Pod Waiting

I’ve been toying with the idea of upgrading my 30 GB fifth-generation iPod for a while now, ever since I started having to pick and choose which files I synced.  (Video and podcast subscriptions take up more room than you'd think.)  But I've held off, partly because buying another iPod when I have a perfectly good one is a case of wanton excess, but mostly because I know Apple is overdue for an iPod refresh, and I'd rather direct my wanton excess at something new.  Is my wait finally at an end?

The most widespread rumors appear to be that Apple will release new 'Pods next Wednesday, the “iPod Nano Fattie”, resembling a reduced scale version of the full 5G iPod, device, and a new 6G iPod that would be, in effect, an iPhone minus the phone.  The latter would definitely be in the running for the title of David's Next Gadget.

Some rumors have Apple abandoning hard drives in the new 'Pods, and moving entirely to flash memory.  I'm not sure how I feel about that.  The idea appeals in theory, but I wonder at the cost of a high capacity flash device.  My mail goal in an upgrade would be to... well, okay, to feed my insatiable hunger for new gadgets.  But it would also be to move to a device with a capacity well in excess of 30GB.  The largest capacity 5G iPods are good for what, 80GB?  How much would that kind of storage cost implemented as flash?

Maybe my best hope is that Apple will field an entry-level device that is flash-based, and a higher capacity model with a thicker form-factor and a hard drive?