Although there have been a few trickles of information and wishful thinking about a possible (or very probable) iPhone 4G for a few months now, things started to kick off in full when it was discovered that Apple had booked a venue for the WWDC in June, then late last week Analyst Katy Huberty of Morgan Stanely produced a report that discussed possible features and price changes that may be expected from the new device.

This hunger for information is what we have all come to expect of the furore surrounding any scraps that may fall from Steve Jobs plate relating to Apple’s latest shiny bauble. It is understandable from a fanboy point of view, in our eyes Mr Jobs can seemingly do little wrong, it puts me in mind of a viral email I received from a friend mockingly announcing the “iProduct”, no one knows what it is or what it does but we all want one!

Surprisingly this interest appears to go beyond the average fanboy, for example, before I started my love affair with all things Apple I would read whatever articles I saw on Google News about Apple’s new toys. This is in part because I am a self confessed geek and lover of technology, but it was also because there was a certain coolness factor that I would always deny when in the presence of those idiotic single button

Apple iPad, the mythical 3rd device?

clickers, yet secretly wished to be part of.

Usually the next Apple product can be a yard stick to judge what the next big thing will be, though rarely the originators of the concept, Apple will often take someone else’s idea and make it functional, attractive and acceptably expensive that although still within the price range of most, it is pricey enough that you get that smug feeling of eliteness when you pull out your MacBook in an airport lounge full of Windows laptops. For example, by no means the first to create an MP3 portable device, it was the iPod that captured the imagination of the general public and helped popularise the concept. The iPhone was just the latest in a very long line of smartphones that companies such as Nokia had been churning out for years, but its capabilities and functionality have again proven popular with the man on the street, even with a hefty price tag and often a hefty contract to match. Similarly we have had tablet PCs for a few years now, but following word and speculation of the iPad many in the tech industry are citing 2010 as the year of the tablet, interestingly some also see it as the year of the ebook reader!

During the launch of the iPad, Steve Jobs downplayed the role of the netbook as the supposed middle ground between full laptop and smartphone. In reality of course, the netbook was a trend that when viewed under the surface can in fact be easily credited to Apple’s direct affect on its rivals. It was following the launch of the MacBook Air, the super light ultra portable laptop that we started to see the first wave of what would become known as the netbook. And although not as powerful as the MacBook Air, these netbooks carried the idea forward of being a light and portable laptop variation or alternative.

Mr Jobs has now told everyone that this thinking is wrong, the netbook is slow and cumbersome to use, the way forward for that mythical third device, according to Jobs at least, is the tablet.

The effects of the rumour mill can be seen taking a direct influence on the technology industry before the iPad was even officially acknowledged. Just on rumour alone many companies accelerated their tablet releases and production schedule to pre-empt the Apple announcement.

The fact is Apple’s biggest detractors and rivals also keep a watchful eye on what new item we can expect to see in the near future, Apple do not invest in an area lightly and many rival companies will look to what Apple is taking an interest in this year and ask themselves, “Can I get a share of this?”

Love them or hate them or just plain mock them, Apple certainly refuses to be ignored and it’s this level of randomness to the interest of Apple’s latest gizmo, this excitement that seems to bubble up from fanboy community and takes on a whole new life of its own in the wild of the internet, it is this that makes an Apple event truly an event.

Addictive!

Now in its tenth release and carrying some nice new features.

One of the oldest games for the iPhone has received its latest major update. If you haven’t played it before, Tap Tap is a rhythm action game that is similar to playing something like Rock Band or even Dance Dance Revolution. It has a single player mode, two player mode and a very good multiplayer system online. It also features downloadable content to expand the game play. Unsigned bands are available to download for free, plus there are also downloadable content for signed original artists that are priced fairly reasonably. A pack of six songs is £1.79 or two tracks 59p. But be warned, you WILL get cramp after tapping Free Bird for 9 minutes!! You can also purchase items for your avatar using in game “money” that you earn from each performance and also there are lots of achievements to obtain as you improve. This highly addictive game is definitely improved over TTR2 and, some good sensibly priced downloadable content help make this the kind of stuff I love.