On Monday, Apple CEO Steve Jobs made a much-anticipated presentation at the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco: He announced the birth of the iPhone 4, which will become available to consumers June 24, according to CNET.

The original iPhone was released in 2007, but the new fourth generation puts that model to shame. It’ll be be 24 percent thinner, have a longer battery life and have a camera lens on the front to enable video conferencing. The 5 megapixel camera will also be able to shoot HD video, which can be edited directly on the phone. You’ll also be able to run more than one application at a time. According to Jobs at the conference, this version is the “biggest leap since the original iPhone.”

Why am I telling you this? I want one. Bad. I’m not a total tech geek, but I love my Kindle, iPhone, iPod and MacBook. I have the second generation iPhone (3G), but I have recently been fixated on getting the third generation phone (3GS). I was playing with a friend’s 3GS recently and was astounded at the quality of the camera and how fast the phone operated. Then, shortly after, this new phone comes out that’s faster, has a better camera and packed with bells and whistles!

But wait a second. I already have a high-quality, digital SLR camera. I already have a video camera and a computer with video editing equipment. I don’t video conference, and I don’t carry the phone in my pocket, so the thickness doesn’t really matter. So it boils down to the fact that as much as I desire an iPhone 4, I don’t need it one bit. My current one works just fine, despite its relative slowness and poor picture quality. My money is better off elsewhere (like in my savings account!). Sometimes I just get so caught up with consumerism and gadgets that I lose track of what I really need versus what I really want. It’s a battle we’ve all got to fight, especially when we start putting those purchases on our credit cards!

I hope you’ll read on and enjoy this roundup of some of my favorite personal finance blog posts from the past week. And if one of you gets an iPhone 4, let me know!

1. The recession and new financial legislation are changing how people use credit. Moolanomy lists four ways the new credit card rules will benefit consumers.

2. Bargaineering explains how hard credit inquiries affect credit scores and how those scores can affect your interest rate.

3. Canadian Finance Blog lays out the pros and cons of using a local credit union for your banking needs rather than a corporate bank.

4. Enemy of Debt is no longer an enemy of credit cards. He discusses how your financial mindset and outlook affect your ability to manage your plastic.

5. Budgets are $exy encourages readers to have a “Spend Your Gift Cards Weekend” and get rid of those easy-to-forget cards before they expire.

6. This post is actually from last week, but it’s too good to leave out. DINKS Finance explains why credit is her “frenemy,” meaning she hates using it, but finds it invaluable in an emergency.

7. Much to the chagrin of my fiance, “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” is one of my favorite guilty pleasures. Those who watch it are stunned by how lavish housewife Teresa Giudice lives — blowing more than $2,000 in one shopping spree and building an opulent mansion. Well, it’s caught up to her; WalletPop discusses the recent news that Teresa and her husband owe millions to creditors and are filing for bankruptcy.

8. The Digerati Life explains what a chargeback is and when it’s appropriate to dispute a credit card charge.

9. Sometimes, these things can get a little hairy! Ask Mr. Credit Card discusses his perspective on ethics and credit cards.

10. Credit Karma outlines how to decide whether to get a cash back or reward point credit card and explains some of the pros and cons of each.

Similar Posts:

• Emily’s list: iPhone death grip edition
• Emily’s list: Pay more to look like ‘Jersey Shore’ edition
• Emily’s list: Mother’s Day edition
• Emily’s list: Oil spill edition
• IPhone insurance now available, but too expensive?