The tower concept will eventually go out of style in that large size. But if it does stay year after year, so much more will be able to be put into that case and it will save Apple money if they can stick with that same design for the next several years.
What I see is just a larger divide in the consumer desktop and workstation. The iMac, though limited in upgrades and processors, is a nice machine for the average user. Picked one up for the fiancee who is a school teacher and helps me on a photo assignment here and there, and it's still overkill for her a year later.
Four years from now it may be time for her to upgrade.
I see the average desktop getting smaller for sure, I agree. But I also see the workstations like the HPxv series, Dell XPS, Mac Pro, and others from Lenovo and so forth remaining the same size. As you said, I see them just having more crap inside of them.
As for the changing of the design, we've only had it for about 5 years, with the white and blue G3 being the first of the previous design of pro towers, lasting a little bit longer. From that curvy design to this one wasn't much of a change and I am greatful for it.
What Apple could do though, is bring back the small tower design as a mini-tower for those people that don't need the massive MP on their desk, or small photo/video/gfx houses needing a few tiny machines for inexpensive workstations, and the Mac Pro as the server/main workstation.
on verizon phones (like the blackberry storm) tethering is only an extra 20 bucks maybe att will be more price competitive.
HA! The sad truth is that people are sucking up that data plan at $30 with no texting included, so I believe those that think they need it will suck up tethering via an iPhone at whatever price AT&T will charge them.
With Sprint tethering used to be $5 extra with the data plan at $15 a month. Now it's $15 for tethering and $30 for the data.