iPod Not opening iPod till the 7th?

Sort of, but not exactly what you're doing. I'm waiting until the last few days of the promotion before I even order my BlackBook and iPod. That way, I can ensure that I don't miss out on any possible upgrades.

That being said, I'm pretty sure that Apple isn't going to upgrade the Macbooks or iPods until after Sept. 15, because the promotion is a good way of clearing excess inventory for the upgrades that I'm sure aren't far away (I'm just hedging my bets).

In the past new iPods have been announced the last week of the promotion, but the only iPods eligible for the rebates have been the old ones. So you can do what you're doing, and buy the new one if it comes out, but you won't get any money off it.

And might as well open that, OP. They NEVER have updated an iPod in the middle of the promotion before. I don't think they're going to start now, the whole point of giving 'em away is to make room for the new ones coming out in september.

i got that ipod+mac edu discount as well. however...with all these rumors abound, i'm starting to think....

maybe i should keep the *free* nano, and sell my old video ipod? it was the first set of the videos to come out so it's not the latest - 30gig....but it is in great condition [not as scratched up as everyone else's that i know - it's been in a case it's whole life]. not that i nesseccarily want/need whatever this mysterious 6gen ipod incarnation....but in anticipation of a touch-screen based one in the next year or so? i mean - i would have the nano in the meanwhile?

who knows. just a thought to try and not go completely bankrupt with all these mactoys coming out.