Based on past updates, most people expected Google to release their latest PageRank Update sometime in late July. Here we are in the midst of September, and the update still hasn’t happened! And even worse, Matt Cutts (Google insider) recently made a comment on DigitalPoint that said:

“As far as the toolbar PageRank, I definitely wouldn’t expect to see it in the next few days. Probably not even in the next couple weeks, if I had to guess.”

Many webmasters are reading too much into this, theorizing that Google will finally do away with PageRank completely. But more than likely, Google is just behind schedule. They’ve made it well known that they’re testing a “new and improved” algorithm that will discount paid links, and our guess is that it’s still not 100% complete. Hopefully they get the kinks worked out and update the PR soon. Many advertisers use PageRank as a measure of authority when buying ad spots, and the higher the PR, the more they’re willing to spend. Right now, we’re selling ads based on PR that was calculated back in MARCH of 2007!

Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced Apple’s new lineup of iPods a few days ago at an event at San Francisco’s Moscone Center. I’ve been content with my old 4GB Mini for quite awhile now, but these new offerings really have my head spinning! Here are the highlights:

• The iPod shuffle get new colors.
• The iPod nano got a bigger screen, video capabilities and an interface update.
• Big iPods are now iPod classics, getting a new UI and hard drive capacity up to 160GB. This looks like the one to get if you’re a fan of Internet video.
• The most anticipated introduction, the iPod touch, brings the iPhone touchscreen interface to the iPod line. It’s basically an iPhone without the phone capabilities, with 8GB and 16GB capacities. It also has wifi capabilities!
• The price on the iPhone was cut to $399, and the 4GB version was dropped. The iPhone is a success, but not the runaway success that Apple expected. Slashing the price by over 30% should bring it to a price range that’s palatable to a larger audience.
• Jobs also introduced the iTunes WiFi music store, which will allow users to browse and purchase songs via wireless connections. Purchased tracks are copied back to your computer at next sync.

Talk about a dilemna. The iPod touch sounds great, 16GB of storage for your music/videos, and wifi access so you can surf the web and check your e-mail. Of course, you’ll need to find a wifi hotspot in order for it to be useful. Or for the same price, you can give up 8GB of storage and just get the iPhone. I’m not real fond of AT&T’s service, but for only a few more bucks than I’m currently spending on my Verizon bill, I can have unlimited data on an iPhone. It sure would have been nice if I could have left the laptop at home last week, and just checked my e-mail with my phone.

Of course, rumors are already swirling that a 16GB 3G-capable iPhone is going to be released in mid-November.. Whether there’s any truth to the rumor has yet to be seen, but I think I might wait until then before making a decision. Just look at the early adopters of the iPhone who are now kicking themselves - If they had just waited a few months, they could have saved $200!