It's getting closet to the Annual Macworld Expo in January which means of course, the rumors are starting to really heat up. AppleInsider is reporting that Apple is preparing to enter the consumer electronics market with the release of several iPod related digital audio products next year.

One of the rumored devices that will come out next year is an iPod boombox which is basically an oversized iPod with boombox style speakers. Rumors have it that the boombox will have wireless audio streaming capabilities and may either rely on hard drives, iPod dock, or a combination of technologies.

The new consumer products coming out from Apple are meant to be more like iPod companion devices as opposed to iPod accessories. It'll be interesting to see if Apple does indeed release something in the consumer electronics market this year.

Meanwhile, the folks over at ThinkSecret have information from reliable sources that Apple will indeed release at least one product update to the iBook lineup in January which will include an Intel mobile processor.

The real guess will be which Mobile Processor Apple will decide to use. It will more than likely choose to use Intel's Yonah Mobile processor - the successor to the current Pentium M processor. However, it isn't clear whether Apple will use a single core Yonah or a dual core Yonah for their new iBook.

Analysts are also remarking that Apple needs to lower the entry level costs of the iBook and make it more competitively priced against Windows based laptops. Some believe that Apple will release an iBook that is potentially 200 - 300 dollars less than the current base model.

Check out Apple Insider for more information on the iPod Boombox. Check out Think Secret for more information on the supposed Intel based iBook rumors.