Debunk: punk kid tries to dupe gadget blogs with phony Apple rumor

We're sure there's a broad swath of our readers who think every Apple-related rumor is patently untrue (which, let's be fair, isn't the case by a long shot), and an even larger number of people who think the mere act of writing them up is idiocy. Well, we suppose this one goes out to all of you.

So as it turns out, a convincing (if suspicious) sounding tip written by none other than Google Product Manager Tom Oliveri made its way to number of select high profile gadget blogs this morning, promising the following inside information about Tuesday's announcements:

"Macbooks - no cosmetic changes will be getting santa rosa chips
mac mini [sic] will receive a stock 120gb HDD total form change, all brushed aluminum 15% smaller and the iMacs will be, as rumored brushed aluminum
new ipods will be rolling around mid September," as well as this little nugget: "I will update you on our phone later this month (one week prior to announcement)"

Just one problem though. Those who published the rumor obviously weren't in touch with Google's [redacted], else they might have realized they were getting their information from a 16 year old Australian kid who shares his name. Woops. Full email published after the break.

Name: [redacted]
Email: [redacted]
Subject:

Macbooks - no cosmetic changes will be getting santa rosa chips

mac mini will receive a stock 120gb HDD total form change, all brushed aluminum 15% smaller

and the iMacs will be, as rumored brushed aluminum

new ipods will be rolling around mid September

I will update you on our phone later this month ( one week prior to announcement )

Cheers
[redacted]


[redacted], Google Product Marketing Manager
www.google.com