Target discusses a major electronics launch on September 5. Could it be the new iPods?

AppleInsider | Major electronics launch; new iPods & iPhones; Apple lobbying

Although it may be coincidence, Target is apparently warning their stores to be ready for a major product announcements and incoming inventory that may be enticing to thieves. That combined with the rumors and case manufacturers seems to make it a lock that a new iPod with the short, fat form factor is coming on September 5th.

The only questions are:

1) Is the fat iPod a nano or a regular iPod replacement?
Because it is hard to take features away from customers and storage capacity is a feature, it will be the new nano with video capabilities and maybe higher storage (maybe 16GB).

2) Will there be a wide-screen iPhone with out the phone?
While I would really love an wide screen iPod with WiFi and all the iPhone features minus the cell phone, I think it is unfortunately unlikely to be released this way. With Apple deriving so much revenue from the iPhone and AT&T plans, it seems more likely they will release something without WiFi, although they may find a way to include a wide screen. I am afraid it will continue to be a traditional media player.

What do you think?

Apple Rumors and Educated Guesses for August 7

Games@Ars
EA will be announcing a "revolutionized" version of C&C 3 on August 7.

dotMac@AI
Apple's .Mac service will be down for the period of the announcement.

Mac and iLife@MacNN
Numerous sites are claiming that Apple has said the event will focus on Macs and not cover the iPhone or iPod.

Along with these explicit data points, I note a few other items:

• The press has been (overly?) focussed on the iPhone.
• Apple must start gearing up for the education season.
• The flagship iMac is far overdue for a refresh.
• Apple has mastered the art of staying in the (positive) press by trickling out announcements. I have been sure they have withheld products simply to maximize the press splash and to avoid attention competition with other announcements.

Combining all these, I conclude that Apple will begin to revitalize their consumer product line leading into the release of Leopard. The recent update of the Adobe CS Suite is keeping the Pro line moving, along with the awesomeness that is the MacBook Pro.

So, I predict:

• They will introduce the brushed aluminum iMac with the new thin keyboard everyone is talking about.
• They will introduce iLife '07 or '08 including some fancy new features and maybe a new interface (black and grey HUD). I am not sure it will ship before 10.5 .
• EA will join them in announcing some new game stuff including quick Mac ports, probably using some translation layer or maybe even virtualization (far out, mut I'd like it).
• Apple will announce major upgrades/updates to .Mac. I hope they combine efforts with Google. .Mac has long been one of the weaker products, and even the Steve has said help was on the way. I would assume more Web2.0 features and more capacity, along with DynDNS remote access and control. Much of the new functionality may require 10.5, but they'll open it up to at least 10.4, if they're smart.

I'm not sure about the fate of the Mac mini. I like it as an easy way into the Mac world, but I wouldn't be surprised if they killed it, now that AppleTV is out.

If even some of these predictions are close, it would be the biggest non-conference announcements I've seen.

What do you think?