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I don't think it should be a dealbreaker. If you use the Escape key frequently you can just remap the keyboard to make Fn + Caps Lock serve the same function, and if you use the media keys/brightness you can have that as the default touchbar as well. It also makes an insignificant difference to the battery life. I've played around with them before on friends' laptops and in stores, it's not really an issue.

It’s definitely not a deal breaker but still an annoyance to this day.

I don’t mind the Touchbar. I personally think it’s a pile of garbage but that did not stop me from buying the MBP. I’ve customized it such that the only thing on there is the display brightness slider and sound slider.

If Apple at the minimum added back a physical ESC key, I’d be happier. I am an engineer that uses the ESC key a lot, and would prefer to have the physical feel of it. A lot of macros in several apps use the ESC key more than Fn keys
 
I wonder if the touchbar UI is even upgradable?

Or do we gotta put up with Touchbar 2 or Touchbar Pro nonsense
If apple does do something more with them they would make them bigger and have more function. Could bring back physical keys and have a bar on top with plenty of room too especially on the 15"
 
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Right I have a Pro now. It’s not a deal breaker for me it’ would just be nice to have the option to spend less money for a feature I don’t want. The MacBook Air is an attractive computers right now at the current price point. I’d get one before I’d get another pro, but I think I’m going to maybe go with an iPad Pro or just stop having a computer altogether in the future.

Getting an iPad Pro is not a bad strategy if it fits your requirements. I have an iPad Pro 11" and like it a lot. Very portable and quite powerful. And the screen is fantastic!

Also face ID login is solid and quick. I use the Apple Portfolio keyboard which is not the best typing experience, but does not add too much bulk to the iPad unlike some of the 3rd party keyboards.
 
I have a 2016 non TB MBP. Is the Touchbar really as bad as people say? The new Macbook Air is now standard with the touchbar and the people of MR didn't like that at all. What's with the hate?


The Touch Bar is great. I'm not convinced those griping about it actually have one or used one. When software takes advantage of it, it's extremely useful and keeps my hands on the keyboard by giving me all kinds of extra controls I'd normally need a mouse for. People boohoo about a non-physical escape key but its a literal non-issue, your finger moves to the exact same spot and *gasp* you hit the escape button.

People just like to bitch. It happens every single time Apple does something.
 
The Touch Bar is great. I'm not convinced those griping about it actually have one or used one. When software takes advantage of it, it's extremely useful and keeps my hands on the keyboard by giving me all kinds of extra controls I'd normally need a mouse for. People boohoo about a non-physical escape key but its a literal non-issue, your finger moves to the exact same spot and *gasp* you hit the escape button.

People just like to bitch. It happens every single time Apple does something.
some people just like old things because they work for them at the time. Having an open mind to new technology is how we should grow with it. Some people hold onto things that don't really matter and don't use new things for what they could be. Instead they cry and don't give anything a chance. Adapt or die
 
Getting an iPad Pro is not a bad strategy if it fits your requirements. I have an iPad Pro 11" and like it a lot. Very portable and quite powerful. And the screen is fantastic!

Also face ID login is solid and quick. I use the Apple Portfolio keyboard which is not the best typing experience, but does not add too much bulk to the iPad unlike some of the 3rd party keyboards.

Yea I think it would be nice to have a device like that. In the past I always shied away because I felt like “if I don’t have a laptop how will I do XYZ” like building new iOS apps or something, but really I don’t even like doing that stuff very much. I do like reading recipients on the counter or reading the news or something. We’ll see.
 
Emacs has been around since the 1970s and it's the editor that I use every single day, dozens of times a day, at work. I also use the multimedia keys from time to time but it's relatively rare. I have volume controls on my external speakers and use external monitors most of the time. I use the spacebar to start/and stop videos. The escape key is just one of those things that you have to have if you are an old-time Unix programmer.

I have written entire translators in EMACs, so was very used to using Escape. But after switching to VSCode I have given up on Emacs and escape modalities. I can get VSCode for Windows, mac, or the Linux distros I use and get a lot of useful tools and add-ins.
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Yea I think it would be nice to have a device like that. In the past I always shied away because I felt like “if I don’t have a laptop how will I do XYZ” like building new iOS apps or something, but really I don’t even like doing that stuff very much. I do like reading recipients on the counter or reading the news or something. We’ll see.


iPad Pro (or even cheaper iPads) is perfect for that. And now with iPadOS the iPad has a dedicated OS, free from having to support the phone UI. Mouse support is a little rough now, but we are still in early betas. By the time IpadOS is released I suspect it will be solid.

I just did a week long business trip where I forced myself to all normal business related activities on the iPad. It worked well and no one at the office even noticed I was not using my MBP. The only time I used the MBP was for a PowerPoint presentation.
 
