, California company is planning on introducing three new iPod models during the 2007 calendar year.

The first of the alleged new iPods is said to be a video-centric model that is a speculated replacement for the fifth generation iPod. The details for the two other models are still swimming on murky waters and could not yet be fished. But we suggest that you don't lose some sleep waiting for the rumored video-centric iPod, it's gonna take a while for it to be announced.

Why is that? Sources said that top Apple honcho, Steve Jobs is still unwilling to commit to the marketing and other necessary actions needed to bring it to the market as he still wants to assess reactions to their new iTunes movie service and their iTV set-top box.

Hopefully, we would be able to fish more info about Apple's plans when the annual Macworld gathering takes place on January. Until then, speculations and rumors are all we have.

Even hardcore Apple fans aren't too thrilled with the iTV. And that's for a bunch of good reasons. The set-top-box is supposed to allow users to download movies (for a fee, of course) and watch them in "near-DVD quality". It's not really a revolutionary device, but Apple thinks that enabling content to be streamed from any Mac OS- or Microsoft Windows-run computer to a television is something worth spending US$ 300 for. Even if Steve Jobs hypes it up, the iTV isn't really going to get the same reception the iPod's gotten.

But what if Apple licenses TiVo's technology and uses it with the new iTV? Now, THAT would be something that just might interest us all!

But before you get all giddy, we'd have to remind you that this is a wild rumor posted at PVRblog. There's no firm evidence whatsoever, not just yet. But if you think about it, it's not an impossibility. In addition to the supposed Apple-TiVo partnership, iTV supposed to "officially" be called the Mac Media Capsule. With such a craptacular name, that Tivo deal should materialize and soon!

Apple will enlighten us when Macworld kicks off on January 9, 2007.

Nokia's re-entry into the video game scene made quite a splash among QJ readers. So we're pretty sure this rumor will receive the red carpet welcome treatment from Apple people and iPeople all over the world.

A few months ago Steve Jobs announced more gaming capabilities for the next-gen iPod which leads us to this month's hot speculations. Jesse Tortora, an analyst for Prudential, believes Apple is ripe enuff to jump into the video game market "considering it has hired video game designers."

We bet that quote launched a thousand woot! woot! from Apple fans. Oh, but there's more shiny, juicy, bite-sized quotes from Tortota.

"We think the videogame market represents a distinct possibility for Apple, especially considering that it recently announced the availability of videogames for its iPod through its iTunes store," he said. "The game console device could be morphed out of some combination of the MacMini and iTV, while the handheld player could be developed as an enhancement for a future version of the widescreen iPod."

Okay, these are just Tortora's predictions. But unlike the crystal ball-gazing soothsayers, Tortora has been looking at market trends and strategy so this rumor isn't that impossible. In fact, it's very probable. And it's going to be really interesting once Jobs makes an official announcement.

Remember a few days ago, we had an article about the bug that allows malicious users to control a fully patched OS? Some people may take pride in this, but Apple Corporation certainly doesn't think it's worth glorifying. Especially with MacWorld Expo just around the corner...

In this light, Apple recently released a new batch of security updates for Mac OS X. There are 31 updates, all of which seem impenetrable. Then again, those malicious hackers may see this as just another update. They may even be thinking that it would be easy to circumvent these.

At any rate, the abovementioned bug was the first target of the new security updates. Dubbed as the Apple Type Services (ATS), the security patch zaps the bug by performing what Apple calsl "additional validation". There's also AirPort, an update concerning eMac, iBook, iMac, PowerBook G3, PowerBook G4, and Power Mac G4 systems. Accordingly, this aims to stop attackers in close proximity from sending maliciously-crafted information elements.

The rest of the updates, their descriptions and objectives can be viewed via the Read link below.

In its more than 20 years of existence, MacWorld Expo has always been held during the first weeks of January. Next year isn't any different to the previous conferences. One highlight of such activities are the keynote speeches, especially that of Steve Jobs. Probably the most celebrated of all Apple officials, Jobs words are sometimes as good as their company's stand on particular matters.

Again, next year shouldn't be any different as Steve Jobs would be present at the expo. The big question now is, what is he going to talk about? The last thing we heard from the guy was something about looking back and beyond the iPod...Or was it the CNBC interview? We can't remember anymore.

Anyway, some people are not willing to wait until January to find out. They would rather confer now and speculate on these matters. Nope, they are not spreading rumors. They. Are. Just. Talking. Since we don't want you guys waiting or getting left behind, here's their take on the matter:

• Steve will definitely talk about: OS X Leopard, iLife 07, and iTV
• Steve will probably talk about: MacPro revisions, revised cinema displays, MacMini revision, iPhone and full screen iPod
• Steve will possibly but not likely talk about: Apple Tablet and MacBook Sub Notebook

What do you think? Do you share the same opinions? Please feel free and share your own MacWorld opinions with us. Remember: we are just talking.

