From Ive on CNET: "...having the sense this is the beginning of a very interesting direction,” Ive said. “But [it] still just marks a beginning.”
He won’t tell us what it’s the beginning of.
Not hard to guess tbh - adding a contextual screen as part of the keyboard clearly as we see it today is first iteration. A couple of years from now it may be the entire trackpad is an OLED, or perhaps eve the entire keyboard. It was introduced on one device - a little further down the road it will be on every Apple laptop as well as on the external keyboard, and quite possibly on the trackpad. The trackpad is an obvious one. If you work on photoshop or FCP or similar it would be fantastic to have the tools off the screen. I can even see professionals using two OLED trackpads - specially if you can use the -pencil in conjunction with the trackpad.
I Agree -- except for an OLED keyboard. No feel. For fast accurate typing most will prefer a keyboard with feel. In fact, that was one of the selling points of the IBM typewriters and their first computers - their keyboards had the best 'feel' to them. In fact, I still use an IBM keyboard on both of my desktop computers.
I understand that people have keyboard preferences but I often hear this 'no feel' comment about the iPad and I don't see how 'feel' makes the keyboard more accurate. One must type reeeallyy slowly for 'feel' to come into play in terms of where the finger lands. Feedback is another thing. I like feedback but I can envisage haptic feedback advancing to the point where individual virtual keys across the screen will click and feed back in response to touch.
I am one of those that finds the new MacBook keyboard rather good. It gives me feedback and my typing is consistent to the point where when I hit a key (with a little feedback) I know that I hit it and I don't need a massive key-fall or more.... I know I hit it and I know the keyboard registers it. I actually can type much quicker on a keyboard like the MacBook's keyboard than those that came before. I just wish they made an ergonomic version of the keyboard for the desktop (I will use the computer at the same desk every day - then 6 weeks away -- so adjusting between the built in keyboard and an ergonomic one is not a big issue). I know some people seem to need and want a deep keyboard - and they seem to have trouble adjusting to not trying to punch there fingers through the keyboard... but to me that type of keyboarding just seems so inefficient...
I am loving what I am seeing with this Pro so far. That touch bar is seriously convincing me to finally upgrade from my 2012 Air. But one silly question, because I may have missed it. Anyone see how many USB ports it comes with? I use a lot of peripherals and am just curious. I see it has 2 thunderbolts, which is cool obviously, but couldn't see how many USB or SD card ports.
The new machines don't have either of those ports. You need to use an adapter to get those connections via the thunderbolt ports.
A little inaccurate, it has 4 USB/Thunderbolt ports (2 on each side) they are just USB-C not USB-A ports. If you have existing peripherals and you don't want to replace them just buy replacement cables (USB-C versions) if they are not hardwired in (many do), otherwise you will either need a dongle cable of some sort for each one.
There is no SD card ports built in (I personally never use them -- when I did have a digital camera I just plugged it in itself).
I am loving what I am seeing with this Pro so far. That touch bar is seriously convincing me to finally upgrade from my 2012 Air. But one silly question, because I may have missed it. Anyone see how many USB ports it comes with? I use a lot of peripherals and am just curious. I see it has 2 thunderbolts, which is cool obviously, but couldn't see how many USB or SD card ports.
The new machines don't have either of those ports. You need to use an adapter to get those connections via the thunderbolt ports.
A little inaccurate, it has 4 USB/Thunderbolt ports (2 on each side) they are just USB-C not USB-A ports. If you have existing peripherals and you don't want to replace them just buy replacement cables (USB-C versions) if they are not hardwired in (many do), otherwise you will either need a dongle cable of some sort for each one.
There is no SD card ports built in (I personally never use them -- when I did have a digital camera I just plugged it in itself).
It's unfortunate. Of all the proprietary ports and connectors Apple could have axed from their products they ditched the most useful, understandably proprietary port.
Rest in Peace, MagSafe. Never forgotten, always loved.
In other news, it's great that Apple's pushing for universal support for such an amazing connection tool. Hopefully, Thunderbolt will go mainstream. This time.
…it’s great that Apple's pushing for universal support for such an amazing connection tool. Hopefully, Thunderbolt will go mainstream. This time.
Unfortunately, a port with the functionality of Thunderbolt is beyond the comprehension of most Windows users. To sell computers to the lowest bidder, the corners they’ve cut thus far lead me to believe they’ll keep leaving it off.
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There is no SD card ports built in (I personally never use them -- when I did have a digital camera I just plugged it in itself).
At least USB-C will be universal enough.