Its NOT a joke - I have heard of remastering studios who bought these
turntables for mastering vinyl to CD. There's no surface noise or scraches
because theres nothing touching the record besides the lazer. I just wish 
some
major audio company would have taken a chance on this technology and make a
cheaper consumer version.

A little late in responding to this one.  But I had one of these turntables 
for about a year.  They are very curious and cool things!  amazing.  work just 
like a cd player.
BUT, I have issues with them.  I made extensive turntable comparisons with 
these vs. draggin a real needle across the vinyl.  In many opinions, the needles 
usually came out on top.  
You see, that laser, just by the geometry, can't get all the way down into 
the groove the way a good .3 mil needle can, or even like a 440ML, which is like 
a .2mil needle.
By nature of reflection, the things HAVE to play high in the groove, where 
there is more damage.  Even if the LP is mint, we found slight roughness of 
sound compared to the needle.  This was a $30,000 turntable too, so I suspect it 
was one of the best.
Fun to play with tho!  Darn thing played 78's too!
-Mike Wisland