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I have written entire translators in EMACs, so was very used to using Escape. But after switching to VSCode I have given up on Emacs and escape modalities. I can get VSCode for Windows, mac, or the Linux distros I use and get a lot of useful tools and add-ins.

I have to support a bunch of different Unix platforms including VMS, AIX, some IBM Mainframe operating systems and Solaris. Sometimes I have to drop back to vi on ports where not even emacs is available. My environment is fairly locked down as well. Any software installed on work systems have to be approved and the approval period can take a year. If the company has to pay for it; well - that can be difficult.

I like emacs because it's available on the vast majority of systems that I use. For the other systems I use vi and you do need an escape key there. I use an external keyboard 95% of the time. I like standard keyboards, standard mice, standard monitors. Because it makes it simple to go to other systems without having to think about things. The Touch Bar should be an option. Instead I just see people weakly defending it.
 
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iPad Pro (or even cheaper iPads) is perfect for that. And now with iPadOS the iPad has a dedicated OS, free from having to support the phone UI. Mouse support is a little rough now, but we are still in early betas. By the time IpadOS is released I suspect it will be solid.

I just did a week long business trip where I forced myself to all normal business related activities on the iPad. It worked well and no one at the office even noticed I was not using my MBP. The only time I used the MBP was for a PowerPoint presentation.

Right. I’ve owned an iPad before but went back to the Mac. Now I’m leaning back the other way. I have a Pro that I will keep as long as it works for me so I may not buy an iPad for awhile, but it’s good to hear about your experience.
 
I have a 2016 non TB MBP. Is the Touchbar really as bad as people say?

So I handed in a few batteries to the Apple store today. Thought I'd have a trial with the newest MacBook Pro.

I gave it a try. Although I can see where sometimes it could be useful, like in Garageband and iMovie, but I don't do much on my 2015, so I just feel I'd be better off with traditional function keys. It just doesn't feel right, it is hard to put into words tbh.

I just don't feel I could get the hang of it (same goes for the notch but that's for another thread!) because I am so used to the keyboard brightness and brightness and volume keys just ya'know, being there at all times.

I guess it's Apple's controversial present/future decision but it puts me off buying any new model in the future. Not that I'd return to windows!

At least I have given it a trial, like I did with the XR the other week.
 
I have a 2016 non TB MBP. Is the Touchbar really as bad as people say? The new Macbook Air is now standard with the touchbar and the people of MR didn't like that at all. What's with the hate?
My machine is mostly tethered to external displays, so I rarely use it.

I'm pretty adept with keyboard shortcuts, so even when I use the built in keyboard, I almost never have reason to use the TB. Every once and awhile I see a word I'm not sure how to spell on QuickType.

I don't hate it; I just don't have a lot of use for it.
 
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I actually really like it, and have found it very useful in some of my video and digital marketing work. I will admit I miss a physical esc key but I can pretty much hit it without looking now.
 
Without regard to the engineering complications of it, I think the Touch Bar needs to extend from where it currently does up to the top of the lower part of the laptop. And there needs to be a haptic feedback engine.
 
I never have use of those function keys, I'm also an extensive vim user, I miss the physical esc key a bit (I need the caplock to change the language so I can't use it to esc in vim). Having said that, I'm very happy of what touchbar gave me over a row of function keys that I never use. I rather have customized set of things I need there. Like below:

Touch Bar Shot 2019-07-21 at 5.10.04 PM.png
 
I don’t mind it. It doesn’t get in the way and is useful for quick actions. I rarely used the physical keys so I don’t feel like I’m missing anything
 
Well... very justified..... its another useless thing introduced just for the fact of introducing sth new......
 
I find it convenient, especially the word suggestions while typing. A lot depends on the software you're using at the time, I rarely use it in Safari but often in Mail and VMware Fusion. I'd miss it. I certainly don't see how anyone could hate it.
 
I think it's a gimmick useful for some people, and annoying for others. All Apple should do is adding an option to buy one without it. That's all. It's possible as we can see in the Air.
I don't look at my keyboard and keys, I need haptic feedback using my keyboard. And on top of that I use my MBP at work with external trackpad/keyboard most of the time, so it's just a waste of money and something that can break.
 
I think it's a gimmick useful for some people, and annoying for others. All Apple should do is adding an option to buy one without it. That's all. It's possible as we can see in the Air.
I don't look at my keyboard and keys, I need haptic feedback using my keyboard. And on top of that I use my MBP at work with external trackpad/keyboard most of the time, so it's just a waste of money and something that can break.
tell that to an audi engineer
 
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dont get it.... what the context of this?


Just like anyone could like it.....
they over engineer everything. No reason to change what works but some manufacturers tend to overdue things. Change for something that doesnt need change. Some things do improve upon design though.
 
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