There's always plenty of hype whenever Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) stages a product rollout. Wednesday wasn't any different, as the sultans of style teased fans with a rock-and-roll event.

Most watchers were left unimpressed, no doubt expecting iToasters that serve up warm sliced bread with Steve Jobs' image burned in.

I actually liked the iPod updates, especially the decision to include video cameras in the pocket-sized nano. This has to be sending shock waves through the folks behind Cisco's (NASDAQ:CSCO) Flip, Sony's (NYSE:SNE) Webbie, and Kodak's (NYSE:EK) Zi8.

Convergence is here. When even the most basic of portable media players are taking snapshots and recording video, the camera industry needs to take notice. Their cameras will have to do more. 

It's a wakeup call that no kitchen appliance could ever deliver.

Briefly in the news
And now let's take a quick look at some of the other stories that shaped our week.

  • Did you know you can get a prepared meal that serves a family of four at Whole Foods Market (NASDAQ:WFMI) for just $15? The recession has forced even the upscale retailers to paddle through downmarket waters.
  • Google's (NASDAQ:GOOG) search-engine box -- and related buttons -- are getting a little larger. A barely noticeable makeover wouldn't normally be news, but Google is very careful about the simplistic design consistency of its magnetic home page.
  • Another Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ:SIRI) satellite -- Sirius FM-5 -- was placed into service this week. It was launched in June and has now completed all of its post-launch testing. Am I the only one chuckling at the "FM" in the moniker of the terrestrial-radio slayer?

Until next week, I remain,
Rick Munarriz