'AirBar' Accessory That Gives 13-Inch MacBook Air a Touchscreen is Now Available

[slappypig]

My other machine is a Surface Pro 4 - I find the touch screen to come in handy at times even when the keyboard is attached or I'm connected to a docking station. While I don't care for a mac to come standard with touch screen I would purchase an accessory like this to create that touchscreen in the cases where it would be useful for me.

 

[cerote]

There was a device like this called the Leap a few years ago, but it didn't really take off. The implementation of this one is much better, as it does not allow the sensor to move. The leap probably needed to be recalibrated every time it was moved.

I have one of the first shipped units of leap. It was nice at first. Now it is stored in its box in closet. (Was playing with it in 27in iMac)

 

[Olganech]

A 21st century take on the lightpen.

 

[melendezest]

I don't think that all Macs need to come with touchscreens, but the fact that no Apple laptop does is a gap in Apple's portfolio (from the customer perspective).

Not that they care. Apple is flush with cash doing what they're doing, so I don't see ANY motivation for them to put out a touchscreen Mac. The (ridiculous) TouchBar is it, fellas.

What some of us could use is an iOS laptop (or 2-in-one) with filesystem access, mouse support, and multi-user accounts.

That way I don't have to buy a stupid stand, third-party keyboard, or flimsy type-cover for a single-lightning-ported iPad.

 

[Erdbeertorte]

macOS is not designed to utilize touch (I don’t think it should, but that’s a different discussion), so this will never feel like it should.

Ever heard of BootCamp or Virtual Machines? 😛 Not that I am using those. I hate Windows. 😀


Edit: There is also the iOS Simulator in Xcode.

 

[v0lume4]

This is absolutely useless. When will people learn that touch screen laptops don't work unless you are able to detach the screen in which case it's just a tablet...

Um, no.

I was using a Surface tablet last night (keyboard attached, on a desk) punching in numbers on Excel, and I found myself quite often moving around the spreadsheet with the touchscreen instead of using the trackpad. It was really nice to have the option. Read: option

An option that you can't get on the Mac. 🙄

 

[kildraik]

I'm with Apple on the touch screen issue. I yell at people if they point at something on my screen and actually touch it. Nope!

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

Having a new input device is only useful if there's new software that takes advantage of it.

Nobody gives a crap about the MacBook's Magic Bar or whatever the heck Apple is calling it because nobody, not even Apple, bothered writing software that actually utilizes it.

And of course, this is a chicken and egg problem.

Nobody writes software for hardware that nobody has. Nobody wants to spend an extra $200 to get the touch bar, because there's no software for it. Nobody writes software for it, because nobody has one.

Apple brought this on themselves from both ends: They didn't write killer software for it on the software side, and they didn't make it standard from the hardware side.

 

[jblagden]

Having a new input device is only useful if there's new software that takes advantage of it.

Nobody gives a crap about the MacBook's Magic Bar or whatever the heck Apple is calling it because nobody, not even Apple, bothered writing software that actually utilizes it.

And of course, this is a chicken and egg problem.

Nobody writes software for hardware that nobody has. Nobody wants to spend an extra $200 to get the touch bar, because there's no software for it. Nobody writes software for it, because nobody has one.

Apple brought this on themselves from both ends: They didn't write killer software for it on the software side, and they didn't make it standard from the hardware side.

Many of Apple's apps, as well as some from other developers (i.e. Microsoft) support the touchbar. It just still kind of a gimmick despite that support.

 

[melendezest]

I'm with Apple on the touch screen issue. I yell at people if they point at something on my screen and actually touch it. Nope!

Which goes to show that not only is the expectation to touch the screen already there, but that it is a natural one.

Time will tell if this gets to the point where Apple caves in, like they did with the SD and (later) HDMI ports (only to remove them again), the iPad Mini, and large-screen iPhones, but user complaints will have to be cacophonous before they do.

I mean, they put in a TouchBar. Last year. If they do cave, it'll be at least 2020 before they implement.

 

[subjonas]

I have no use for touch on a Mac. Apple Pencil, however, is a completely different story. I would pay big money to be able to draw on a MacBook if it worked well. But the remaining problem of course is it's a clamshell. What I really need is something like a modbook Pro x if it ever actually gets released.

 

[44267547]

My other machine is a Surface Pro 4 - I find the touch screen to come in handy at times even when the keyboard is attached or I'm connected to a docking station. While I don't care for a mac to come standard with touch screen I would purchase an accessory like this to create that touchscreen in the cases where it would be useful for me.

I like to think that I have the best of both products with the iPad and my laptop. My laptop I primarily just want the attached keyboard that will run full desktop versions of what I need. Where as an iPad, I specifically want to use the touch display because maybe of how I am sitting or standing, which would make it more comfortable over having a keyboard. But I also prefer a trackpad over touching the display on my laptop. It's just more convenient to use the trackpad versus reaching across the display.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I just spent all weekend acclimating two parents with MacBooks and they tried to touch things on the screen maybe 50-60 times over the weekend. They are acclimated to it from their iPhones. It feels natural and intuitive to them.

(before anybody suggests this… They don't want iPads for a variety of reasons)

I'm sorry but Apple is totally missing it with no touchscreens on the Mac. There are uses for it even if it's just as simple as touching what you want and then resuming doing stuff with the keyboard and trackpad.

