Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Will the next gen Macbook Pros have a iPad like touchscreen, so you get best of both?
- Thread starter jonathanc
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I doubt it, as you'd keep on having to move your hand away from the keyboard to the screen, I think its best to keep the keyboard and control area (i.e.trackpad) in the same physical plane. They might evolve the trackpad / gestures concept further, though.
Try opening an MBP, putting it in your lap, and touching the screen for 10 minutes and see how your arms and shoulder feel.
That would just feel weird. Now that the trackpad is as advanced as it is there is no need for a touchscreen.
Ya know what's more logical? Apple waiting until iPad's have the power to run OS X (that'll be very soon. Look at Windows 8) They'll then run OS X, be full computers, and dock-able. Basically it could work like a tablet, and then be JUST like a normal computer, on-demand.
Toying with an "in between" device such as a touchscreen notebook doesn't sound too great.
Toying with an "in between" device such as a touchscreen notebook doesn't sound too great.
Last edited:
Fortunately, Apple has some very smart guys in their company and they have made it rather clear that they don't believe in touch-screen for laptops and desktops. Indeed, touchscreen for anything bigger than a tablet has a horrible usability. Instead, Apple wants you to use that great touch-pad they have developed for both the Mac laptops AND desktops as a "touchscreen". Its as powerful as a real touch screen after you get used to it, plus the usability is much better as the touch-pad is located just next to your keyboard - you don't have to lift your arm and risk a muscle/tendon inflammation.
Absolutly not. However in a few years, Apple may very well incorporate the touch screen tech into its cinema displays as long as OSX can handle it. It depends how the industry evolves in that field.
I very highly doubt that this would happen, simply because the user experience would be less than stellar.
A few computer manufacturers have tried this approach before, most notably HP with their Pavilion notebooks featuring a touch screen display (dubbed "TouchSmart"). It's a nice gimmick to show off to your friends, but when it comes to actually accomplishing real world tasks it's absolutely useless.
Just my two cents.
A few computer manufacturers have tried this approach before, most notably HP with their Pavilion notebooks featuring a touch screen display (dubbed "TouchSmart"). It's a nice gimmick to show off to your friends, but when it comes to actually accomplishing real world tasks it's absolutely useless.
Just my two cents.
hi
I didn't mean do away with the trackpad, it will still be the main part of the user interface.
I really just mean't for some of the more useful features you can do on an iPad.
Like moving a photo around with your finger, swiping through launchpad and touching the app you want to launch, etc
I realise for a notebook it would not be good to rely on touchscreen and keyboard alone, but there are many instances when it would be a great advantage to just reach out and touch your screen to do something.
Notebooks will always exist because you aren't wanting to carry round a wireless key board and a tablet, especially for journalists, writers, students etc who are doing a lot of text input.
But I can see that combining the technology of iOS multi touch into a notebook would be great.
For instance, I could just reach out and touch "submit reply" now, rather than have to move the cursor on top of it and click.
I didn't mean do away with the trackpad, it will still be the main part of the user interface.
I really just mean't for some of the more useful features you can do on an iPad.
Like moving a photo around with your finger, swiping through launchpad and touching the app you want to launch, etc
I realise for a notebook it would not be good to rely on touchscreen and keyboard alone, but there are many instances when it would be a great advantage to just reach out and touch your screen to do something.
Notebooks will always exist because you aren't wanting to carry round a wireless key board and a tablet, especially for journalists, writers, students etc who are doing a lot of text input.
But I can see that combining the technology of iOS multi touch into a notebook would be great.
For instance, I could just reach out and touch "submit reply" now, rather than have to move the cursor on top of it and click.