I had a brief go with the touch bar at an Apple store. It seemed small and to be honest it did not look like a compelling feature that l would want to use. l am not a laptop user so it is probably not aimed at someone like me. I have not seen much feedback from regular users on how useful the touch bar is day to day. Is it now a feature they no longer can live without or is a touch bar something they would not miss?
Finally an iPad Pro Cintiq rumor. I really hope they're doing it. It's such an obvious feature that should've been there from day one. In these days with USB-3 and C and stuff, it should be a nobrainer over wire. Wire is good! It doesn't have to be wireless! I've actually been holding off the Touchbar version, waiting to see how it's going.
I have to say that I've run into some troubles with my 2016 MacBook Pro. I liked the keyboard, but I've found even the smallest piece of dirt can cause the keys tactility to change on those keys which confuses typing. The up/down arrow keys are too small and I'd recommend that the right shift key be reduced to add a full size arrow key OR make the left and right keys the same size. It's just hard to know which up/down key you're pressing.
In addition, I'm finding the USB-C ports while nice, small and fast... are very apt to disconnect if I move the cable just a little. You know that annoying thing when your leg would push the MagSafe and disconnect power? Yeah that... BUT if you have an external display hooked to it, it disconnects the display and then takes FOREVER to redraw the windows, etc. I mean, just brushing the wire causes a disconnect. It's REALLY annoying.
I've also had numerous issues with the computer not going to sleep with the lid closed, or not be able to wake the laptop from sleep. This has happened multiple times if I was away from the computer and it went to sleep on it's own. I've had the TouchID stop working completely requiring manual password login (until I rebooted), and of course the power concern but I'm usually using development tools. I also have issues with AirPods that still aren't fixed.
Needless to say, I'm making a Genius Bar appointment once I have time to get it looked at, but I'm not expecting a whole lot. This on a $3,300 laptop...
Although aside from those "woes" I do like the laptop. Super light and snappy with a great display. I think USB-C is the future even if we are hitting some legacy issues right now. One day all displays will be USB-C, all audio and high speed equipment. One high-speed interconnect to rule them all so to speak. I like that idea.
Although aside from those "woes" I do like the laptop. Super light and snappy with a great display. I think USB-C is the future even if we are hitting some legacy issues right now. One day all displays will be USB-C, all audio and high speed equipment. One high-speed interconnect to rule them all so to speak. I like that idea.
I'm seeing logic boards being released that have USB-C and PS/2 ports on them, as well as Thunderbolt 3 and VGA, so don't hold your breath.
Some people just don't understand how to use the Mac. Touchbar can do everything a keyboard without it and more. So what do they complain? Too expensive?
If Apple thought USBC only was the future, it should have used the strategy where it was the only ports on a consumer device first (like the original iMac did with USB), not a machine people have to make their living off.
You mean like the 2015 MacBook?
No, it has only one port. That is really only for people that only use a port for charging. A USBC only MBA would be the spot. The reason I say this is that I do not regard the rMB as a successful product, by a measure of overall Apple sales and as a replacement for the aging MBA. I suspect not very many schools that buy them, but there are heaps that still buy MBAs. I suspect the rMB did for MBA sales what the 2016 MBP did for 2015 MBP sales.
If Apple thought USBC only was the future, it should have used the strategy where it was the only ports on a consumer device first (like the original iMac did with USB), not a machine people have to make their living off.
You mean like the 2015 MacBook?
No, it has only one port. That is really only for people that only use a port for charging. A USBC only MBA would be the spot. The reason I say this is that I do not regard the rMB as a successful product, by a measure of overall Apple sales and as a replacement for the aging MBA. I suspect not very many schools that buy them, but there are heaps that still buy MBAs. I suspect the rMB did for MBA sales what the 2016 MBP did for 2015 MBP sales.
Where are the sales for Macbooks broken down? Can you share the link?
Apple's going to ditch the touchbar when it hasn't even been on the market for a year? Yeah no. The things pros complained about with the new MBP was RAM and ports, neither of which have anything to do with the touchbar. My guess is we're going to hear all sorts of bogus rumors from people allegedly in the know. Btw, Marco Arment doesn't have any inside information he just guessed that Apple's decision on the Mac Pro was recent (hence why no date on when we'll see a new one).
I think the only thing truly legit with these rumors is Apple got an earful from some "pro" consumers and they have to course correct. Alex Lindsey, who is on Macbreak Weekly said he'd prefer it if Apple got out of the Mac hardware business and let someone else do it. I think that's nuts.
I agree, the touchbar will be around for at least three years, and it wasn't the thing people complained that much about in comparison to ports and RAM. But I would add price. If Apple thought USBC only was the future, it should have used the strategy where it was the only ports on a consumer device first (like the original iMac did with USB), not a machine people have to make their living off. Perhaps a cheaper education oriented device. They could have called it a MacBook Air or something. RAM ditto. People should not be constrained by using a Macbook Pro to make their living off in comparison with Apple's competitors.
I'm confused by your position. Are you saying pros who make their living on the MBP won't plug in an adapter if they need it for some reason?
RAM "issue" is not a issue. Maybe somebody has an outlier use case, but for most mobile users this guy has it covered:
...if you need to run more than that at once, you need a desktop.
And yet I have run engineering simulations (without any other applications open in the background) that have brought Windows PCs with a minimum of 16Gb of memory to a grinding halt.
I honestly think a vertical touch bar would have been more effective. I'm sure Apple has troves of people doing ergonomic research. However, a vertical touch bar could have been included near the trackpad. With it horizontal now, a user must reach over the keyboard. With it vertical, albeit smaller, you could have just used your finger and not reach across anything. I guess the problem with this is that it would favor left vs right handedness. Just a thought.
