Apple Tablet or Google Phone?

The company has rented a stage at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco for several days in late January, according to people familiar with the plans.

Apple is expected to use the venue to make a major product announcement on Tuesday, January 26th. Both YBCA and Apple declined to comment.

January is going to be an expensive month for lots of gadget geeks if Apple does start selling the famously-rumored Tablet at this announcement.

Maybe they'll hold off until a June sell to give the early adopters time to pay off credit card bills (or maybe Google will offer the Nexus One for free in exchange for creepy targeted advertising?).

With CES, the GPhone and now the Apple event, January is shaping up to be a big month.