Okay, in case you haven't noticed by now, we're self-confessed worrywarts. We worry about all kinds of stuff, especially stuff we can't change. We know it's not healthy, we know that it'll eventually bring on all sorts of fun problems like bleeding ulcers and high blood pressure, but hey, it's just who we are. (Would anyone who wasn't a worrywart produce a soap opera about Apple Computer day after day?) So here's our worry of the day: that we won't ever be able to buy a copy of Connectix Virtual Game Station.

You've heard about this product by now; it made a solid appearance during Steve Jobs' keynote address last week. Basically, it works like VirtualPC, but instead of emulating an Intel-based personal computer, it emulates a Sony Playstation. The upshot of this is that owners of G3 Macs (iMacs included) can run all sorts of Playstation games right on their monitor screens. Sure, not all Playstation games are yet compatible, but so far, user reports of both compatibility and performance are very good indeed. Good enough, at least, that we've got our $49 in hand, ready to plunk down to whomever can sell it to us first.

And there's the rub; no one's selling it yet. It was available directly from the Connectix booth at last week's Expo, but beyond that, it's only expected to ship to retailers by the end of the month. Not that we can't wait; we've got plenty to keep us busy in the meantime. No, what we're worried about is that the product might not ever make it to retail or mail order at all. Selling VGS at the Expo booth before releasing it anywhere else (it's not even available from the Connectix online store) seemed to us to be a way for Connectix to test the waters, legally speaking; Sony, after all, might not take too kindly to Connectix shipping an "unauthorized" emulator. In fact, the latest rumors already indicate that Sony is filing an injunction in preparation for a lawsuit. Whether or not this is true remains to be seen-- while we think a lawsuit would be a poor move on Sony's part, given the market share VGS will gain them, we certainly don't think it's an altogether unlikely scenario. Meanwhile, we'll just sit here with money in hand and fret silently.