1. You've made my first point - Apple is screwing the customer, by only offering yesterday's processor at today's prices! Every manufacturer, except Apple, sells C2D in top-of-the-line units, and offers CD at a discount. Maybe Apple's new sales slogan could be: "Pay our inflated charge for yesterday's technology ... or piss off!"
2. "Plenty of alternatives?" Puh-lease! Knock-knock ..... what "alternative," in a lappie, do we have? Oh, that's right - none! Old-school Core-Duo, whether in MacBooks or MacBook "Pros." Your solution: "by a C2D iMac or nothing at all?" Riiiiiight! Put a handle on the iMac and pull it around on wheels?
Not meaning to vent on you, but Apple simply has no excuse to be left behind like this. They're using the same parts as every other PC maker - same choices at the same prices. If they're going to offer only "last generation" choices, then they should sell them at discount prices. They'd still be "making a fortune on them."