Originally Posted by
CrazyOne
What made the iPod popular originally is that every other interface sucked. Now that it dominates, it keeps a finely cultivated and marketed image, sure. Some might say that other products have caught up, I don't really know not having spent a lot of time using the latest ones. (I've used a couple year old Sandisk that definitely doesn't measure up.) But it doesn't matter so far because for the moment the iPod is still perceived as it, and the only people who don't want one seem to be those that care about a certain specific feature over usability and/or style (the same reason someone would not choose a Mac computer) or those who want to be anti-establishment (the *opposite* reason vs the computer business).
I think the other reason that the iPod is so popular is that Apple provided an entire system around it - iTunes and the iTunes Music Store. The combination of syncing up your music on your computer and being able to legally download music off the internet along with the usability of the iPod is what differentiates Apple's mp3 players from everyone else's.
I will likely purchase a MBA for leisure travel. I currently own a G4 tower which I use as a file server and a 15" Macbook Pro, which serves as my main personal computer. (I have a Dell D420 for work) The size and weight of the MBA make it perfect for me as a travel computer - I take a lot of camera gear with me on vacation and the weight and size of the MBA does make a significant difference. The disadvantages others have cited don't apply to my situation. Even the lack of hard drive space isn't that big a deal since even my MacBook Pro doesn't have enough storage space for the pictures I take - I usually carry a few external drives anyway. The MBA will definitely fit within my "system".
I won't buy one right away since I rarely purchase the first iteration of any model of technology, and it doesn't hurt to wait since the price will likely drop.