Almost everyone owns an iPod, except me. I can honestly say that if I bought an iPod, I would probably install Linux onto it, just for the fun of it. I would even go as far as to install Doom on it. Now that would be far better than the simple Brick and Parachute games that come pre-installed.

Now, this may be only rumor, but Apple has apparently been responding to the success of the PSP, Nintendo DS and GameBoy Advance with hushed lips. As of late, Apple has been trying to recruit "C/C++ coders with a ‘gaming background.’"

Further buzz about the net suggests that a technical director from Lucas Arts may be involved. Mike Lampell, who worked on the Star Wars game Republic Commando, is now heading up a group inside Apple's iTunes division. As story goes, he was let go by Lucas Arts back in 2004 as a cost cutting measure. Now, he's at Apple.

Any and all may draw their own conclusions, but one thing is for certain, Apple is up to something. And of course, Apple likes to keep its projects under wraps until the last minute. One can only hope that maybe the next-gen iPod will play something to the likes of Grand Theft Auto, Need for Speed, or any number of other games. Let the hand held wars continue!