Apple loses Front Row dinner-party marketeers with remote move

My girlfriend has just bought a new MacBook, rather than a recession-friendly netbook, but hey. But despite being a couple of hundred quid more than the old style, Apple seem to have done away with the little remote.

After a bit of searching through the box, and a bit more searching online, we realised it wasn't a packaging error at Cupertino, but they buggers have actually stopped including them. Having looked on some forums the consensus is that most people didn't use them and actually Steve is doing us a big favour by not bothering us with this distraction - Steve knows best!.

I guess I am in the minority but I actually like the remote and I think Apple is missing out on a trick here. One sure way to wow your Windows friends when they come around for dinner is to casually use the remote to launch Front Row from across the room - that always goes down well.

Sad I know but it's one of my few party tricks - well that and flicking peanuts into my mouth. Apple has given the option to buy a remote for $19 but most people won't.

I guess judging by the company's results, Apple doesn't need anymore marketing help but doing away with the remote is going to mean a few less Mac owners get to show off Front Row and saying your Mac Book is made from one complete piece of plastic doesn't have the same effect.