LoopRumors! has been pinged by some sources close to Apple that something big is coming in a form of an announcement event. Kinda like the “One More Thing” gig done last year in San Jose when the iPod video splashed onto the scene. With rumors of a boombox to have been premiered at MacWorld, many are speculating that this will be it since Steve Jobs made a last minute change for his keynote. Others speculate it could be the media center release while others think it may be a better iPod.

SvenOnTech believes the event will not for the boombox. The item seems to insignificant to spend all that money on. Maybe if it accompanied a new iPod with, say, wireless capabilities, then sure. But that’s probably not going to happen, either. SvenOnTech figures it will be another Intel based announcement and it will most likely be the media center Mac. Maybe a Mac mini but most likely a completely new box. It will be small like the mini, but in a long slender box to better match AV rack equipment usually found in a media centric setup. Or will it? Remember, this is Apple and it loves to think different.

Like we said in December, we’ll soon know for sure soon enough which of the rumors are true and which aren’t.

After getting a name change for its top of the line notebook line, it should be no surprise to see Apple’s top of the line desktop to receive the same treatment. I would suspect we will find the PowerPC replaced by the MacPC Pro in time for Macworld Boston. It will surely have Intel’s top-of-the-line CPU and may be the first with the top speed chip to flaunt in front of Dell, HP, and Sony. Like the PowerPC G5, I think we’ll see a new era and probably a new design as well for the top of the line Apple desktop. What will it have? Lots of amazing things I’m sure and I know one of them will be FrontRow….2.0.

Will I be right? Well, I did call the PowerBook with Intel at Macworld way before anyone else did.

iLife has been confirmed and it’ll contain another sibling: iWeb. What’s iWeb? Not sure but as it is integrated with all the other digital software of iLife, I would suspect it will be taking your photos and video and creating your own web site with that content. How this will fit in with .mac, I’m not sure, but it must tie in with the rest of the digital hub, here.

Softpedia doesn’t even go on to speculate what it is but it does have some screen shots of the “proof”. Since an earlier version of iTunes is discussed, however, the proof may be more fake then anything. Though the Google cache is revealing.

Well, I guess we’ll know next week, huh?

Is the iPod shuffle safe? Apple has reported that it just sent a shipment of shuffles to retailers which may kill all the rumors of it being killed. But Apple has warned that supplies are limited. Mmm, what could that mean? Does it still mean there is hope for the LCD shuffle? Or does it simply mean that the 512MB version, as I have predicted, is getting axed and we’ll see 1GB and 2GB versions. Maybe even a 4GB version is coming. I mean, Apple’s got all that flash memory from Samsung, might as well use it, right?

A reader is saying that he has seen proof that the Palm Treo 700w will be going on sale tomorrow, January 5th. Early rumors had it that Verizon would be showing the Treo 700w at CES and then presenting it for sale soon after, but our source swears he’s seen photos from Verizon employees with 1/5 clearly showing as the sale date.

The source also tells us that, “Looks like list will be $500, plus a $100 discount with an unlimited-data service plan.” That $500 is most likely for a two year contract but the $100 off for the unlimited-data is a nice discount. Heck, maybe good enough for me to pick one up and just get the Motorola Q when it comes out later this spring.

One more detail. Like all things Verizon, you will NOT be able to tether this to your PC and use it as a high-speed modem. It’s disabled, but I’m sure someone on Howard Forums will have that hack for us real soon.

Update: It’s official. Get yours now.

I’m pretty fresh out of predictions of what we’ll all see at Macworld next week as I’ve pretty much covered the whole spectrum. Well, I thought I had. This blogger has put into the ring the possibility that the Mac mini will be positioned as a gaming console. While the mini has a good processor and a good graphic board, remember, this is a budget computer. The Sony and Microsoft gaming units are not budget by any means. To compete with them, a lot of beef will be needed and that would defeat the purpose of the mini. Further, the irony of this thought is that Microsoft went to the PowerPC chip for more juice and Apple is leaving it. Makes it more unlikely that we’ll be seeing people in line punching each other with their fists so little Jimmy can have his Mac mini Gaming Console.

[Via tuaw]

Append that subject line with a question mark because like all Macworld-things, this is just pure speculation. I have already previously said that the shuffle was to see change in January namely the dumping of the 512MB version and an addition of a 2GB model. Well iPodNN’s article leads some more proof to this thought as well as allowance to add more dreaming into the speculation. What could one possibly dream to have on a shuffle? Its greatest weakness fixed: LCD screen.

With stores running out of the 1GB version left and right and no one really having any idea of when it’ll be restocked, this could mean that the shuffle may see a major change…including one in name. While I find it difficult to believe Apple would dump the shuffle name in just a year, it is possible after seeing CEO Steve Jobs on Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Report. Every good skit has a bit of truth running through it. It would make sense, however, since the whole name idea was you can’t see what’s playing, so just shuffle the playlist.

So more memory and more information, via a built-in screen. Is thats what is next for the shuffle? Less then two weeks to find out!