Today is the big day for iPod lovers. Apple is making an announcement and the top rumor is the company will launch a video iPod. But online consensus seems to agree that this won’t play full-length movies downloaded from the Internet. Rather, an iPod with a huge hard drive (possibly a 60-gig from Toshiba) and screen to watch music video, video blogs and other
not-quite-movie-like video (maybe something that looks like this fake iPod on the right, from a concept gallery hosted by Irvine’s own iLounge.com).

My bet is that the iPod that will play movies won’t be out for awhile. The movie studios are still fighting for copy-right protection. And an iPod screen is too small to watch a video. Besides, Apple just released the teeny-tiny nano last month, why would Steve Jobs want to take the spot light off that automatic hit? If you think you know what Jobs is planning, Bodog.com is taking bets.

Other theories:

• A Madonna iPod packed with the Material Girl’s music.
• 80-gig iPods
• New Macs, though ThinkSecret.com, the site being sued by Apple for publishing secret Apple information, just backtracked and now believes video is on the way.

On to the locals…

When I moved to Orange County five years ago, I bought a purple Linksys routers so my home’s multiple computers could share a high-speed Internet line. Only later did I learn that Linksys was headquartered in OC.

Linksys has since been acquired by Cisco but remains in a few buildings in Irvine. Thank goodness. They always have fun gadgets that bring networking home to consumers (who doesn’t know that you can share digital photos, music, files between multiple computers?) The latest gadget is an Internet phone for Skype users. If you’ve missed the buzz on Internet telephones or VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), pay attention. All you need is a computer or VoIP box and a fast Internet connection to make telephone calls. Most VoIP services offer unlimited long distance. It’s one way to cut down on your phone bill.

Of course, Skype is free because calls are limited to Skype users. A paid service is available to call people on traditional phone lines. But the best part of the new Linksys CIT200 phone is that Skype users aren’t relagated to a headset and computer. It’s wireless though not Wi-Fi (it uses DECT, which won’t interfere with a home’s Wi-Fi signal). Dect uses the 1900 Megahertz radio frequency while Wi-Fi uses 2.4 Gigahertz. The CIT200 phone is $130 and should be at online stores Oct. 17.

Faster memory faster

Kingston Technology, the long-time Fountain Valley memory company, launched “the latest and greatest in DDR2 SO-DIMM memory,” says the company. That must mean Kingston’s new ValueRAM SO-DIMM memory is the best out there. Read about this next-generation memory yourself at Kingston’s educational site.

New pay-as-you-go phones

From Boost Mobile in Irvine, three phones include a cotton-candy pink Motorola i833 (limited edition) from Baby Phat. I don’t really get the overpriced and unoriginal Baby Phat fashion line by Kimora Lee Simmons. But, hey, to each his own. (The diamond accents are a nice touch). Price: $299, plus a $50 rebate.

The other two phones, a black Motorola i415 and the Motorola i450 are less less than $100 and available at Target, Best Buy and Wal-Mart.

All the phones have the walkie-talkie feature, multi-media messaging, color screen, speaker phone and are GPS-enabled so 911 operators – and possibly your parents - can figure out where you are.

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