Apple Tablet rumor fans are likely foaming at the mouth thanks to a reference to an "impending Apple slate" from New York Times Executive Editor Bill Keller. Mr. Keller made the reference during a presentation at the Harvard Nieman Journalism Lab, according to Gawker.

During the presentation, Mr. Keller said "I'm hoping we can get the newsroom more actively involved in the challenge of delivering our best journalism in the form of Times Reader, iPhone apps, WAP, or the impending Apple slate."

He may have only been referring to the mountain of rumors surrounding Apple's mythical tablet device, but the faithful will no doubt assume his statement was an unintentional slip confirming Mr. Keller's "insider knowledge."

Related reports claim Apple has been negotiating with newspaper, including the New York Times, to bring their content to a new tablet-type device. Mr. Keller's remark plays nicely into that rumor.

Despite the growing numbers of tablet rumors, Apple hasn't officially announced such a device -- and until it does, the Apple tablet is still just a rumor.