MB Pro TB: is Touch Bar a pretty much pointless gimmick?

[chrono1081]

The Touch Bar adds absolutely no connivence to the user experience.

Just because you don't use any software that takes advantage of it doesn't mean the rest of us don't. For creative work the Touch Bar is fantastic. Its amazing having a time slider at my finger tips, or a fast way to select colors, or fast volume adjustments without having to have my hands leave the keyboard.

The Touch Bar is fantastic if you have software that utilizes it.

 

[Dave245]

Just because you don't use any software that takes advantage of it doesn't mean the rest of us don't. For creative work the Touch Bar is fantastic. Its amazing having a time slider at my finger tips, or a fast way to select colors, or fast volume adjustments without having to have my hands leave the keyboard.

The Touch Bar is fantastic if you have software that utilizes it.

Agree with this! I think those people who are buying it for web browsing and stuff aren’t going to use the Touch Bar (plus why buy a MBP just for that) but those of us who edit video in Final Cut Pro and spend a lot of time writing and so on find it very useful and time saving (I don’t own one yet but my friends who have brought them for work love them)

 

[ikir]

I love Touch Bar, in some apps is super handy. Sometimes it is just you need mind exercise to use it, after many yers with standard keys. At least imho.

 

[va1984]

...also I think it's clear that the vast majority of people who come here to aggressively point out how much they hate the touch bar are probably folks who have never used one and are motivated by the simple mechanism of envy. They need to hate it really hard, so that they can convince themselves that they are not missing out on something they cannot get/chose not get/cannot afford/whatever the case might be.

If you have a laptop with touch bar, unless you are in the 1% who had a workflow centered on the F keys, with an app that still hasn't been updated to reflect the fact that the F keys are no more, then at most you can be 'meh' about the touch bar. But when someone hates something really really hard it's, well, a bit suspicious...almost as if they secretly like it.

 

[Ries]

...also I think it's clear that the vast majority of people who come here to aggressively point out how much they hate the touch bar are probably folks who have never used one and are motivated by the simple mechanism of envy. They need to hate it really hard, so that they can convince themselves that they are not missing out on something they cannot get/chose not get/cannot afford/whatever the case might be.

If you have a laptop with touch bar, unless you are in the 1% who had a workflow centered on the F keys, with an app that still hasn't been updated to reflect the fact that the F keys are no more, then at most you can be 'meh' about the touch bar. But when someone hates something really really hard it's, well, a bit suspicious...almost as if they secretly like it.

The vast majority of people who come here to comment on others people criticism and tell them they can't get/chose not get/cannot afford/whatever, is because they have to rationalise their overly expensive mistake.

 

[Dave245]

The vast majority of people who come here to comment on others people criticism and tell them they can't get/chose not get/cannot afford/whatever, is because they have to rationalise their overly expensive mistake.

How is it an overly expensive mistake? A lot of people who use these machines are doing so for work which means they will make the money back within a very short period of time anyway, so therefore it’s totally worth it.

 

[c0ppo]

I've owned multiple MBP 15 with TB via my work.
And hated each and every of them because of TB. But not just that, I can't get any MBP via my company since they banned MBP purchases until further notice (because of keyboard failures).

In my private collection I own iMP and MB 2017.
So please, tell me... In what category do I fit in?

Updating apps to TB? Well, I hate to break it to the guys who use their MBP for surfing thru youtube/facebook/twitter, but I have yet to meet any developer who actually uses and likes TB. And as a developer, I know I really hate it. What's to like actually?

I mean, if you like TB - great for you.
But putting out random numbers and making them sound like real figures just because someone doesn't like what you like? Really?

Well, one thing is certain. TB hasn't moved much since it became available. Not even Apple mentions it since 2016. I have no doubts they will keep it for a while longer at least. Or not remove it all. It's Apple. They do what they do.

