According to a new report, Apple may be planning to add camera functionality to a couple of its next-generation iPod models. The report also claims that upcoming iPhones will retain the handsets’ existing size and form factor.

Hardmac, the English-language version of France’s MacBidouille, cites that Apple’s new line of iPod touch and iPod nano players, when launched in September of this year, will have video recording capabilities. While a compact iPod nano with a built-in camera seems foolish, we try to keep an open mind around here.

A job listing at Apple for a “Communications QA Engineer” position within the Mac Hardware Group is hinting at possible 3G integration in future computers:

The Comms Software QA team within the Mac Hardware Group is seeking a motivated QA engineer to perform quality assurance testing for new Apple CPU Products. Duties for this position include, but are not limited to: Testing and reporting hardware, software, and device driver bugs for Communications technologies including AirPort (802.11a/b/g/n), Bluetooth v2.0, gigabit Ethernet, and/or 3G Wireless WAN in a detailed, timely manner.

Word on the street is that Apple is set to get one of the largest practical OLED displays as early as this summer. Reportedly, a senior executive from LG Display says that Apple will use a newly-developed 15-inch screen for a “brand new” notebook that’s due in June and will be one of the first companies anywhere to use the screen.

Specs as well as a notebook line name were not mentioned. The rumor is from Australia’s Smarthouse which cited a senior LG executive from LG Display as the source. The system is likely to be expensive, since the panel will be 2 to 3 times as costly to make as an equivalent LCD.

The economy may be in the crapper, but Apple hasn’t really noticed. They just keep on keeping on, selling iPods, iPhones and Macs to a hungry public. Apple just reported a $1.21b profit on revenues of $8.16b, making it another record quarter.

This when Mac sales fell three percent compared to last year. Luckily for them it was offset by a three percent increase in iPod sales (mostly the iPod touch), while iPhone sales jumped 123-percent.

We’re still waiting on confirmation of an iPhone nano, so HiPhone of China decided to get the job done in true knockoff fashion. They came out with their own version known as the HiPhone Nano. It’s a flip. Take that Apple.

The exterior features dedicated music playback controls that look just like an iPod Clickwheel, and you can even get the time on a monochrome display. Flip it open and inside there is a 2.4″ touchscreen display and a numeric keypad. How about dual-SIM support?

The rumors of Apple releasing an iPhone Nano are still going strong, but they remain just rumors. You can own a miniature iPhone right now if you don’t mind that it’s a cheap Chinese knock-off. The CECT m188 clones the look and menus of the original iPhone in a package that’s just 86mm x 48mm x 11mm. Or about the size of a credit card.

The screen measures 2.6″ diagonal, and it’s touch-sensitive, so it sucks to have large fingers with this one. Using a stylus is probably best. The phone is completely unlocked and works on 900/1800/1900Mhz GSM networks around the world.

Looky here. Apple retailer ClubMac’s 500 GB Time Capsule page is currently NOT showing an image (shown here) of a 2 TB Time Capsule retail box in its “Product Detail” section. At one point, it apparently was showing such a box. Apple’s Time Capsule combination wireless router and network-attached storage drive is currently available only in 500 GB for $299 and 1 TB for $499.

It may turn out to be real. 2TB 3.5″ hard drives have recently become available, so why not? The original source of the image used on ClubMac’s site is unknown.

There have been some rumors about the upcoming third generation of the iPhone, but now those rumors are shifting toward a serious Internet boost in the next model. Apparently someone in the know has stated that the new iPhone’s connection will be “significantly faster” but does that refer to the WiFi or the cellular connection? Maybe both.

Some experts suspect that the tip refers to a boost in Internet speed, with the addition of speed-doubled 7.2Mbps 3G. Which make sense, since Infineon will be releasing a new 3G chip this year. Also, AT&T has been testing their 7.2Mbps 3G service for awhile and that should roll out this year as well.

Add this one to the rumor mill. The Korean manufacturing giant somehow has info on Apple’s netbook and they know it’s an OLED touchscreen. How do they know this? Because they possess the technology that prevents smudges and stains on an OLED screen and Apple wants it.

Apple already has a working prototype of this netbook and are about to manufacture it using LG’s screen. The Apple netbook won’t probably be a tablet like in the photo above.

There are always rumors of a new iPhone model, but how about two new iPhone models and a couple of new iPod touches? It looks like a deconstruction of the beta 3.0 build provided to developers this week has uncovered product code “iPhone2,1″ found before plus a newer, “iPhone3,0.”

The iPhone 3G is identified as “iPhone1,2,”. The current iPod touch is “iPod2,1″, but models “iPod2,2″ and “iPod3,1″ have both been rooted out of the binary. We would likely see new iPhone models in June.

Rumors continue to swirl around whatever(if anything) Apple is building. Reports are that Apple has ordered 10-inch touchscreens from Taiwan. That part is looking more like fact. So the question is, will those screens end up in a netbook?

Andy Ihnatko of the Chicago Sun-Times has a slightly different and interesting theory about the device. He thinks it might be an ebook. Which makes more sense as the only real competitor they would have is Amazon.

If yesterday’s Apple rumor got your attention , Dow Jones Newswire has chimed in with their own sources and a few extra tidbits.

They more or less report the same story, that Apple is allegedly planning a touchscreen netbook for release later this year. But the new report mentions a display size of “between 9.7-inches and 10-inches,”. As for what form-factor it will take, that’s still a mystery.

Word on the street is that Apple is building a netbook and that the device is being called the “iPod Touch HD”. According to these latest rumors, the device is a lot like the iPod Touch, except with a much larger screen.

If you can believe the hype, the new device is expected to start shipping in the third quarter of this year. It isn’t a complete surprise if true. Netbooks are uber popular and so it would make sense for Apple to get in on the action.

After all the rumor and excitement, Apple basically did a bare minimum Mac mini update. Still, the five USB ports will be good for homebuilt RAID enthusiasts, and the Mini DisplayPort and DVI plugs are nice for dual monitor support.

The new SKUs both feature 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo processors with an NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics.. The price is $599 and you get 1GB of RAM and a 120GB hard drive, $799 gets you 2GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive. Both minis sport 8x SuperDrives.

This is interesting. According to MacRumors, this could possibly be the next-gen Mac mini we’ve been waiting for. It seems to correspond to other rumored “leaks” that have been popping up and it sports five USB ports, FireWire 800, Mini DisplayPort, and Mini DVI. Hmmm. Photoshop? Wishful thinking?

This pic also hit AppleInsider at the same time and the MacRumors forum poster has included some alleged specs: a 2GHz Core 2 Duo processor with 3MB Level 2 cache, 2GB DDR 3 memory at 1066MHz and a ATA Super Drive. The question is, are you buying this?