Wheelz. I agree with you that cool factor is a marketing guys ultimate wet dream, but Apple ususally gets both sides of the equation right: cool factor and useability. Windows (the UI) owes its existance to Apple.
Quite right, Fred. People who choose not to buy Apple products simply because Apple products are popular and perceived as cool by certain sectors of the population are making choices based on a false dichotomy. For every idiot flashing his Apple hardware out in public to be seen, there are scores of more modest people who chose Apple's hardware over the alternatives because they prefer the user experience.
I could have had practically any laptop I wanted at work. I got a Mac. I could have gotten practically any mobile phone. I got an iPhone. I made these choices
in spite of the silly cool factor.
