Is the Touch Bar particularly useful when running Microsoft Excel, Apple Numbers or web browsers? If not, what other apps that would benefit the most with the Touch Bar? How about the auto predict when typing? It looks cool but does it help?
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Does the Touch Bar make you more productive?
- Thread starter Sodium Chloride
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I just used a 2019 MPB for a week - and I know I didn't like the touch bar, but now I have more concrete reasons:
- The heat(?) from my fingers triggers touch bar actions when I don't want them to. Really aggravating when you accidentally hit siri - as that can take control of the screen. I'm most likely to hit it when I'm stretching a finger for the 'P'.
- changing volume (or brightness) is now a thing where I need to stop what I'm doing and play with the touch bar.
I wish Apple would just dump it - or 'evolve' it into a the track pad - unnecessary, but it could be useful as a dual use piece of hardware - especially because my thumbs are over it much of the time... Just a thought.
- The heat(?) from my fingers triggers touch bar actions when I don't want them to. Really aggravating when you accidentally hit siri - as that can take control of the screen. I'm most likely to hit it when I'm stretching a finger for the 'P'.
- changing volume (or brightness) is now a thing where I need to stop what I'm doing and play with the touch bar.
I wish Apple would just dump it - or 'evolve' it into a the track pad - unnecessary, but it could be useful as a dual use piece of hardware - especially because my thumbs are over it much of the time... Just a thought.
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I find it useful in Word - its good for going thru tracked changes and accepting/rejecting them.
... but thats a fairly niche application i guess....
... but thats a fairly niche application i guess....
Never used it in a year yet, apart from adjusting sound and brightness!
This is what I speak of - much quicker than going thru tracked chagnes using the trackpad. But this is literally the only novel use I have for it.
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I love it for macros. I have made shortcuts for all the major apps I use... so many I need to use modifier keys to see the various choices. It's nice to have quick access without having to memorize shortcut-keys -- the visual, easy-press nature of them I find very productive.
Very useful when connected to a projector in full-screen mode.
It then allows you to adjust the timeline of video content without disrupting the screen and the same for audio. Also useful for PowerPoint, although it does kind of manage this its self.
That said on my personal user profile I have a customised TB setup, and the standard TB on my work user profile - like it both styles.
It then allows you to adjust the timeline of video content without disrupting the screen and the same for audio. Also useful for PowerPoint, although it does kind of manage this its self.
That said on my personal user profile I have a customised TB setup, and the standard TB on my work user profile - like it both styles.
Touchbar made me less productive. As a result of this, I have to use an external keyboard with my MBP.
Productivity - no.
Customisability - yes!
It's nice to be able to choose what the 'keys' do and where they are positioned, but I feel like the premium Apple has charged for it is typical.
For productivity I believe it's essentially a flawed concept, given that to properly see and use the Touch Bar from a typical viewing angle is not convenient. I have to think more and reposition myself just to use the app specific functions, which would end being quicker just using the trackpad.
Besides this, the other problem is simply remembering what functions you can actually access. It's not like right-clicking and seeing a list of options, it features sub-menus and can only be used for some aspects of the app - and of course only for certain apps in the first place.
Customisability - yes!
It's nice to be able to choose what the 'keys' do and where they are positioned, but I feel like the premium Apple has charged for it is typical.
For productivity I believe it's essentially a flawed concept, given that to properly see and use the Touch Bar from a typical viewing angle is not convenient. I have to think more and reposition myself just to use the app specific functions, which would end being quicker just using the trackpad.
Besides this, the other problem is simply remembering what functions you can actually access. It's not like right-clicking and seeing a list of options, it features sub-menus and can only be used for some aspects of the app - and of course only for certain apps in the first place.