Apple was right about having the world’s smallest MP3 player. The new iPod Shuffle is smaller than Transcend’s new MP3 player (see post below).

New iPod Shuffle measurements: 1.62 inches long by 1.07-inches wide by 0.41 inches deep.
Transcend’s T.sonic 530: 2-inches long by 1.02 inches wide by 0.75 inch deep

Apple updated its entire iPod lineup plus finally did the big iTunes movie announcement. New nanos now come in five different colors and up to 8 GBs. Whereas the new iPod is now available in 80 GBs and is the same size as the old 60 GB version.

Coincidentally – or not – after Apple’s news, Toshiba America’s Storage Device Division in Irvine said it has started selling an 80 GB 1.8-inch hard drive (the same size inside the new iPods) that is 10 percent thinner. Is this what’s inside the new iPod? As always, the Irvine-based Toshiba offered me up the usual wink, wink, nudge, nudge comment:

Toshiba cannot comment on its customers however, Toshiba is the only HDD manufacturer currently shipping an 80GB 1.8-inch HDD.

Toshiba’s drives have long been inside Apple iPods. But company agreements forbid Toshiba from saying anything. You decide: