At what point is enough, enough? At what point do you overstep the bounds of good taste by gadgetizing just one too many items? I believe I have found that point. Behold!

(click for larger image)

Yes, this is a stereo dock for your iPod and a bath tissue holder, all in one convenient package. I knew something was lacking about my, ah… experience, now I know what it was.

Every time Steve Jobs takes the stage in his signature black turtleneck and jeans, I cringe. Not because I particularly dislike his wardrobe or even Steve J himself; I cringe because I know he is invariably going to inspire a nearly undeniable urge to decimate my budget. He has succeeded once again.

If you haven’t heard about the MacBook Pro, a quick Google search or a stop by the Apple website will get you up to speed. An Intel Core Duo processor, 15.4″ widescreen, built in iSight, a screen as bright as their cinema displays, Front Row and remote included, and their new “patent pending” MagSafe power connector are a few of the major bullet points.

But really, the most important factors are that it’s an Apple Intel notebook, it’s amazingly thin, and it’s wrapped in shiny aluminum (although I was hoping for carbon fiber… I guess there’s always next year…). I must have one. Now.

I’ve managed to hold off the temptation so far, plunking down $3k on a notebook wasn’t exactly in the plan, but damn if I don’t want one. Badly. I’ve even managed to get it in my shopping cart a couple of times, most notably after Steve J said “If you want one I suggest you get your order in early” during his keynote. That simple phrase must’ve set off the zombie obedience mode in my brain, because before I knew it, I was happily configuring away at the Apple store.

I have to keep reminding myself that I’m holding out for revision two. It’s basically a constant chant whenever I read anything about the MacBook: “revision two, revision two, must wait, revision one always sucks, revision two will be awesome, but look at it! <drool>, no! focus! revision two.”

We’ll see if I cave… :)

Well, as I’m sure you all know by now, Apple has announced a new “iPod Photo.” This handy little contraption comes in 40 and 60 gig versions with a color screen for viewing your photos. I’m not exactly sure who has 60 gigs of photos, considering that is bigger than the hard drive in my Powerbook, but I’m sure someone out there probably has 60 gigs of music. Crazy music freaks.

Besides featuring a “razor sharp LCD” screen, Apple has also managed to increase battery life to 15 hours for the new model. However, the downside of the new improvements are the slightly increased thickness and weight of the iPod. Not that I think you’re going to notice 0.06” or 0.2 ounces (compared to the previous 40 gig model), but hey, you might.

If you’re a big U2 fan or you just want to pay a premium for a black iPod, Apple is now offering the U2 Special Edition iPod, which sports a black case, red scroll wheel, and the band’s signatures on the back. It’s only available in a 20 gig model (guess you U2 fans don’t have much music?) and you’ll pay $349 instead of the normal $299. However, if are planning to buy “The Complete U2” from the iTunes music store anyway, then you’ll be happy to note the U2 Special Edition iPod comes with a $50 off coupon. Oh, and a special edition poster. Yippee.

Now for the most drool worthy news of the day. Tootsie Roll has finally, finally created an entire bag of Vanilla Tootsie Rolls. As everyone knows, vanilla was previously worth the extra effort of digging through a huge bag of mixed candy to find. Well, dig no more. Just run over to your favorite supermarket and pick up a bag of “limited edition” vanilla Tootsie Rolls. Mmmmm…

Ok, I seem to be having some difficulty typing this evening, so if you see typos, just ignore them. Must be the Project Management class; apparently if I go more than a few hours without using a computer I guess I forget how to type…

Well, after months of debating it, we finally purchased a Playstation 2. The thing that finally sold us was the new “two” version that is out/is coming out November 1. I think the official launch is November 1, but many stores, including Walmart, are selling it already. The great thing about Walmart is the 90 day return policy, so if specials come out for Thanksgiving or Christmas, we can just take it back. :)

This new version has ethernet, modem, and IR built in, but the best thing about it is the size. It’s tiny. It’s slightly bigger than a DVD case and the same thickness as two DVD cases stacked together.

Edited to remove missing pictures.