Apple HDTV: an iPhone without a screen; 1080p

Ahh, you readers. Prescient, you are.

It wasn't an hour after a pressed "publish" on my story about a reader's speculation that the Apple TV would get a refresh at Apple's WWDC on June 7 that I saw this post on Engadget about just that.

According to its sources, Apple TV will indeed get a major refresh at WWDC, actually it's more like a completely new product. The story goes like this: the new Apple TV will be based on iPhone OS and will include an A4 chip, 16GB of flash memory, cloud storage and 1080p high-definition output. Word is that the new device will only have two ports, power and video out.

Storage will be on the cloud, but it remains to see how Apple will charge for it. I sincerely hope that Apple doesn't plan on charging $100 per year for storage (like it does with MobileMe) or it's simply taunting the jailbreak community to build a better mousetrap -- and they will.

Sources describe the ATV sequel as "an iPhone without a screen," but the real kicker is the price - rumored to be $99. I'm calling it the "Apple HDTV," but feel free to chime in in the TalkBack with your prediction. For $99, I'd buy one.

I don't know about you but my current Apple TV almost never gets turned on, except for when there's a software update to write about. The damned thing runs so hot that it will literally singe your fingertips and there's no power switch or sleep mode (that I'm aware of) so it's an electricity vampire. Apple TV meet Craigslist.

So riff away fair readers... would you buy the new and improved Apple HDTV for $99?