It didn’t take very long, but the word on the internet grapevine is that the long-awaited Apple e-Reader is practically at our doorstep, promising early fulfillment of one of our Top 5 predictions for 2010.

The consensus name for the device is iSlate, a conjecture based on Apple’s registration of the domain name islate.com as far back as 2007. The iSlate reportedly sizes up to about 10 inches across, is about the same thickness as an iPhone, and sports the same multi-touch screen that people have been enjoying on their iPhones and iPods. Of course, with all good things comes a price, and in the case of the iSlate, rumors peg it at about $800. Ouch.

Based on the price and the fact that they haven’t considered some sort of e-ink technology, I have a hard time believing that this is going to be positioned opposite Amazon’s Kindle as a straight-up e-Reader. The ability to read eBooks will likely be there, but it will likely be just one of its selling points, on top of the ability to play videos and music with a portable form factor.

A recent report by the Financial Times seems to back this up. Apple is apparently courting TV networks in the hope of building some sort of subscription TV service they could deliver over the iSlate. Kathryn Huberty, a Morgan Stanley analyst quoted in that story, said, “The driver behind it will be content.”

It’s an interesting landscape that’s developing here. It does seem likely that Apple is going to be the major driver behind video content, but I’m not so certain they’re going to be as aggressive about books. Amazon has already released a Kindle app for the iPhone, and the Barnes & Noble will no doubt follow through with their own in due time. So strictly speaking, Apple may not have a need to pursue their own publisher deals where they already exist.

My best guess is that Apple will go after the newspaper and magazine market – a sector where the iSlate’s ability to integrate video and multimedia will give them a competitive advantage. I just don’t think the eBook market is big enough for Apple to really set their sights on it. The vast majority of folks are going to be drawn in by the flashy lights and attention deficit inducing features, and that’s to whom Apple caters.

In any case, Apple has scheduled a press briefing on January 26th in San Francisco, so we’ll find out all about it soon enough.