I love screen space. At the same time, my primary machine is a 2nd Gen, 17" MacBook Pro, which offers only one external DVI port. In my greedy quest to add more external monitors to my home workstation, I've tried a smorgasbord of products. I quickly gave up on USB to DVI solutions due to poor refresh rates and unmanageable color, and the closest I'd been able to come to a workable solution was Matrox's TripleHead2Go. The biggest drawback to that solution (and it ended up being big enough that my TripleHead2Go is gathering dust in a corner) is that the 2 or 3 monitors you hook up to it end up being treated as one large monitor. This means that you have fewer options in positioning your displays, and -- at least with 2 monitors connected -- things like menubars, the application switcher and even newly created windows and dialogs all pop up in the split between monitors. It works, but not well enough.

We'd heard tell of a product from Village Tronic called the ViDock Gfx, but after several disappointing experiences with other products in the same vein, I hadn't been ready to shell out for another try. Then, we got a review unit and it became clear that there was, in fact, a usable solution to the MacBook Pro's multi-monitor dilemma. Read on for my impressions after a week with this unique product.

Gallery: TUAW review: ViDock Gfx

Apple's LED Cinema Displays, announced at a special event in October, are finally available on the Apple Store online, and at Apple retail locations, which should make Cory happy.

The LED Cinema Display, which is more suitable as a laptop docking station more than another monitor for your desktop Mac, sells for $899. Shipping is free from the Apple Store online.

I went to the San Diego-area UTC Apple Store on Sunday, and saw a display model. The color was sharp, and looked identical to the display on my 24-inch iMac. Compared to the MacBook Pro next to it, the pixel density is looser (making objects of the same pixel size seem larger on the Cinema Display than on the laptop), typical for Apple's desktop displays. Unlike the iMac, the stand for the display had a tapered foot that was thinner at the front than in the back: Something I hadn't noticed before.

Additionally, adapters that connect the new Mini DisplayPort to DVI and VGA are also available, and will ship within 24 hours.

An update from the commenters: The Mini DisplayPort adapters are for MacBook Air, and won't help connecting a Mac Pro (for example) to this new display. Sorry, my mistake. Also, not all retail stores have the displays, so you might want to give them a call first before heading over there.