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First Customers Begin to Receive New MacBook Pro With Touch Bar

coolfactor said:
There was a day when they'd follow up each product announcement with "Available Today", and that was exciting, for sure. But I suspect that the logistics have changed. Technology is more advanced. Manufacturing and distribution is much more complicated given the complexity and sheer quantity needed. Remember that they are launching new and more "points of sale" every day around the world... and each location increases demand. It's an ever-growing problem, so the sacrifice is immediate availability, I believe.
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Yes, it's a good point, and I totally accept that. But my thinking is that given what you say is true, I think they would do better to announce them later, i.e. to plan the dates of their launch events so that they can go back to saying "Available Today", which is far better in so many ways. I was really quite keen to buy their Ear Pods as an impulse purchase when I saw them announced. Now, I have become so bored of waiting, and the will they / won't they stories that I reckon the wires are not so bad after all, and the initial urge has passed.
 
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simonmet said:
I'm not convinced by the videos. The touch bar seems to be drawing attention away from and competing with the other, regular screen and I can't see the usability benefit in this. Well, nothing spectacular, ground-breaking or necessary anyway. Developers certainly won't make apps require the touch bar (at least they probably shouldn't).

It seems to be a solution in search of a problem.
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Hmmmm... Most modern productivity apps have a large number of functions that can be accessed incredibly inefficiently by mousing to the Menu Bar. Only slightly better is mousing to a button on the screen. In my opinion, learning keyboard shortcuts is the way to go but when editing video that requires the user to learn a few dozen shortcuts (Media Composer and its crippled Keyboard shortcuts) or hundreds (FCP X and its "you can program everything); my brain works with keyboard shortcuts but many people struggle with this.

Along comes the Touch Bar with the programmable, context-sensitive, quick access via the keyboard space (right where the function keys can be if your program doesn't support the function yet). Problem defined and solved. How's that work for you?
 
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iHack13 said:
Next news "First customers send back their purchased laptops saying that they ordered a Macbook PRO but got a Macbook instead"
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According to Steve Schiller it IS PRO because it has the Audio Jack. He said in an interview that Apple's PRO users needed the Audio Jack to hook up their professional equipment like Speakers etc. So that Jack stayed.

That just goes to prove how out of TOUCH this guy is... No one hooks up their main active speakers in studios etc over the mini Stereo Jack. The Amplifier in there sucks and is quite weak. Also, it hums. Pros use USB or Thunderbolt or (PCIe) to attach an audio interface to which they hook up either their Mixer or Professional Amp which is hooked up to the speakers or IF budget is low, interface-amp directly to speakers. Each of our Studio speakers from Genelec costs the same as one fully loaded MBP which audio jack amp - costs about 12$. We have three speakers in Front and two in the back and one subwoofer. Try hooking that up to MacBook Pro Audio Jack '_

The audio jack on the MBP has trouble correctly ampifying a pair of great headphones / HOW on earth should it be able to power a paid of Genelecs.

I almost spilled my $5 Cappucino reading that Schiller interview, in an loud outburst of laughter :)
 
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simonmet said:
It seems to be a solution in search of a problem.
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I noticed immediately at launch and a reviewer wrote about it today: The touchbar is useless when using the computer with an external monitor and keyboard. I keep my MBP lid closed 95% of the time at work, so that's a lot of money to pay for something I'll never see. Apple sells these as their "Pro" models, but I can't imagine very many pro users are spending much time using photoshop, illustrator, and Final Cut on a 15" screen.
 
cracksoup said:
People are constantly whining about apple's lack of innovation because they don't offer the old ports of yesteryear, as well as none of the latest nvidia graphics cards etc... However Apple is the only one who dares to leave old standards and switch entirely to new, better solutions. If nobody was as dedicated to this as apple, then nobody would lead the crowd towards innovation.

