I'd agree with your argument if the Eee PC/netbooks were even close in price to the Apple machines. Most of the netbooks that you are lambasting for a lack of design and innovation are a third of the price of the cheapest Mac laptop. Some are closer to a fifth of the price of the cheapest Mac book.

Sure they don't have the finesse of a Mac, Apple make some really excellent hardware, but they are still innovating. They are just innovating in different areas, in this case the amount of functionality you can get for a very, very low price.

They also weigh half as much as the cheapest Mac book, which is another feature some people score above class leading industrial design.

Don't get me wrong, I nearly bought a Mac book recently and did buy an iPhone, so I don't dismiss Apple out of hand. But they really can't compete on price, functionality and weight with the netbooks at the moment.

Everyone I know with an Eee PC seems to be very happy with them, including their durability.