Speculation is mounting in anticipation of Apple’s press conference next Tuesday. There are rumours of touch-sensitive video iPods, the iPod HiFi or Boombox, new Intel-based Mac minis, Airport Express that can stream video, feature films being downloadable from iTunes, Front Row 2.0, an Apple Tablet, Tivo-killer.. blah blah.. etc.

What do I want? I still want a remote control for iTunes. Something like the Sonos Controller. If it comes in the shape of a new iPod, then so be it. What I don’t want, or expect, is remote streaming from the iPod, because you’ll only be able to listen to one album before having to recharge it. Another thing I don’t want is Front Row on Macs without a built-in display. Because Front Row sucks (but all competing software sucks too). It’s possibly the worst performing software ever written in the history of personal computing, and it’s distinctly unfriendly to plasma displays – all that white on black – ugh. So let’s leave Front Row to iMacs and MacBooks.