On 13 December, Apple filed a civil lawsuit against no-one inparticular because “an unidentified individual, acting alone or in concert with others, has recently misappropriated and disseminated through Web sites confidential information about an unreleased Apple product.”

There’s a lot of talk about a flash memory based iPod (and indeed confirmation of manufacturing of the same in Chinese newspapers), and the launch of an Apple branded mobile phone (based on the official announcements that Apple was partnering with Motorola to have iTunes on their next generation phones).

But, what about this: I’d love to have a decent remote control for Airport Express. Based on the nudge-and-a-wink body language of Steve Jobs when the Airport Express was launched earlier this year, I reckon it will come. However, perhaps the current iPods are the wrong form factor. After all, do people really want to use such a valuable piece of equipment as a remote control? What about that hard disk? It’ll get bumped around something chronic if it’s in a remote.

However, a flash based iPod would be an ideal remote. Lightweight. No moving parts. Bump up the battery life more than equivalent PDAs – and remember it doesn’t have to have a great wireless range as it only has to make a hop to a chosen Airport Express. At the risk of sounding like a Gatwick Express PR man, let the Airport Express take the strain.