Holy moly, you're asking a tough one, but since it is Christmas and you're probably still hanging around with your family member or friend who seems to be so plugged into the Apple pipeline, I'll give it a shot and try to explain what's going on and how people tap into the Apple rumor mill to learn about the iSlate, iTab, iTablet, whatever it's going to be called.

Unlike most other computer systems, Apple's created a culture of enthusiastic fans called "fanboys" (and fangirls, of course). I admit, I'm probably one of 'em with my multiple Mac computers, iPhone, iPods, and so on. As a result, lots of people in the Apple community spend a lot of time digging through the digital dumpsters, trying to ascertain what's going on at 1 Infinity Loop, the street address in Cupertino, CA, of Apple's corporate HQ.

First things first. The name: a rumor site called MacRumors.com has been digging around domain name registrations and found what it suggests is compelling evidence that Apple has registered a domain called islate.com. Since the company already owns domains like ipod.com, comparing the registrations does show a curious similarity. In addition, analysts have heard insiders refer to an Apple tablet by referring to "the Apple Slate", which adds fuel to the rumor fire.

Let's look at a few mockup pictures people have posted to the net too, starting with what might or might not be a legit picture from a Japanese magazine:

Possibility #1, but it's way too expensive.

As you can see on my caption, it's impossible to believe that an Apple tablet, whether called the Apple iSlate or not, is going to cost $2,499 as suggested in the picture. In fact, anything over $1000 is going to miss its mark and I personally hope that we'll see something come in at closer to $500 or thereabouts.

Another possibility, this one from Mobile Magazine

What'll be in the unit? No-one knows as of yet, but I envision something that's like an iPod Touch, just bigger. Initial rumors were a 9-inch to 10-inch screen, but now additional rumors have surfaced that there might be a 7-inch iSlate coming too.

Yet another possibility, from Innosight

The release date has moved all over too, and the latest rumor has that the device will be unveiled, possibly for developers only, or possibly for sale, in late January, 2010.

Or maybe this is the accurate mockup, from FunnyCoolStuff

That's about all that we know about the Apple iSlate or Apple iTablet or iTab or ... whatever it'll be. I will say this, though: I hope they do release one and I'm ready to buy it. Since, after all, I am an Apple fanboy, I suppose. :-)