Rumorville: New Zunes and iPods Arriving this Year

We haven't heard any good rumors for a while here at DAPreview, but there's a few out there that deserve our attention. First up is Microsoft's debut DAP, the Zune. Here's some of the latest information to supposedly leak out of Microsoft's runny faucet:

Zune Rumors

• "Watermelon Red" Zune arriving soon (to go with that Pink one) - It is said to come with sports content customized for your favorite team (podcasts, etc...)
• Zune 2.0 will be released later this year and will be slimmer than the original, and with a larger hard drive
• A Flash Zune Player is also in the works and will be approximately "3 x 1.25 x 0.25 inches" and have a screen that encompasses 75% of the front.

I'm more confident about the red zune than by the new players coming out. That information was incidentally given to a Zune Scene editor by an unknowing Microsoft worker who happens to be working in their Zune department. Rumors often have some far-fetched story to go with them, and this is no different.

A new iPod or two every year is nothing surprising. Neither are the rumors and/or predictions on what they might be. I'm reporting on these few today because they come from a Citigroup analyst (Richard Gardner), and not some "anonymous" person. Here's what Gardner says is coming:

Apple Rumors

• 12 or 16GB iPod Nano's priced at $249
• A 6th Gen iPod that uses the same touch-screen interface as the iPhone(also at $249)

I think a higher capacity Nano, and a large screen iPod are inevitable. Since that analyst doesn't really say anything we haven't heard before, here's my predictions: 4GB Shuffle in Black, 120GB Touch Screen iPod with a virtual click wheel, A Limited Edition Beatles iPod with their entire library included. Now it's your turn; let's make this a rumorpalooza!

Mousetrap Game Brought to Life

I remember how bad I wanted the board game Mousetrap when I was a kid. My parents never let me have it because I was notoriously messy when it came to anything that had more than one part, and still messy even then.

Oh how I recall the look of glee on the kids faces in the commercials as they tried to catch that wily mouse in all sorts of devious traps. Alas I never got my copy of the game. It seems that an artist also has a hankering for Mousetrap since he has created a full size version of the game.

There is no giant red mouse here to catch, rather the device drops a large safe on whatever you place below it. I for one would like to see some of the weird USB gadgets around here from Thanko and SolidAlliance squashed. The sculpture will be on display at the Maker Faire held May 19th and 20th at San Mateo Fairgrounds. Story and image via OhGizmo