Ars Technica has once again found references to an iProd 1,1 in Apple firmware, this time iPhone 3.1 Beta 3. iProd was last seen back in May in the iPhone 3.0 betas under the prototype designation iProd 0,1.

For those unfamiliar with Apple versioning, 0,1 is thought to be used for pre-release prototype hardware. 1,1 was used for both the first iPhone (original 2G) and iPod touch. iPhone 3G was 1,2 (minor revision) while the second gen iPod touch was 2,1 (major revision). iPhone 3GS is 2,1 as well, and it's widely expected that Apple will introduce an iPod touch 3,1 in September.

Says Ars about the new, as yet unnamed iProd(uct):

While it's easy to speculate that this may be the rumored Apple tablet we keep hearing so much about lately, we have yet to find any evidence that iPhone OS 3.1 is capable of running on a device with a tablet-sized screen. It's just as possible it may refer to the camera-equipped iPod nano, though we doubt such a device would run iPhone OS. Hell, it might even be an iPhone nano.

To the list of iTablet and iPhone nano, we add iNetbook. Let the speculation increase!

Commercial Times (via Inquirer/MacRumors) is saying Taiwan's Foxconn -- which manufacturers the iPhone -- is set to do similar for Apple's rumored... iSomething..

iTablet and iNetbook chatter has been growing almost faster than any other Apple rumor lately. While we have no reason to believe Apple will join the race-to-the-bottom, razor-thin netbook market proper, strings in iPhone 3.0 firmware revealing an iProduct to make us think something is coming. Eventually.

Meanwhile, Software Advice has posted up a nice summary of why such a device, especially if it's an iTablet, would be a compelling offering for verticals like healthcare.