New Macbook Pro

[fishmonkey]

https://eclecticlight.co/2016/10/28/its ... echnology/

that article makes sense. the paradigm doesn't really work for me but i can see how it might for some people. i do think there is still a fundamental problem between splitting display elements between the main screen and the input device though. personally i don't look down much when i work on a computer.

i guess that will be solved when we have direct mind-control of our machines...

[H20nly]

i think you get a virtual Escape key in certain modes...

yeah it kinda looks that way to me.

[steko]

https://sixcolors.com/post/2016/10/perp ... hilosophy/

https://www.cnet.com/special-reports/jo ... cbook-pro/

http://www.macrumors.com/2016/10/28/cra ... interview/

[fishmonkey]

http://www.macrumors.com/2016/10/28/cra ... interview/

that article points out an unfortunate reality: Apple will have guidelines about how devs should use the touch strip, however it will be a bit of a free-for-all. so it has the potential to do some useful things, but also the potential to be abused as a little ticker tape display on your keyboard. anyway, it will be interesting to see how it plays out...

[Stromkraft]

For people like me, that have been waiting for a touchscreen Mac for 16 years (because that felt obvious), Marketing chief Phil Schiller sums up Apple's view on this:

"We did spend a great deal of time looking at this a number of years ago and came to the conclusion that to make the best personal computer, you can’t try to turn MacOS into an iPhone,” Schiller says. “Conversely, you can’t turn iOS into a Mac…. So each one is best at what they’re meant to be — and we take what makes sense to add from each, but without fundamentally changing them so they’re compromised.”

Phil Schiller in Does The Mac Still Matter? (CNet)

This is also something for those that always claim that macOS is turning into iOS. Stop worrying about that.

[beats me]

https://eclecticlight.co/2016/10/28/its ... echnology/

that article makes sense. the paradigm doesn't really work for me but i can see how it might for some people. i do think there is still a fundamental problem between splitting display elements between the main screen and the input device though. personally i don't look down much when i work on a computer.

i guess that will be solved when we have direct mind-control of our machines...

From my usage the top buttons are almost a waste. Some of them I never use and the others I do don't really justify them being a static function. It will be nice for them to be customizable and contextual. The space also doesn't have to be all buttons. Sliders could be a useful function as well.

I'm just hoping they also come up with a version for their desktop computers and throw in a quick switch pairing function between Mac and iOS devices. Given the price of their keyboards now and the price jump on the new MBPs it will probably be $349 - $399 minimum. Might be worth it if development gets widely adopted and matures.

[Stromkraft]

Given the price of their keyboards now and the price jump on the new MBPs it will probably be $349 - $399 minimum.

How do you arrive at that span given the Magic keyboard is at $99?
To me $249 would appear to be the absolute maximum.

[beats me]

Given the price of their keyboards now and the price jump on the new MBPs it will probably be $349 - $399 minimum.

How do you arrive at that span given the Magic keyboard is at $99?
To me $249 would appear to be the absolute maximum.

1. I believe the new MBPs prices went up $300, main non incremental improvement being the Touch Bar.

2. It's Apple. They can't release anything that doesn't have a borderline offensive price. $250 isn't offensive enough for Apple.

I think Apple's unjustified pricing arrogance is at an all time high this year. It's as if they are pissed off that so many people are using their products and therefor aren't special anymore. They also removed the glowing Apple so now anybody can easily tell who is on an old MBP, like a loser.

[Pitch Black]

Benjamin Button reviews the new MacBook Pro

https://blog.pinboard.in/2016/10/benjam ... cbook_pro/

The new MacBook Pro shows that Apple is finally becoming serious about developers.

Gone is the gimmicky TouchBar, gone are the four USB-C ports that forced power users to carry a suitcase full of dongles. In their place we get a cornucopia of developer-friendly ports: two USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt 2 ports, a redesigned power connector, and a long-awaited HDMI port.

Photographers will rejoice at the surprising and welcome addition of an SDXC card reader, a sign that Apple might be thinking seriously about photography.

The new MagSafe connector is a bit of Apple design genius. The charging cord stays seated securely, but pops right off if you yank on it. No more worries about destroying your $2k laptop just by accidentally kicking a cord.

What hasn't changed: Apple has kept the beautiful Retina display, and storage and memory are the same as before. The new machines will be slightly thicker (to accomodate the USB ports) and 200 grams heavier, but it's not clear how this will affect battery life.

Interestingly, Apple has removed the fingerprint reader and its associated dedicated chip, perhaps assuming that developers would not comfortable with a machine they don't fully control.

The most obvious change is the redesigned keyboard. Removing the Touchbar creates room for a row of physical function buttons and, in a nice touch, an escape key. This isn't a perfect solution: the function buttons map to a confusing series of actions that can send windows flying around the screen with an errant keystroke, and the new physical off switch is too close to the backspace key. But it is certainly a huge step forward, and it will be interesting to see how software developers take advantage of this clever new feature.

