A while back, I posted an article on this site that begged the question: can Apple (NASDAQ AAPL) survive without its creator/leader Steve Jobs? The definitive answer: YES!

With new products and even bolder rumors emanating from Apple, it would appear that Apple has chosen to remain faithful to its users and stay the course  that Avis, the car rental folks, did back a few decades ago when they realized that they weren’t going to out-Hertz, Hertz, their main competitor, so they successfully marketed themselves as number 2, and proud of it.

With its own approach to marketing, Apple seems to be saying to Microsoft (NASDAQ MSFT) that innovation, diverse products, and public perception are more important than anything that those stodgy folks at Microsoft do.

So what’s Apple up to now? The big buzz is all about an ever increasing number of rumors that place Apple squarely into the notebook/tablet arena; the release of a brand new and might we say “bold” iPod shuffle, and an upcoming sneak peak of iPhone 3.0 software.

Now to the rumor: apparently someone in the know at the headquarters of the touchscreen manufacturer Wintek has reported that Apple has ordered 10-inch touchscreens for an expected third quarter delivery this year. Little else is known, but Apple has been developing touchscreen technology into its OS X operating system software for some time now and the oh so popular note/book/tablet niche seems to be one that is ripe for Apple’s picking.

A second innovation coming out of Apple’s Cupertino headquarters is the new iPhone software release. Known as 3.0, the software is due for public announcement via an invitation-only event on March 17th.What can you expect from 3.0? Rumors run rampant with stereo enhanced Blue Tooth technology, along with other new approaches that 2.0 doesn’t have.

Lastly, Apple has released its makeover iPod shuffle. So small, that the controls won’t even fit on the unit, but have been incorporated with remote functionality into the headphones. With 4 gigabytes of memory and a 1.8 by 0.3 inches size it is smaller than the current iPod suffle.

So without a screen, how will you know what’s on your iPod? It will tell you. That’s right, the new model will tell you which tune is next as well as provide you with a directory of what’s on your iPod. The new iPod is being marketed as the ideal music companion for those who are on the go and don’t have room for the “bulkier” older iPods.

So what’s next???…it wouldn’t surprise me to find an integrated iPod and iPhone built into a wrist sized unit. It would appear that Apple has settled into its niche market and is quite comfortable. It seems the Windows based juggernaut once again has been out-foxed by the lightweight Apple machine.