BGR claims the rumor and mockup comes from a trusted source, but regardless eat some salt, roll your eyes, and just enjoy this for what it is. A random Easter Sunday unconfirmed rumor. Did I say it was a rumor yet?

Good. Anyway, the tipster reports that this will resemble a "swiveling E71-type handset" that will be launched by Verizon Wireless sometime in July/August. The OS is "S40 and not S60."

This concludes our rampant rumor and speculation for the day. Time to feast on something a bit more tangible, methinks. Like an egg. Or some rabbit. [BGR]

As the concept shows, the patent could avoid flip-over screens on tablet-type computers. The transparent touch display will take the normal role of a multitouch surface when the computer is closed. The moment the computer is opened, using a normal clamshell move, the surface will display a keyboard or any other kind of user interface.

While the concept itself is really cool, specially to display other types of user interfaces in the touch screen (like specialized controls for video or music editing programs), I'm still not convinced about typing on a flat surface.

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[AppleInsider Forums]

It doesn't seem far-fetched to me. MacBook Air aesthetics, with much rounded corners and sightly thinner frame, are both doable and logical. Our guess is that Apple would lose the DVI port in this new generation however, probably replaced by the mini-DVI on the Air. What I like most about it, however, is that it reminds me of the good old Titanium PowerBook G4. We will see how it turns out, if it does at all, but I wouldn't say no to this thin-but-not-so-thin beast. [Spicu]

Note: the Digg badge in this story corresponds to the original article at Spicu.com

Either way, T3's mock-up looks sexy as hell, and they also think a new rumored 160GB model could appear in the new slinky, skinny-as-Kate-Moss form. [T3]

According to the author of this fantasy, "the Keyboard Wireless Dock connects to the dock using Wireless USB. It also has a bigger hard drive, some sort of DVD player/burner, inputs for your USB and Firewire devices. The whole keyboard part itself is used as a large multitouch track pad. Since the keys need to be depressed when hit, you can do lighter touches as you move across the whole thing."

Hokai. It also probably dices potatoes, synthesizes Strawberry Daiquiris and teleports you to other planets full of wonderful civilizations with sculptural Monica-Belucci-style oiled amazons or George-Clooney-style oiled warriors (depending on your preference), that will name you their King or Queen. In other words, it doesn't make much sense.

The black Powerbook-Titanium-style is quite nice, though. The concept may be feasible too: I like the idea of having an on-the-go tablet with touch keyboard for surfing, video, music and photography using a touch-optimized iLife suite. But one thing is some people finding the idea attractive, and the other is people buying it: unfortunately, the market for this kind of device could be quite limited as other keyboard-less Tablet PCs have demonstrated in the past. Even if we assume that Apple's implementation may make a difference, as it did in the case of the key-less iPhone, the market will still be very limited. One thing is a device like the iPhone, for short SMS/mails, and a very different thing is this kind of device.

Furthermore, looking at Apple's recent history, the company is not one that likes to create new markets, but improve on ones that may have true mass-market potential (like the iPod in the music market, or the iPhone in the cellphone market.) That's why a ultra-slim laptop idea, not a tablet, with Flash storage at a cheap price point sounds like a more realistic (and equally as sexy) as this tablet. Down the line, such product may get a touch-screen. At this point, a device like the one pictured here still looks like a risky proposition.

The mini-dock concept, on the other hand, seems like a real possibility for the rumored ultra-slim MacBook. If Apple finally decided to release such a machine without an optical drive, the dock seems like a reasonable combo. At least, a more elegant and more practical solution than their iMac-dock patent (and quite cheaper.) With a real keyboard. Apple did this in the past too with the PowerBook Duo. It was a good machine at the time, but limited. Perhaps like with the case of the Newton and the iPhone, now is the right time to implement all these technologies at the right price.

We will have to wait and see if all these wishes get granted by the Wizard of Cupertino. In the meantime, we can all vote and see what a part of the market, the readers of Gizmodo, really want. [Flickr via MacRumors Forums]

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As you can see, he took the original design and added a whole lot of the iPhone and the PSP. Looks quite good to me, even while it still has some unresolved issues, like the hinge, which can't be like the MacBook because it will block the shoulder buttons. Still, a very doable, even slimmer form factor than the Lite which can perfectly fit all the not-so-crazy features we thought could make it to the next revision of the Nintendo portable console.

And before the anti-Apple camp gets up in arms, let's not forget that the original DS got redesigned with a clear inspiration on the Apple's all-white, all-shiny, all-simplicity iPod design. People didn't think the same could be done with the original DS and look what happened with the Lite.

Some more thoughts from the "buts" that people claimed about the first 2D mock-up:

"But the screen on top should be the same size"
Not necessarily. For compatibility, you can play original DS games letterboxed. Even new games could retain exactly the same format and keep backward compatibility if you want. The top wide-screen, however, could be used very well in most games. But specially, for media playback.

"But the it should be a totally new concept. Nintendo broke the rules and will do it again in the next generation"
That may be true, but the True Next Generation is years away. It took decades for Nintendo to change the paradigm of the original Gameboy to the Nintendo DS. Until the latter arrived, the first went through many iterations, each adding more things: smaller package, more power, color, backlighting, etc.

They milked the cow until it was dead. Then, they reinvented themselves with the DS. The next DS will be an evolution of power and features, not of basic concepts. It works great now, it sells like crazy, so you don't need to change it dramatically just yet. Nintendo just needs to keep the distance with the PSP and that will be it.

"But it will be too expensive to make"
Like I said in the original mock-up article, given the sinking prices of current components thanks to the proliferation of smartphones like the iPhone or multimedia players, a DS 2 with shaved corners, better screens and built-in multimedia playback will be very doable in 2008. Granted, it may not take this shape, but it will happen sooner than later.

"But it doesn't have Advance cart compatibility"
With downloadable games coming to the DS and dirty-cheap Flash RAM prices, the next version of the DS will probably have Virtual Console emulation, just like the Wii. Why deal with hardware when you can have it all in software?

[Gizmodo and Phil Nolan]

Product Page [Cellular NationWide Network via CrunchGear]

Since we're showing off our new images capability this morning, take a gander at this speculative iMac mockup, commissioned by MacFormat magazine. Obviously the missing tech for this idea is a screen that fades in from totally transparent to a usable opacity, something that is theoretically possible to do with today's screens—if you didn't backlight them. – Joel Johnson

Future iMac Concept [Rederosity via TheCoolHunter]