At least two generations of MacBook Pros have come to market with faulty nVidia chips that caused many to suffer a premature death. Further, the Mac maker and to a lesser extent chip giant have backstopped these losses with extended warranties, repairs and replacements. Why would anyone think these two are anything but the bestest of buds?

The Miami, Florida-based Mac clone maker says it’s ready to exit Chapter 11 bankruptcy and get back to battling Cupertino. The company, which is due back in court to face likely oblivion at the hands of Apple legal, is still full of fight and chutzpah.

Apple’s recent product line and price adjustments, as well as an encore performance of last year’s aggressive “Buy a Mac for College, Get a Free iPod touch” back-to-school promotion, are said to be driving a sustained return to positive unit volume growth.

Here’s a state that gets recession economics — train and innovative, and you’ll be ready for anything when the light at the end of the tunnel finally appears. Moreover, this is going to be a boon for third-party suppliers of all things Mac as the state gears up to put the portables into student and teacher hands come fall.

I’ve always admired the guy, but this series of quips and quotes have only deepened my appreciation for his art. Also, chalk up another cultural milestone for Twitter as the design guru’s comments were broadcast live.

Cupertino came through the last economic downturn strong because it continued to invest in R&D, innovative products and a strong infrastructure. It appears the same strategy in this much more severe recession, as indicated by this one measure, is once again yielding good results.

Recently, we learned that Apple’s new iPhone 3GS costs more to make than its predecessor due to the inclusion of twice the performance and storage. Now, we also find out that the company’s most-affordable desktop computer, but still none too cheap Mac mini, has also seen a marked increase in its basic material and manufacturing costs for largely the same reasons—premium functionality costs more.

One of the big surprises at this year’s Worldwide Developer Conference was the remaking and repricing of the MacBook Pro line — a welcome set of changes aimed at bolstering sales of the company’s most popular products. With that out of the way, it makes sense that the company will turns its attention to rejiggering its consumer desktop and portable product lines, as well.

How cool is the Mac? Only as cool as the people using it. Or, alternately, as cool as the stuff people are inspired by Apple’s stylishly fast computers to create.

Reduce, reuse and recycle—call ‘em the three “Rs.” My current single-layer DVD writer started life inside a Graphite G4 tower, migrated to an external enclosure and now it’ll be sold on Craig’s List. It’s being replaced by a faster, dual-layer burner that should make life a good bit easier.