Apple vPod Concept Hasn't Ripened Yet

This column was originally published on RealMoney on Aug. 31 at 11:08 a.m. EDT. It's being republished as a bonus for TheStreet.com readers.

The vPod (what I'm calling the video iPod concept) and iShows: I first wrote about the concept of these two new products from Apple(AAPL Quote) more than a year ago. Now the mainstream press, along with Wall Street, is fully aware that Apple will head in this direction with its consumer electronics line at some point. Apple eventually will roll out video-capable iPod-like devices capable of playing shows, movies and music videos that will be available for purchase at a Web-based store such as iTunes.

But the operative phrase in that last paragraph is "at some point," and that point is very unlikely to be anytime this year or early next. Not that Apple should be in any rush to get the product out -- on the contrary, even.

Anybody who has ever heard of Apple Computer knows that the iPod changed the course of this company forever. Apple was a sleepy ol' computer vendor in danger of falling to 1% market share of the PC business before it veered into the portable MP3 player industry. Let me rephrase that: before the company recreated the portable MP3 player industry. ...