Steve Jobs is after my money again!!!

Well, in case you haven't heard, Apple Computers is at it again! Steve Jobs is slowly turning my sister and me over to the world of Macs, one gizmo at a time. (I predict we will have a Dual 2.7Ghz G5 by the end of next year! That's about $3000 folks! And that's not even including the price of a monitor and keyboard/super mouse!)

Today, Apple is beginning to stream a press conference that announced many new and exciting things, sure to thin my wallet and shrink my bank account.

First, there will be a new smaller iPod, called the iPod nano. It is less than half the size of an iPod mini, but with all the current storage capacity and functions and even more features than it's lumberous brethren. Makes my original monochrome screen U2 special edition iPod look like a monolith in comparison. And to believe, it's only been a mere four years since the very first generation iPods came out. The worse part of it, is that in addition to being released in Apple trademark white, it will also be released in sleek and stylish black. Well, there goes $249 from me. Why did I even bother getting a shuffle? Oh well, it will make a great present for my dad.

Second, all of Madonna's albums are now available on iTunes. No small feat, coming from a woman who resisted till the bitter end about releasing her catalogue on downloadable digital format (now if only she would release all her remixes (including rare "white lable only" ones) in a big "digital box set" like U2 did, I would be a happy camper!) It seems that you'll be hearing her ABBA sampling new single, "Hung Up," everywhere in the coming weeks, as it is also being used for money grabber number 3.

Motorola and Apple are releasing the ROKR E1 phone, which is a new cell phone with iPod shuffle like capabilities. This little baby will store 100 songs, come with a color screen and full connectivity with iTunes, and probably be the next big thing since the Motorola RAZR V3 (which I only purchased about a month ago). And in tying everything together, the commercial for the ROKR will be featuring "Hung Up" as the main song, with Madonna and a bunch of other musicians, ranging from Iggy Pop to a facsimile of "Biggie" Smalls, in the commercial.

To get a preview of Madonna's new song, as well as info on the new ROKR, go to the main Motorola webpage, or to listen to the instrumental version of the song, head on over to "Hello Moto." (Edit 9/13: It looks like the websites took down the song samples (probably because it is still about a month before the song goes to radio). I'll let you all know when they put them back up again.) To see the full Steve Jobs press conference, which includes news about Harry Potter books on iTunes, a chat with Madonna, a preview of the new ROKR commercial, and a performance by Kanye West, follow this link here.