No doubt there's a market for a bigger-screen iPod Touch, and if the latest rumors are true, that's exactly what Apple has in mind. A from Michael Arrington of TechCrunch says that Apple is developed a Touch device with a 7- or 9-inch display, which is plenty big for video-watching, Web-surfing, gaming, and possibly even conventional desktop apps.

Details are sketchy. Apple reportedly will launch its king-size Touch in the fall of '09. According to TechCrunch, prototypes of the device are out there, and Apple and its original device manufacturers (ODMs) in Asia are working out the production details.

The for awhile that Apple is planning to enter the netbook market, and perhaps a big-screen iPod Touch would fill the bill. With a display as large as 9 inches, a bigger Touch might just work as a laptop replacement too, particularly if Apple adds a slide-out keyboard. Could this be

Then again, price is a thorny issue. Apple doesn't do cheap, and at $500 or less, is definitely that. Today's iPod Touch, with its 3.5-inch display, starts at $229, but the 32GB model goes for a whopping $399. Naturally, a bigger Touch would cost a lot more.