I know when I decided to buy a cheapish laptop 4 years ago to run Linux I chose Lenovo, it's still running decently well and I have never had problems. However, after reviewing the specs new laptops (since it's about time to get a new one) I am leaning towards a Macbook air or pro. They seem to give more bang for the buck and the OS has everything I need, along with excellent hardware (and outstanding battery life). I could also ssh into my linux tower when ever I need.
That being said, I know I would suggest that the person in this article probably should go with a macbook air. It is better than windows in most respects and also has much of the capabilities of most linus distros.