It's sad no manufacturer steps in and fills in the relatively big niche ThinkPads used to occupy:

* Utilitarian but beautiful designs: http://www.geocities.jp/kenjin_keyboard/butterfly_p07.jpg

* Great input devices (mouse and keyboard)

* High density square screens

* Upgradeable Linux/BSD friendly hardware

With the advent of great, cheap ARM processors and Coreboot getting ported to ARM, the barries of entry should be a bit lower. Frankly, while Apple tends to produce great hardware, they are far too optimised for consumers vs developers. E.g., brittle aluminium + glass vs Thinkpad's magnesium + carbon fiber.