You should re-read your post from the perspective of the other 90% of computer-using humanity -- people who don't play World of Warcraft and folks who don't make movies on their portable laptop. Read it from that perspective and it will seem pretty ridiculous.
Ridiculous? You seem to think people need hard drive storage from 1999. No, I'm not kidding. ~64 (60) GB was common size in 1999. 2-3TB is now common in 2010 and costs only a $100-200 while you suggest that SSD drives are cheap now (A 2.5" 500GB is still around $1500 versus $60 for a 7200 RPM 2.5" traditional). Or rather you suggest that some (90% it seems) of us don't need more than 64GB, which may be a good size for a cell phone or iPod Touch, but is out of touch for a real computer that is used regularly. And no I do not play Warcraft or any other games on my MBP. The fact you think so shows how out of touch you are with anyone but yourself. The Macbook Pro used to be called "Pro" for a reason and some of us oddly use it for professional software. But even ordinary people will fill up 64GB in no time if it's their primary computer. The MBA is meant to be a secondary computer so SSD makes sense, but you suggested it should be standard on all Macbooks and that makes no sense at current prices versus size to people like me that don't need absolute speed, but do need a good amount of internal storage for a reasonable price. Frankly, I think you need to
grow up and realize you do not speak for the needs of everyone nor does your opinions constitute a consensus for "90%" of the world, which oddly enough does not revolve around you.
We know that's cheap because no one will pay for living-wage American labor, so all computers are made in China. That keeps the cost down even for Apple.
And ultimately that means that no Americans will be able to afford to live (which might explain why the poverty rate here is at the some of the highest levels ever now since outsourcing took off like crazy a decade ago). The cost of living in the developed world is MUCH higher than in places like China. Developed countries cannot compete with slave labor and undeveloped country costs of living. Yet as their costs go up and their citizens demand things like cars, better food, etc. (as happened already with Japan), jobs will be moved from China to yet other countries.
The search for
slave labor is as old as civilization itself. Until mankind learns that EVERYONE deserves a chance for a decent living and safe working conditions, not just the top 2% fat cats, we'll always be a barbaric race and an uncivilized planet. The rich couldn't care less because they only care about themselves and as long as they got theirs, they couldn't care less what happens to other people's lives. No wonder so many cultures believe in karma and reincarnation or places like "Hell". Every greedy action has a consequence sooner or later. Nothing happens in a vacuum. Paying workers a dime an hour while their bosses like Mr. Jobs make BILLIONS when they could easily afford far more than even minimum American wages and safety standards will have consequences too.
Yet those savings are rarely if ever passed on to consumers. Prices for something like New Balance shoes haven't gone down since they moved a large part of their operations from the USA to China nor have Apple computers gone down in price for similar tier models since moving assembly from the U.S. to China. Profits, however, have gone WAY up (to record levels in some cases like with Apple). Apple employees aren't jumping out of buildings in China because they're looking for a thrill. Nor should you forget that Communist countries like China do not share any of our core values. The Soviet Union was never our friends and neither is China. We take our stands against piddly nothing countries like Cuba (ban those cigars lest they threaten our freedom!) yet make giant nuclear powered Communist countries like China our favored trading partners and let them own much of our debt, thus owning us in the process as well. Those of you that worship Steve Jobs should think a little more about things like that before your praise outsourcing as the American way.
Personally, I don't mind paying more for American made. I shop in union grocery stores and feel good knowing those employees are getting at least some basic protections and wage bargaining versus minimum wage + no insurance non-union stores where only teenagers living at home can afford to work. What I do mind paying is just as much for Chinese made goods so shareholders and CEOs can pocket the difference in costs. Mac products haven't come down in price since moving assembly operations to China. Apple profits have gone WAY up, however.
