iPhone 3.0: A Few Last-Minute Predictions

— -- Ladies and gentlemen, step right up and place your bets on the magic click wheel. It's your last chance to predict the latest and greatest features for version 3.0 of the iPhone OS. Jim Cramer says Apple's stock is easy to manipulate because of the rumor mill, so take a chance! Make your predictions, and watch Apple's stock price rise and fall as we pin our digital hopes and dreams to Apple's magic gadget.

What will make it in and what will end up dead on the cutting room floor? You can never tell, so throwing caution to the wind I've come up with a mix of five wild, wacky and sometimes just plain boring (yet essential) predictions to whet your iPhone appetite before 10 AM PST.

1. Copy and Paste: Kevin Rose is at it again with his wild and wacky Apple predictions. On a Facebook post yesterday Rose confirmed his copy and paste prediction, according to the iPhone Blog. He also said he'd heard a third rumor, but refused to tell us what it is because he had conflicting sources. Thanks for nothing, Kevin. While Rose has been off the mark at times, he's also been right on target on benign issues like the new iPod Nano. So the world's copy and paste wish may finally come true. Ah, dare to dream!

2. New App Launcher: Is there anything more exciting than organizing your sh*&? If that question gave you pause to think then maybe you're in the camp hoping for a new app launcher. Some say this would help organize your apps into categories, which would be good since you can't perform an app search. If only Apple came out with...

3. Spotlight for the iPhone: Many iPhone users bemoan the lack of search on the iPhone, and some are hoping for a global search option. It would make sense then for Apple to develop a Spotlight Lite for the iPhone. But hold on, wouldn't that require some background processes to index all your content? Hmm, background processes. Well, maybe we'll see that too.

4. iTunes App Store Plus: Imagine a boutique of high-end applications that cost $20 or more. Possible apps include office suites, turn-by-turn GPS and advanced games. Who knows? Maybe the "I AM RICH" app will make a comeback!

5. Flash and tethering for the iPhone: People, people, people. Please, let's focus our attention on something a little more realistic...like world peace. Yes, the most common video format on the Web and using your device as a modem seem like an inevitable no-brainer, but really when has that ever stopped Apple from saying no?

Oh, and one more thing.....

6. Tablet: This rumor is heating up since Computerworld's Seth Weintraub yesterday threw in his two cents. There is a lot of rumor to support this rumor, but a 10" mystery Tablet or PDA? Well, if Apple does unveil this baby, maybe they'll call it the Newton Messagepad 3000.

So that's it. We'll know for sure in only a few hours. And don't forget to follow all the Apple action right here at PC World.

Need more iPhone 3.0 rumors? Check out PC World's JR Raphael's list of features that might make the cut.