Yesterday while hunting for some iPhone news I accidentally discovered a Mac Web endeavor at once brazenly sleazy and irresistibly captivating. For nearly a year, the Macenstein Web site has conducted a “Mac Chick of the Month” contest in which it solicits photos of attractive young women who also happen to have an obsession with Apple products. Each month’s winner is showcased on her own page featuring numerous photos of said young lady (some of which push the boundaries of propriety) surrounded by her favorite Apple hardware.

I’m not sure whether I should congratulate or condemn Macenstein’s masterminds. Aspiring contestants must submit at least four photos of themselves using Apple gear, insuring a steady stream of steamy JPEGs to the Macenstein editors. Glancing at the pages of the winners, a surprising number of very attractive and talented women have sought the title of Mac Chick of the Month.

Clearly Macenstein’s staff has done a first-rate job of selecting the winners, most of whom are very attractive twenty-something actresses and/or models shot by professional photographers. (Do you think some of these young women saw an opportunity for a little exposure to help boost their careers?) In an admirable effort to justify the feature, each woman also must have substantial Apple-loving credentials. As Macenstein puts it: “Each month we feature a different die-hard, Mac-loving girl who is (almost) as well designed as the Apple products they love.”

August’s winner, Lauren Reeves, is typical. According to her page, the comely blonde has been a television reporter for the ABC affiliate in Anchorage, a New York actress, a comedian and a model. Her Apple cred includes ownership of an iPod, an iMac G5 and an iPhone. Her page features quotes such as “I couldn’t go a day without using an Apple product.” Ms. Reeves also submitted her entry in AppleWorks format, just to hammer the point home.

I can't imagine how this saucy little corner of the Mac Web escaped my notice for so long. Better late than never, eh?