What's Apple announcing next week?

The Mac faithful are sure Steve Jobs has something big to announce on Oct. 12. An iPod video device? Maybe a new Mac lineup? Or both?

Apple Computer has summoned journalists and analysts far and wide to an unveiling of "just one more thing." The e-mailed invitation includes a curtain that looks suspiciously like those found in movie houses, fueling speculation that the Oct. 12 event concerns a souped-up version of the iPod that can play movies.

Well, no point in me joining the throngs of Apple speculators, there are plenty of those, in trying to figure our what's up Apple's sleeve for Wednesday. I would just like to express mm view should it actually turn out to be the unveiling of the much hyped iPod video device.

My concern is that the market may not be as ready for a video iPod than they were for a music iPod. I just think that those clamouring so vocally for video may actually prove to be a small, niche group of early adopters. And Apple may get burned if they invest too much in video handhelds too early. It could be years before the mass market or technology is really ready for iPod video. Hey, but that's just my view.