I started writing/thinking about this post before Apple released their latest iPod (I believe they refer to it as iPod with Click Wheel, other people call it the 4G iPod). Now that they are out, I have to admit, I am underwhelmed. But I see room for hope.

I was looking forward to an iPod with a wireless connection. An iPod with which I could stream music to an Airport Express connected to the stereo in the living room. Or even cooler, an iPod that would connect to the iTunes Library on my Mac in the basement, and control playback from there, even if playback was happening on the stereo in the living room. The stereo with the really nice Mirage Bipolar speakers.

But the iPods that were released had none of that. They have a Click Wheel and some neat-o software perks. Whoop dee.

But there's hope.

Toshiba, in a now infamous incident, said that Apple had ordered a huge batch of their new 60 GB mini hard drives (the 20 Gb and 40 GB models are being used in the new iPods) for delivery this summer. Apple offers no comment.

Another company, that provides the wireless chipsets for Apple, announces a new, low-power version of their 802.11b wireless chips. The power consumption is low enough to be feasible for an iPod.

The rumor mill ran rampant with speculation about a major iPod announcement in late August, only to fizzle with some lame notice about, "Oh, that's going to be about the iPod mini," when the new iPods were released last week.

The prices of the two new iPods are the same as the lowest two prices for the previous trio of iPods, leaving room at the top for a pricier model.

Maybe a pricier model with added features, like a larger hard drive, and wireless capabilities? To be announced some time in late August, once production ramps up with the brand new Toshiba drives?

You heard it speculated here first, boyo.