 

[KaliPaige]

Having a new input device is only useful if there's new software that takes advantage of it.

Nobody gives a crap about the MacBook's Magic Bar or whatever the heck Apple is calling it because nobody, not even Apple, bothered writing software that actually utilizes it.

And of course, this is a chicken and egg problem.

Nobody writes software for hardware that nobody has. Nobody wants to spend an extra $200 to get the touch bar, because there's no software for it. Nobody writes software for it, because nobody has one.

Apple brought this on themselves from both ends: They didn't write killer software for it on the software side, and they didn't make it standard from the hardware side.

It looks like there's software for the AirBar to add multi-touch gestures. The difference between this and the Touch Bar is that the AirBar merely adds a new way to address the same functionality baked into macOS whereas the Touch Bar is a new (if questionably useful) user paradigm for the MBP.

There's no new features and no other new code for the AirBar; it's just a different way to address the same use cases. The TouchBar is significantly more complicated.

 

[joeblow7777]

This is absolutely useless. When will people learn that touch screen laptops don't work unless you are able to detach the screen in which case it's just a tablet...

Well, that's your opinion. Clearly many people feel that they are worth while.
[doublepost=1500396407][/doublepost]

It would be nice if Apple just built the touchscreen into the laptop, but I expect that the reason Apple hasn't done that is because they're worried that doing so might cannibalize the iPad.

I don't see why it would if the iPad remains iOS only.

 

[jblagden]

Well, that's your opinion. Clearly many people feel that they are worth while.
[doublepost=1500396407][/doublepost]

I don't see why it would if the iPad remains iOS only.

Some of us prefer OS X over iOS because it has fewer limitations.

 

[Westside guy]

But can you still close the screen with it? And if not then where do you put it when you put your MacBook Air back in your bag? Sounds liable to break.

Any self-respecting Mac user has learned how to deal with lots of dongles, at this point in time. What's one more? 😀

 

[jblagden]

Any self-respecting Mac user has learned how to deal with lots of dongles, at this point in time. What's one more? 😀

"Any self-respecting Mac user"

That's an inaccurate statement. A more accurate statement would be "any self-respecting Mac user who has a post-2012 Mac".

I have a late 2011 13" MacBook Pro, and the only dongle I've had to use is a Mini Displayport dongle. Otherwise, my MacBook Pro has pretty much all of the ports I need.

 

[FromTheWild]

It would be nice if Apple just built the touchscreen into the laptop, but I expect that the reason Apple hasn't done that is because they're worried that doing so might cannibalize the iPad.

I wish they would just swallow pride and implement a touch screen! Whilst testing new Macbooks Pros with the touch bar, I instinctively go to touch the screen. The odd screen swipe would be beneficial for example during PDF presentations with clients and web surfing. Would just be nice to have choice available.

"If you don't cannibalize yourself, someone else will,"

Steve Jobbs

 

[blackcrayon]

Um, no.

I was using a Surface tablet last night (keyboard attached, on a desk) punching in numbers on Excel, and I found myself quite often moving around the spreadsheet with the touchscreen instead of using the trackpad. It was really nice to have the option. Read: option

An option that you can't get on the Mac. 🙄

The trackpad on Surface keyboards isn't that great. If it had one as large and as nice as the MacBook Pro's (which are the best on the market, really), I can't see reaching up to the screen to manipulate a spreadsheet. And I find it hard to believe you would either.

 

[v0lume4]

The trackpad on Surface keyboards isn't that great. If it had one as large and as nice as the MacBook Pro's (which are the best on the market, really), I can't see reaching up to the screen to manipulate a spreadsheet. And I find it hard to believe you would either.

Oh, no doubt. I was using the Surface 3 (not even the Surface Pro 3!), and that trackpad is only "okay." I hear that they are much better nowadays, to be fair.

It still was cool to have the option, which is the point I was getting at.

 

[Crazy Badger]

This looks like a terrible solution, but I bet it sells and just proves that Apple should do a little more listening to what customers what rather than just selling them what Apple want. I wouldn't buy a touch screen Mac, but I'm sure lots of folk would, and it seems crazy that in today's market, Apple don't give people that choice.

It's all well and good Apple saying touch screen in Desktops and Laptops isn't a great solution, but look how many touch screen devices are sold. That suggests otherwise. I think with most of today's younger generation experiencing technology for thre first time through a phone or tablet, Apple is really missing a trick, as they expect to be able to touch the screen. I've lost count of the times my 4-year-old daughter has tried to touch my MacBook screen to get something to move!

1 mouth and 2 ears means you should do twice as much listening Apple 😉

 

[LxHunter]

I don't even like using my iPad sitting upright on a desk. This would be torture.

Never liked upright iPhone/iPad docks/ stands on a desk. Always laying flat.

 

[Kajje]

Oh the Macbook Air. I think I still have one in storage. Would be great to see if it still spins up after all those years.

 

[Tycho24]

Um, no.

I was using a Surface tablet last night (keyboard attached, on a desk) punching in numbers on Excel, and I found myself quite often moving around the spreadsheet with the touchscreen instead of using the trackpad. It was really nice to have the option. Read: option

An option that you can't get on the Mac. 🙄

Lolwut????
This article is about how you CAN now have the option of touchscreen on the Mac, using this new product.