In listening to the podcasts emanating from MacWorld Expo in San Francisco this week, a few pundits lamented the fact that the MacBook Air doesn't have 3G built into it. This is echoed by an article published on MacRumors called Lack of 3G a Deal Breaker... No, Not Talking about iPhone.

Whining of this nature is beyond tiresome.

There are so many reasons why 3G shouldn't be part of the MacBook Air at this point. One big reason is that 3G services in the United States use two competing technologies. If Apple came out with another device that was married to a single wireless carrier (AT&T), these same people would be up in arms again. If the MacBook Air shipped with unlocked 3G capability, customers would have to choose their technology or Apple would have to ship the computer with multiple wireless technology's built in. Imagine the cost of that.

This says nothing about the effect of 3G on power consumption / battery life.

People who choose to buy Apple products need to accept Apple's technology choices. 3G capabilities are available in the MacBook or MacBook Pro laptops at additional cost. The iPhone will support 3G when Apple thinks that it can build a model that has the form factor and power consumption characteristics that are consistent with the user experience they are selling.