> slim and pretty is not a good thing to optimize for at the detriment of powerful and useful
Well... most of the market seems to think that thin and light is the most important thing. It's just that there is a power-user market segment that has different needs that are not as well served by the new models.
[Posting from my 2011 17" MBP, in case you're wondering which side I'm on]
I think the more general market would've bought the new Macbook Pros either way. If they were the same thickness as before with more RAM and a few more standard ports, the casual users would've bought them up and the more professional users would've been happier. Maybe throw in a new color and you're done.
Well... most of the market seems to think that thin and light is the most important thing. It's just that there is a power-user market segment that has different needs that are not as well served by the new models.
[Posting from my 2011 17" MBP, in case you're wondering which side I'm on]