Rumor has it there is a new iPod coming out…

…so don’t even think about buying an iPod between now and Sept. 5. Apple has invited the press to a “special event” next week in San Francisco. And as usual, Apple won’t say what it plans to announce. Or much of anything.

The invitation, titled “The beat goes on,” includes an image of a man, in silhouette, dancing with an iPod on the cover of an album displayed in the style of Apple’s “Cover Flow” feature, which allows users to flip through their music on their iPhones or desktop computers.

What else do I know? Apple’s new iPod, or iPods, could include many of the features introduced with Apple’s iPhone, such as a large, touch-sensitive display, which isn’t available on today’s iPods (unless you count the iPhone). And it could sport an aluminum skin, to better match the metal and glass sheathed iPhones and iMacs introduced over the past few months.

Under its shiny new skin, new hardware and software, such as a slimmed down version of Apple’s OS X operating system and a flash memory drive, instead of the current iPod’s mechanical hard drive, could keep the new device thin and light. And if Apple jams a Wi-Fi receiver into the device the new software could allow the iPod to include the ability to browse the Web and send and receive e-mail.

But in truth, Apple could be introducing anything music related. Jobs once summoned the press to Cupertino to cover the surprise launch of a set of iPod speakers. Keep it locked on killedthat.com for the latest updates on the new iPod.