If this report is true, by 2007, we'll have a new contraption to tinker with and love. The China Times reported that Apple's hyped and anticipated iPod cell phone will arrive either on the late first quarter or early second quarter of 2007. According to the said report, the device will merge iPod technology with traditional cell phone capabilities and will reportedly sport a 2 mega pixel camera.

The report also mentioned that Foxconn will begin delivering around 500,000 - 600,000 iPhones per month beginning in February 2007, to the Steve Jobs camp, from their Fushikang manufacturing facility.

This indicates that the Apple mobile thingamajig will initially be available only in a single model. Aside from that, the makers of the iconic iPod reportedly enlisted the guidance and expertise of several component suppliers in the hope that they would bring fresh inputs and ideas to the table.

Some of these tapped "experts" is Foxconn's subsidiary AlusTech, which will be helping out in the fabrication of the digicam module; Largan, which will supply the camera lens; and Micron which will take care of the CMOS image sensor. There were also reports that big-time companies such as Intel, Sharp, Tripod Tech, Broadcom, and Sunrex will also be on board as they will help out in the memory, LCM display, circuit board, baseband chip and keypad. Surely, Apple is not taking any chances on this one.

And since the iPod has become so popular largely because of its sleek design, the Cupertino based company also asked for the help of Catcher Tech to mold and manufacture the phone's outer housing. 

With all that info, we think that the only missing tidbit here is the price tag. Let's wait for more developments as the days come by.

If you hear a belly-full of ho-ho-ho's this Season of Shopping, it just may be Steve Jobs laughing all the way to the bank. That is, if Blackfriars Communications' Carl Howe did a Nostradamus. According to Howe, Apple will sell some 20 million units of iPods worth US$ 3.3 billion this last quarter. Howe's forecast is even higher than that of ATI which predicted iPod sales of a "measly" 14 million.

But unlike most predictions, Howe's is based on Apple's marketing strategy:

• iPod pricing is more varied: Last year, the iPod's price range went from a low of $99 to a high of $129. This year iPod shuffles price dips to an all-time low of $79  and within the reach of more consumers. Howe thinks Apple will make a killing from higher sales volumes.
• iPod target market is more varied: Last year, the iPod was basically a digital music player. This year, iPod's services has expanded to include downloadable movies and sports. iPod accessories (and there must be one iAccessory for every iOccasion) and car integration kits are also helping the iPod fit a wider variety of needs.
• iPod is easier to purchase: Over 150 Apple retail stores makes it easy for people to buy iPods. High-end shops such as New York's Fifth Avenue, Tokyo's Ginza , and London's Regent Street stores are also luring the snooty set by selling iPods in fashionable shopping set-ups that makes them feel superior to the rest of us. When products are placed as near as possible to consumers with money to spend, the result is sales. Apple is doing that by positioning its stores and its iPods close to the people for whom an iPod costs less than their average lunch.
  

Finally, Howe says Apple about to reap the fruits of its five years of investments in music and retail because few competitors have done as much for as long. "It will also take years for anyone to dislodge it from its now dominant position,"  said Howe.

Only a few days old on the retail shelves and vending machines, and now the iPod Shuffle 2GB has a version 1.0.1 software update. That was fast, huh?

Well, that's Apple for you.

Anyways, the update is only for PC users though and is available for download through iTunes. So if you've just bought your Shuffle, you'll get an instant update right away the first time you plug it in.

For Macintosh users, there's no update. Which is a good thing, right? It means that the Shuffle is running smoothly on a Mac system. Changes in the 1.0.1 update includes some bug fixes that are apparent for PC users.

This 2nd-gen line is picking up real fast. So, in the words of Steve Jobs: "Aaand... BOOM!" Today, 1.0.1 update. Tomorrow, the world!

What is it about Red anyway? What is it about Apple's "Red" Nano that makes it so hot? (I mean, other than the color.) Perhaps it's because that with every purchase of the product, Steve Jobs and his space monkeys will donate ten dollars to the Global Fund to Fight AIDs in Africa. A lot of kind-hearted souls out there huh?

You see, though MacScoop's sources could not reveal the exact numbers, they believe the company has received hundreds of thousand orders for the Red Nano in the first two weeks. A quick examination of Apple's online store sales top 10, shows that the "Red" Nano is a big seller.

MacScoop says that given the huge number of sales that Apple has registered for the Red Nano, the company is considering to release other Red products. They say that possible products include, a red MacBook, a red iMac, and a red video iPod. Macscoop does add though that it might be too early to predict with certainty the arrival of other Red products as a new color in any of Apple's line-up means a whole lot of production and inventory management.

Oh the costs of operation.

Anyway all this red-hotness makes Bono come to mind. We're thinking that people just want to look cool, I mean, cool enough for someone like Ms. Hilton to go "that's Hot" at that Nano that you've got hooked near your crotch, and then at the same time make yourself feel as philanthropic as Mr. I'm-cool-enough-to-wear-shades-indoors Bono.

Yep it's Bono-ism I tell you.