Everything about the new machine seems designed for typists. The trackpad has been made smaller, so you're less likely to brush against it with your palm. The keys themselves are much more comfortable to type on, with improved key travel, a softer feel, and more satisfying tactile feedback. You no longer feel like you're tapping on the glass surface of an iPad. And not having a TouchBar means no longer having to look down at your hands all the time.

Despite the many improvements, Apple is actually dropping the price on its flagship 15" MacBook Pro by $400, another sign that they're serious about winning over developers.

The release is an encouraging sign of life at Apple, whose products have not seen significant changes since the company introduced a separate operating system for its laptops in 2019. There's even speculation that Apple may refresh its antiquated Mac Pro and desktop macs, neither of which have been updated since their release in 2022.

Rumors are also swirling that the company will add a headphone jack to its already popular iPhone. The announcement could come as early as this month.

[Tarekith]

LOL, clever.

[joefrost01]

That review is eerily accurate, I hope so much that someone from Apple reads it.

By the way @Pitch Black - Filtered Senses is superb.

[Stromkraft]

I just found that "review" as totally missing the target and not being very clever at all. The implications and the winks are based on prejudice and ignorance rather than astute observation and analysis.

It's not by going backwards you get anywhere, it's by going forward. The question then is how Apple is moving forward and how dropping certain established technologies is hurting Mac users.

Dropping the magsafe is among the most stupid omissions as that leaves only three ports. On a Pro machine. To me that's like a shot in the foot. OK, so maybe we can put a device and use power on the fourth as well, but anyway. Beyond that flexible ports are of course so immensely much better than specific ones, especially if Thunderbolt 3 becomes a standard in a majority of devices on all platforms, as that would negate the need for adapters.

Flexible ports also reflects the fact that the majority of Macbook Pro users likely don't need specialized ports. I've never used a card reader and I don't know any producers doing that. I'm not even sure Pro photographers I know do. So why should everyone that don't need a specialized port have to see that wasted space? But why not 7 ports? I don't know about you but all my ports are full in my MBP 2011 and I use an external USB Hub. What were you thinking Apple?

The Touch bar is nothing but revolutionary and, except for the Esc-key, I don't understand how one can view it as gimmicky. Are you all using the function keys for important stuff? I'm a coder and except for volume, screen light and media control I don't use these. I hate missing the Esc key, but hopefully there is some way to get it to permanently display or connect it to the Mac way and use "Cmd-.". "Esc" is for Windows defectors, people using both and coders.

Instead of hoping someone from Apple reads what we write about these things, we could all talk directly to Apple and be reasonable and clear. I'm sending them all my concerns.

[beats me]

@ Paddy

On the all USB-C ports, as usual it takes Apple to kick third party vendors in the pants to start ramping up their production of USB-C peripherals. If we left it up to PC manufactures they’d include all legacy ports under the guise of “options!” and tech advancement would move at a snail’s pace because of the always present “options!” with little incentive to definitively move forward.

It’s already rumored that Apple will be lowering the prices on the new MBPs in 2017, Apple’s early adopter tax.

I bet they also already have the standalone keyboard with Touch Bar ready for production but they purposely didn’t release it because it would cannibalize the new MBP sales. People would just keep their old MBP and use the new keyboard with an external monitor.

I kind of get tired of people whining about no update on the Mac Pro because it’s already a very powerful computer, but I guess it’s also a valid point that if it is 3 year old tech then why would anybody buy it today. Previously I was taking it from the point of view of people who already bought one and inexplicably feel they need a new one already.

[Stromkraft]

I kind of get tired of people whining about no update on the Mac Pro because it’s already a very powerful computer, but I guess it’s also a valid point that if it is 3 year old tech then why would anybody buy it today.

All Apple had to do in order to maintain interest was updating the different processors and maybe the graphics cards. Keeping the prices when the competition moves on isn't impressive. Likely those who didn't want the Mac Pro built Hackintoshes instead. Maybe that's where we're heading — as the only option — unless Apple values desktop users, developers and creators that makes the content everyone uses, not only on the Mac platform but everywhere.

[beats me]

I kind of get tired of people whining about no update on the Mac Pro because it’s already a very powerful computer, but I guess it’s also a valid point that if it is 3 year old tech then why would anybody buy it today.

All Apple had to do in order to maintain interest was updating the different processors and maybe the graphics cards. Keeping the prices when the competition moves on isn't impressive. Likely those who didn't want the Mac Pro built Hackintoshes instead. Maybe that's where we're heading — as the only option — unless Apple values desktop users, developers and creators that makes the content everyone uses, not only on the Mac platform but everywhere.

Also I thought the Mac Pros are comparatively highly customizable and sounds like they are almost built on demand. So how hard is it really for Apple to just toss in higher spec hardware and call it a year? Nobody is expecting them to change the casing design.

Another thing I don’t like about Apple is they were supposedly supply chain geniuses but clearly they aren’t because they are constantly throwing old tech in new devices and hardware as if they have a huge parts overstock issue they need to deplete. As an example they tossed the slower Touch ID into the newest 9.7” iPad Pro even though it originated in the iPhone 6 and was improved in the iPhone 6s that came out before the iPad Pro. Shit like that.