>>>>now if the battery pack can be exchanged, that is about all I need.
>>>>I had thought about a Macbook or Airbook - nice devices and they give you
>>>>not only windows but some obscure OS counted after big cats ;-)
>>>>But the fixed battery cemented the negative decision.
>>
>>>Except that only the retina display is the only mac laptop where the battery is cemented; it is replaceable in all the other models. I have a MacBook Pro and I can change the battery if needed,
>>
>>http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1756?viewlocale=en_US
>>
>>Note: Your portable must have a user-removable battery. Do not attempt this procedure with MacBook Air, MacBook (13-inch, Late 2009) and later, or MacBook Pro (Early 2009) and later computers, which have batteries that should be replaced only by an Apple Authorized Service Provider.
>>
>>While I am not averse to tinkering myself, I hate it if the vendor goes out of his way to make it difficult/painful.
>
>Or profitable. I hate that, too. (See, I don't blindly defend Apple).

Never accused you of that ;-)
And I do try to build my decision on own expirience, hence looked at their devices
(and even bought iPad1 when it was sole member of new device class)
No skin off me to agree taht they are really slick.

regards

thomas