The “Mac versus PC” debate will rage until the end of time, but one constant argument I hear about the Mac is that it is overpriced. In fact, an anonymous employee of Psystar (the makers of the so-called Mac clone) was quoted as saying that Apple marks up their hardware as much as 80%.

Whether that is true or not, the notion that Apple overprices it’s machines is everywhere. Now, I do not have inside knowledge of Apple at all, but I am going to try to analyze this and give my impression on whether Apple is too expensive for what you get.

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AppleInsider is reporting that changes are afoot in the line of notebooks from Apple. This includes both the MacBook and the MacBook Pro line.

The MacBook is going to finally get rid of those cheap looking plastic enclosures and go with a more environmentally friendly casing made from aluminum or stainless steel. The MacBook Pro lineup is also supposed to see some similar changes, meaning that Apple’s entire notebook line is going to have similar appearance.

This is, of course, a change that is sure to please Apple users. Their notebook lineup has not seen any aesthetic enhancements since early 2006.

A lot of MacBook Pro owners, though, seem to think the existing design of that unit is old and dated. Personally, I think the design is just fine. It is a rugged design that is meant for real work. Jason O’Grady over at ZDNet seems to think that Apple is losing their edge when it comes to notebook design. I just don’t think so. As a guy who recently bought a MacBook Pro after using PC notebooks forever, I can tell you that the MBP design is a breath of fresh air.

It sounds as if Apple is listening, though. As for the Apple users, opinions are like a-holes and you know the rest. No matter what Apple eventually releases, there will be those who love it and those who are disappointed.

Dave got a Macbook Pro (15-inch version) so I called him up and asked some questions about it. Some good discussion happened during the course of conversation. If you’re interested in getting a Macbook Pro yourself, you may find this interesting.

Lapworks is a big name in the field of ergonomic laptop desks and desk stands. I have been a long-time user of the Futura laptop stand from Lapworks. It is simple and is great for using the laptop on my lap. It helps with cooling and it saves the family jewels.

The Attache is a new addition to the Lapworks lineup. They sent me a unit to review and I thought I would make it my first review recorded on PCMech LIVE. So, the recorded video is below.

The Attache is a beefier laptop desk than the Futura. It is made in a more solid aluminum with a plastic bottom. It has 2 cooling fans embedded into it and it does seem to help with cooling of my DV6000 (a laptop that gets super hot underneath). The stand also has a 4-port USB hub built right into it. This is super convenient.

The power fans both draw their power right from the USB port on my laptop, using the provided USB cable. This would obviously be enough to run simple USB devices over the hub (like a mouse or keyboard). Since the hub is not independently powered by an AC adapter, you would not be able to run devices which requires more power yield.

If you use your laptop as a desktop replacement, the Attache laptop stand is a pretty good way to go. I like it much better than the Aluminum Desktop stand I reviewed for them a few months ago. They charged the same amount of money for that stand, and I thought it was overpriced. The Attache is offered at the same price, yet I see much more value here with the included USB hub and the cooling fans. Besides, I can actually figure out the Attache! The other aluminum stand was confusing at first. Looked like a big hunk of metal hinges!

All in all, I give the Attache Laptop stand high marks.