But was TB a success? Judging by my own experience with other people - NO.
But then again, no one knows anything for sure. We will see what the future brings.

 

[Mike Boreham]

Many critics of the TB seem to miss that it can be locked to be like the Fn keys or like the standard vol/brightness etc keys, with no loss of capability, but still with the unarguable benefit of fingerprint ID.

As said elsewhere, I suspect a great many of the naysayers have either not tried it, or not tried to understand it, or not tried to make it work for them.

I have yet to find ESC not available.

I have 2017 27" iMac as well, which is my normal go-to when at home but the TB on the MBP is a factor which means sometimes I use the MBP instead now.

 

[c0ppo]

Many critics of the TB seem to miss that it can be locked to be like the Fn keys or like the standard vol/brightness etc keys, with no loss of capability, but still with the unarguable benefit of fingerprint ID.

Can it be locked so that it gives us real FN keys with haptic feedback that can be used without looking away from my work?
Or does seeing small thumbnails of tabs while surfing twitter/youtube/facebook/tinder matter that much?

As said elsewhere, I suspect a great many of the naysayers have either not tried it, or not tried to understand it, or not tried to make it work for them.

Of course. Repeating post all over this forum.
Someone doesn't like what I like, well, that is a shock. They probably didn't even try it, or they don't understand it, or they don't even own it, or most probably - they are holding it wrong.

It must be someone else fault because they don't like what I like.
Makes sense.

 

[Mike Boreham]

Can it be locked so that it gives us real FN keys with haptic feedback that can be used without looking away from my work?
Or does seeing small thumbnails of tabs while surfing twitter/youtube/facebook/tinder matter that much?



Of course. Repeating post all over this forum.
Someone doesn't like what I like, well, that is a shock. They probably didn't even try it, or they don't understand it, or they don't even own it, or most probably - they are holding it wrong.

It must be someone else fault because they don't like what I like.
Makes sense.

I was very careful to say "great many" not "all" have not tried to make it work for them. You are obviously not in that group.

All I can say is that I really like how it works for me, which doesn't include haptic feedback, so I will try and understand your question.

 

[cambookpro]

One year later, I'm not as enamoured by it as I thought I would be, but on balance I still prefer it to the function keys. Whether it's worth the extra cost is another issue.

Volume and brightness sliders, autofill, emoji, home button in Xcode simulator, ability to put DND as a button in the control strip, and video scrubbing are the things I use the most. It's by no means necessary, but I wouldn't say I dislike it.

 

[Playfoot]

As I have written before, I do not like the TB for what I do - mostly Excel and some CAD review, etc.

However, I am curious. A number of times the entire system has frozen, seemingly more so than on previous MBP's. And when this happens, the TB goes dark. Of course, when it goes dark and does not respond to touch, that means the ESC button is USELESS. And hence, can not do the "three finger solute" to kill the application that has frozen the system. Of course, in the old days, when the key was a physical key this was not an issue.

Has anyone else had this problem?

 

[The Game 161]

As a touchbar user I find it useful for watching YouTube and say nba on league pass for volume etc and certain apps but can’t say I would miss it if it’s not there but it’s nice to use when browsing the odd time.

 

[va1984]

Can it be locked so that it gives us real FN keys with haptic feedback that can be used without looking away from my work?
Or does seeing small thumbnails of tabs while surfing twitter/youtube/facebook/tinder matter that much?

Question 1: not yet. Haptic feedback hopefully coming.
Question 2: the only reason you'd see small thumbnails is that you haven't bothered to customize it. I see no thumbnails, no buttons that do things I can already do by shortcut, no typing suggestions. My Touch Bar is either black or it's showing me useful stuff because I asked it to do so. To complain about the little thumbnails is like, I don't know, complaining that a vending machine doesn't automatically put the amount of sugar that you want in your coffee. Customize it! The sugar is probably right next to the machine! Make it your own!

