In what will surely be the death-blow to any hopeful "iPod Killers" this holiday season, Apple delivered the second half of its one-two punch this morning.

Following up the "impossibly small" iPod nano, the new iPod plays video. Here are the details:

Capacity:	30GB	60GB
Price:	$299	$399
Battery:	<= 14 hours	<= 20 hours
Screen size:	2.5 inches diagonal
Connectivity:	USB only
Size (in):	4.1 x 2.4 x 0.43	4.1 x 2.4 x 0.55
Weight (oz):	4.8	5.5
Video formats supported:	Video formats supported: H.264 video up to 768 Kbps, 320 x 240, 30 frames per sec., Baseline Profile up to Level 1.3 with AAC-LC up to 160 Kbps, 48 KHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4 and .mov file formats; MPEG-4 video up to 2.5 Mbps, 480 x 480, 30 frames per sec., Simple Profile with AAC-LC up to 160 Kbps, 48 KHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4 and .mov file formats

If only I hadn't bought a new iPod just last month for the same price.

@#$%^&!

And just as you're getting your iTunes 5 kinks worked out, Apple has released iTunes 6.0 to feed video content.  

While FreeiPodGuy has been scurrying around Mouse Land, Apple has created a bit of a stir by making it known that there will be some sort of product announcement on October 12, now just one day off.

What will it be? Naturally, it was inevitable that spin doctors from here to yon would once again assert it to be the fabled video iPod. And indeed, they have, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

However, ThinkSecret has taken a different approach. They say the new product will be a slimmer but larger iPod (80GB drives are available from Toshiba), possibly in different colors, such as the nano's popular black. AppleInsider speculates it will be a pink "Madonna"-edition iPod nano. (Ew!)

I've given up making predictions. However, I'm not above making a wish: that if tomorrow's announcement is indeed a new iPod, that it includes features that my 60GB color iPod can benefit from via a software upgrade.  

Here's a clue: