Mark Howson from The Mac Pak sends word that another mysterious bundle has been posted, this time for the very, very low price of $5.00. The Mac Pak, you'll remember, is one of the more mysterious software deals out there-- you pay the money for three different secret applications, and then at the end of the sale (three days and change as of this writing, so around July 1st), the apps are revealed, and sent to you. Buyer beware, but a fun deal, and I'm not sure I've ever seen one this cheap.

All we know about the apps this time around is that added together they'd usually cost you over $50, and that's about it. Back in May, the apps were revealed as the sale went along (and the price raised), but there's no indication that's happening this time around-- looks like it's a $5 shot in the dark. Will the low price pull you in, or are you going to pass on buying something you might not want?

It's no big secret that Our Glorious Leader has very particular tastes, and he likes getting his way. Fast cars (Mercedes Benz), fast jets (Gulfstream), and according to Valleywag, secret three-legged stools. Though no real details are known about said stool, the Valleywag tipster says that Unkie Steve requires his designer stool to be present at all important meetings (both Apple internal meetings and certain outside meetings), as well as available to sit on during long flights on his jet (though the safety of a three-legged stool in turbulence seems dubious to me). One would imagine that this stool will be present during the keynote, so everyone keep their eyes sharp to see if we can't identify it.

I'll admit to being just as interested in what Apple has up their sleeve as the next guy, but I've always harbored a chip on my shoulder towards the rumor sites. The constant 'anonymous' sources who wind up all too often being as clueless as they are nameless have always irked me, and James R. Stoup at Apple Matters decided to take Think Secret, one of the largest rumor mongers out there, to task to see just how accurate they've actually been.

Mr. Stoup did the math that was a long time coming and surveyed Think Secret's reports on Apple products between January 05 - September 06. You should really check out the results, as he did a bang-up job detailing everything he found, but to summarize: James found that Think Secret's accuracy can get pretty black and white; either they nail it or they couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with a wrecking ball. He also discovered some patterns in terms of which kinds of products Think Secret typically nabs correctly, concluding that they have a fairly good batting average with Mac hardware and iPods, but their 'inside scoops' on software tend to represent that aforementioned wayward wrecking ball.

Take a look at James' post for the real (and thorough) details of his findings, but don't think he's trying to bash the rumor gurus, Think Secret or otherwise. After all, what Apple fan doesn't hold at least some place in their heart for rumors of what shiny new thing Apple might have coming up? I think James' investigation should serve at least as a reminder that rumors are exactly that: rumors, and not much more. One is merely rolling the dice when reading these sites and building up hopes of a fancy new [insert name here] or a product revision.

With that said, we'll be sure to stay on top of the latest gossip to make sure y'all can decide whether the latest iPhone or media center rumors could be worth that extra wait.

Scott Stevenson has been thinking about why Apple has been so successful for the last few years. He points out that in each market that Apple is an unmitigated hit (MP3 players, music downloads) they were not first to market. So why do people dig what Apple is doing?

Scott's answer: Apple doesn't care what the crowd thinks. They are doing things without consulting with focus groups, or months of market research (we imagine, you never know what is going on in Cupertino). Apple seems to be fearless, and that is what is helping them soar while other companies are limping along (just look at Vista's ever receding ship date).

So, TUAW'ers, what do you think is the secret mojo that keeps Apple in the black?