Now that's what I call innovation but I know 90% of people in here would strongly disagree with me.
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Oh you are only getting started on the BS whining we are hearing about this new MBP. People whining about only 32GB of RAM though it has been demonstrated numerous times that there are very few workflows that would truly be inhibited by this and in any case it's a frickin' laptop! Don't get me started on the whining about the cost. Have you seen the price of PCIe 3 SSDs? Apple is selling them for a lot less than Dell or even 3rd party. Compare the Apple cost of upgrading to 1TB SSD at $480 Canadian to a roughly equivalent Samsung 960 Pro Series on the US Amazon store for $630, and that's USD, folks!!! Dell is charging over $1300 CDN for the older model 1TB Samsung SSD that runs at half the speed on their Canadian site. Why are we not hearing about the Apple Discount on these drives?

Now people are going to argue that Apple didn't have to use PCIe 3 SSDs or 4x TB3 ports, but you can't argue that and also argue Apple didn't do enough to make these machines "Pro".

I am really looking forward to getting mine and though I ordered it within 20 hours of the announcement I am still waiting for the "preparing to ship" label.
 
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dacreativeguy said:
I noticed immediately at launch and a reviewer wrote about it today: The touchbar is useless when using the computer with an external monitor and keyboard. I keep my MBP lid closed 95% of the time at work, so that's a lot of money to pay for something I'll never see. Apple sells these as their "Pro" models, but I can't imagine very many pro users are spending much time using photoshop, illustrator, and Final Cut on a 15" screen.
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It's a "proof of concept" and I think it actually bodes well for the continuity of the Mac. Get developers thinking about it now and when the external keyboard with Touch Bar is released to work with new iMacs and (hopefully) Mac Pros there will be even more software ready to go. I believe within 6 months we will know better why Apple has gone this way.

Biggest mistake Apple made at the latest announcement was not addressing the rest of the Mac line with even a simple statement. I know it's not the way they do things but until recently they didn't let computer lines languish for years on end. I believe most of the backlash against the newest MBP has nothing to do with the MBP but rather pent up resentment for the uncertainty that Apple has created by changing the way they release computers but not addressing it.
 
bjet767 said:
Dumbest quote all day.

Why?

So is the touch pad and we pay for that!

You have to think these things through.
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Except when Apple never upcharged $300 for a touch pad. That is the price difference between the 2016 13" non-TB and TB model. The entry 2015 15" MBP was $2000. The entry 2016 w/ same amount of RAM and storage but also TB is $2399. So users are asked to pay a premium for TB.
 
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Conversely, the 2016 MBP may prove useful for those using emojis. Maybe even the 'Pro' of laptops in that discipline . . .
 
bjet767 said:
Dumbest quote all day.

Why?

So is the touch pad and we pay for that!

You have to think these things through.
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Apple sells an accessory touchpad for desktop use. When they start selling a keyboard that includes the touchbar, then I start believing you are a genius.
 
otozuz said:
I don't care about the TouchBar (I don't think it can help Pros most of the time) and having USB-C ports only is something that probably happened too early, but my main problem with this Mac is that it is not a Pro machine — oh, and it's super expensive without being a beast in terms of performance.
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I know right?!

They should offer a build to order high end 15" without the darn touch bar it's really ugly and I don't want to pay attention to yet ANOTHER stupid screen, other than my monitor, where my eyes should never ever veer from :D
 
25ghosts said:
According to Steve Schiller it IS PRO because it has the Audio Jack. He said in an interview that Apple's PRO users needed the Audio Jack to hook up their professional equipment like Speakers etc. So that Jack stayed.

That just goes to prove how out of TOUCH this guy is... No one hooks up their main active speakers in studios etc over the mini Stereo Jack. The Amplifier in there sucks and is quite weak. Also, it hums. Pros use USB or Thunderbolt or (PCIe) to attach an audio interface to which they hook up either their Mixer or Professional Amp which is hooked up to the speakers or IF budget is low, interface-amp directly to speakers. Each of our Studio speakers from Genelec costs the same as one fully loaded MBP which audio jack amp - costs about 12$. We have three speakers in Front and two in the back and one subwoofer. Try hooking that up to MacBook Pro Audio Jack '_

The audio jack on the MBP has trouble correctly ampifying a pair of great headphones / HOW on earth should it be able to power a paid of Genelecs.

