One of the perennial rumors of the Apple community is coming around again. This time, it's a CNET blog reporting that Apple is developing a tablet PC Really. Not kidding this time.

CNET's Crave blog reports Asus is developing the tablet in conjunction with Apple, according to Asus. The tablet will be built from scratch, rather than using existing Asus technology, and may be based on patents Apple filed for in 2005.

Crave asks:

So, can Apple turn the Tablet PC into a success when previous attempts have failed? The short answer is 'yes'. Any company that can make a mobile phone with no buttons, no picture messaging, slow Web access and no video capture into the most desirable phone on the planet can easily make tablets popular.

But the blog UneasySilence is skeptical:

Apple is one of the highest regarded design houses in the US and to rely on an outside company for design doesn’t seem to be Apple’s MO. Yes, Apple has contracted out before but it was for internal component design - such as Apple leaning on Intel for chipset guidance, but hardware has always been their game.

I think this is an annual event: The Christmas decorations come out in the stores, Standard Time returns, rumors start flying about tablet PCs from Apple.