any news on the release of the new 990 or 970?

summer, fall, winter, June?

I don't think we've heard anything official (or even un-official, for that matter) yet.

anyone got any good guesses, end of 2008, 2009?

Any guesses we make are going to be somewhat "shots in the dark" as Outlaw has been keeping the wraps tight on the next gen development. We know that they had at least one product in the works that used the Cirrus 49700 as of last October, and the delays associated with that chip have been such that I wouldn't expect to see much that used the 49700 prior to early fall. Like I say, though, it's all a guess...

Sometime in the Year 2008 I feel there will be new Outlaw stuff.

Well I know Sherwood Newcastle gave up on the Cirrus 49700 and went with a new TI chip. If Outlaw is going to use Etronics again, then that could be a sign. SN claims they should have their units (the new receivers and pre-pro) out around CEDIA.