Or just replace the trackpad with a touchscreen that could also function as a normal trackpad when not in a special mode.
I have to say that I've run into some troubles with my 2016 MacBook Pro. I liked the keyboard, but I've found even the smallest piece of dirt can cause the keys tactility to change on those keys which confuses typing. The up/down arrow keys are too small and I'd recommend that the right shift key be reduced to add a full size arrow key OR make the left and right keys the same size. It's just hard to know which up/down key you're pressing.
In addition, I'm finding the USB-C ports while nice, small and fast... are very apt to disconnect if I move the cable just a little. You know that annoying thing when your leg would push the MagSafe and disconnect power? Yeah that... BUT if you have an external display hooked to it, it disconnects the display and then takes FOREVER to redraw the windows, etc. I mean, just brushing the wire causes a disconnect. It's REALLY annoying.
I've also had numerous issues with the computer not going to sleep with the lid closed, or not be able to wake the laptop from sleep. This has happened multiple times if I was away from the computer and it went to sleep on it's own. I've had the TouchID stop working completely requiring manual password login (until I rebooted), and of course the power concern but I'm usually using development tools. I also have issues with AirPods that still aren't fixed.
Needless to say, I'm making a Genius Bar appointment once I have time to get it looked at, but I'm not expecting a whole lot. This on a $3,300 laptop...
Try investing in a $5 can of compressed air first to see if it solves some of your problems.
good. the touchbar puts needless strain on the battery and cpu. without the touchbar, battery life will surely increase. what we really need is a discrete graphics chip in the 13" macbook pros.
Thinking about it, I can see Apple would release a non-Touch Bar 15 inch MBP in the modern shell, like the 13 inch version, but it wouldn't be "high-end", it would be entry level. Possibly bring back the 15 inch without add-in GPU, also without Touch Bar.
I have to confess, I don't use the Touch Bar as much as I initially thought, but then that's at least partly due to the work I'm doing with it. (Linux VMs don't support it, for one.) If I were buying a new one now, I'd probably still get the Touch Bar version, though, because I do use TouchID. And I don't really use the Function keys, either, except when running Windows or Linux VMs, and even then infrequently.
I wasn't impressed by the touch bar, either; limited to no use for my purposes and still seems rather gimmicky. The lack of physical keys is an issue for me, too. Regardless, it costs more to add into the device and adds more processing requirements, so it's not a completely free addition. (did anyone ever find out if the touch bar was related to the battery problems the new MBPs were having?) I imagine there would be plenty of people happy to leave the touch bar off of any new machine they buy, but I'd tend to agree with others that can't see Apple ditching it so soon.
Re the memory, I thought that was an issue related to the lack of higher capacity, low power RAM chips meaning significant impacts in battery life?
good. the touchbar puts needless strain on the battery and cpu. without the touchbar, battery life will surely increase. what we really need is a discrete graphics chip in the 13" macbook pros.
I'm sure that discrete GPU will do wonders for the battery life you profess to be so concerned with.
remove thunderbolt (because moving to USB Type-C). And once in a while need to connect to peripherals with other ports, use dongle.
All USB-C devices work with Thunderbolt 3 ports. Thunderbolt 3 devices only work with T3 ports. The performance is quite much better with T3 than USB-C.
While using the iPad Pro as an input tablet to an iMac I guess is cool, I don't think too many people would use that solution, for reasons of cost (again) and let's be honest, it's a cludge, a "quick, we stuffed up, what can we do?" make up step to a final destination of more direct input. I also suspect it would come to regarded in the press as inferior to a more direct input method a la ms studio. Fair or not, that is what would happen.
You obviously don't know how much pen-input-devices-with-a-screen cost. Here's a hint: they are more expensive than an iPad Pro. This feature was one of the reasons I got one for my daughter when they were first released.
Comments
In addition, I'm finding the USB-C ports while nice, small and fast... are very apt to disconnect if I move the cable just a little. You know that annoying thing when your leg would push the MagSafe and disconnect power? Yeah that... BUT if you have an external display hooked to it, it disconnects the display and then takes FOREVER to redraw the windows, etc. I mean, just brushing the wire causes a disconnect. It's REALLY annoying.
I've also had numerous issues with the computer not going to sleep with the lid closed, or not be able to wake the laptop from sleep. This has happened multiple times if I was away from the computer and it went to sleep on it's own. I've had the TouchID stop working completely requiring manual password login (until I rebooted), and of course the power concern but I'm usually using development tools. I also have issues with AirPods that still aren't fixed.
Needless to say, I'm making a Genius Bar appointment once I have time to get it looked at, but I'm not expecting a whole lot. This on a $3,300 laptop...
The reason I say this is that I do not regard the rMB as a successful product, by a measure of overall Apple sales and as a replacement for the aging MBA. I suspect not very many schools that buy them, but there are heaps that still buy MBAs. I suspect the rMB did for MBA sales what the 2016 MBP did for 2015 MBP sales.
Thinking about it, I can see Apple would release a non-Touch Bar 15 inch MBP in the modern shell, like the 13 inch version, but it wouldn't be "high-end", it would be entry level. Possibly bring back the 15 inch without add-in GPU, also without Touch Bar.
I have to confess, I don't use the Touch Bar as much as I initially thought, but then that's at least partly due to the work I'm doing with it. (Linux VMs don't support it, for one.) If I were buying a new one now, I'd probably still get the Touch Bar version, though, because I do use TouchID. And I don't really use the Function keys, either, except when running Windows or Linux VMs, and even then infrequently.
Re the memory, I thought that was an issue related to the lack of higher capacity, low power RAM chips meaning significant impacts in battery life?