I almost spilled my $5 Cappucino reading that Schiller interview, in an loud outburst of laughter :)
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There's a lot more to pro audio than studio work.

Hard line out doesn't always need to be pro studio grade. Handy to have the direct out when an interface is in a road case, yards away. Makes using a MacBook Pro without a box possible when show or trucks are packed up. Also seen used around lots for personal monitor amp setups.

Your's is minor gripe, more like effete sensibilities weren't properly stroked.
 
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dacreativeguy said:
When they start selling a keyboard that includes the touchbar, then I start believing you are a genius.
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OK Bright guy, how many people buy the touch pad and pay extra for it and did you?

Many if not most (notice this means there are some) people who use their laptops as a primary computer with a video and keyboard do not buy the touchpad. I will also bet only those who use the new touch bar will buy the keyboard which includes it (at a premium over Apple's non-touch bar keyboard).

You only point is Apple is making you pay for something you think you won't use.

You guys keep looking for excuses why you won't buy this MBP. Just don't and move on!

Sheeeeeesh....
[doublepost=1479154459][/doublepost]
Chupa Chupa said:
Except when Apple never upcharged $300 for a touch pad. That is the price difference between the 2016 13" non-TB and TB model.
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OK let's see, hmmm...

If one wants to buy an external touchpad the market price is about $130.

And the difference between raw skyline prices 2 ghz - 2.9 ghz around $100.00.

So you're not up charging for a touch pad between the two, you're paying for CPU and graphics performance in addition to the new touch bar.

Let's say you could order a custom computer from Apple and you pick the bells and whistles, do you really think it would be cheaper? Sure it would.... :rolleyes:

I'll bet you go down to the auto dealer and piece together the car you really want and ignore those popular luxury packages with all that stuff you really don't need, but are forced to buy.

Brilliant!:apple:
 
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For me, it comes down to the following two questions.....

Did I use the top row of my keyboard before the touch strip?
Yes, but only really the Esc key and volume controls.

Do I use the top row of my keyboard after the touch strip?
(Unknown yet)

I imagine it will make using Logic much easier.
 
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bjet767 said:
OK Bright guy, how many people buy the touch pad and pay extra for it and did you?

Many if not most (notice this means there are some) people who use their laptops as a primary computer with a video and keyboard do not buy the touchpad. I will also bet only those who use the new touch bar will buy the keyboard which includes it (at a premium over Apple's non-touch bar keyboard).

You only point is Apple is making you pay for something you think you won't use.

You guys keep looking for excuses why you won't buy this MBP. Just don't and move on!

Sheeeeeesh....
[doublepost=1479154459][/doublepost]

OK let's see, hmmm...

If one wants to buy an external touchpad the market price is about $130.

And the difference between raw skyline prices 2 ghz - 2.9 ghz around $100.00.

So you're not up charging for a touch pad between the two, you're paying for CPU and graphics performance in addition to the new touch bar.

Let's say you could order a custom computer from Apple and you pick the bells and whistles, do you really think it would be cheaper? Sure it would.... :rolleyes:

I'll bet you go down to the auto dealer and piece together the car you really want and ignore those popular luxury packages with all that stuff you really don't need, but are forced to buy.

Brilliant!:apple:
Click to expand...

Yeah, drink up that kool-aid and justify the $400 price increase anyway you like. Slurp, slurp. ;)
 
Chupa Chupa said:
Except when Apple never upcharged $300 for a touch pad. That is the price difference between the 2016 13" non-TB and TB model. The entry 2015 15" MBP was $2000. The entry 2016 w/ same amount of RAM and storage but also TB is $2399. So users are asked to pay a premium for TB.
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I'm pretty sure that response you gave has nothing to do with the original post you are responding to.

Just curious, how do you use the built in keyboard when the lid is closed and hooked up to an external monitor and keyboard?

Very dumb
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Workerbee Redux said:
Someone who has received a new MBP tell us how the keyboard feels, please. And how to rest your palms/type with the Godzilla touchpad. I can't imagine typing without constantly activating something with my palms.



It's Skylake, dude.
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There's no palm rejection?
 
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