-- as for the issue of cost: I accept that maybe some users of the 13" MBP spend extra cash specifically for the Touch Bar and now they may be regretting it. But for most, I doubt that was the deciding factor. And of course anybody who bought a 15" had no choice. So I am not sure there is much substance to that argument.

 

[Playfoot]

Question 1: not yet. Haptic feedback hopefully coming.
Question 2: the only reason you'd see small thumbnails is that you haven't bothered to customize it. I see no thumbnails, no buttons that do things I can already do by shortcut, no typing suggestions. My Touch Bar is either black or it's showing me useful stuff because I asked it to do so. To complain about the little thumbnails is like, I don't know, complaining that a vending machine doesn't automatically put the amount of sugar that you want in your coffee. Customize it! The sugar is probably right next to the machine! Make it your own!

-- as for the issue of cost: I accept that maybe some users of the 13" MBP spend extra cash specifically for the Touch Bar and now they may be regretting it. But for most, I doubt that was the deciding factor. And of course anybody who bought a 15" had no choice. So I am not sure there is much substance to that argument.

Well, there are those of us that have tried to customize in a way that might make sense. And even had the assistance of kind experts within the these forums. All to no avail. So, as to follow from your argument, there is neither coffee nor cream beside the vending machine. Or further down the hallway, or even in the building.

However, we have made the investment in the machines. And for now we will continue to replace the keyboards and try to find ways to mold the TB to our needs. Yet, we also now allow for the Dell XP and Thinkpad carbon in our work space as we try to decide if it makes sense to use two OS.

 

[peter1984]

The best part of the touch bar is the scrubber for youtube video ads! Otherwise, I would recommend just fixing the functionality to controls that you always use (software independent). That's where I find the most use.

 

[tarsins]

I changed mine to just function keys to see how I got on. I changed it back a few days later to App controls with control strip, genuinely surprised that I missed it.

 

[CooperBox]

Fwiw, here in France I've never seen so many ads for used TBar MacBook Pro's.
As a collector, I check daily the ads for all types of Macs, and I'm truly amazed how many folks are seemingly off-loading these TBar models compared to earlier models. Did many purchase and find the TBar was little more than a 'gimmick'? I have no idea, but have my own thoughts on the subject.
The last new Mac I purchased was a 15" MProRet when it was released, but not used it for over a year, much preferring a truly splendid, earlier 2011 17" model. One of the last great Macs imho.

 

[Ma2k5]

Just because you don't use any software that takes advantage of it doesn't mean the rest of us don't. For creative work the Touch Bar is fantastic. Its amazing having a time slider at my finger tips, or a fast way to select colors, or fast volume adjustments without having to have my hands leave the keyboard.

The Touch Bar is fantastic if you have software that utilizes it.

Is it really "Fantastic" for creative work? Is it really productive to select a colour on a low DPI touch bar by having to look away from the screen rather than just selecting it on screen or using keyboard shortcuts?

I think there are a few gimmicky uses for it, but nothing that can't be done as effectively (or more) the non-touch bar way.

 

[maflynn]

The Touch Bar is fantastic if you have software that utilizes it.

Most of the uses of the touchbar require you to take your eyes off the screen which I would find distracting and not effecient. I'd much rather use keyboard shortcuts, or even the mouse as I keep the focus and attention on my work and screen. I know there are instances that the TB can do things that a keyboard cannot, but they are few and far between imo.

I could be wrong, but by and large as we are three years into tb based MBPs its safe to say it has not taken off. Software has really not fully embraced the TB, and its more niche then anything. What software does use it, mostly falls into the gee whiz isn't that cute category. I'd much rather have physical function keys as I use those every day.

 

[Mike Boreham]

Most of the uses of the touchbar require you to take your eyes off the screen which I would find distracting and not effecient. I'd much rather use keyboard shortcuts, or even the mouse as I keep the focus and attention on my work and screen. I know there are instances that the TB can do things that a keyboard cannot, but they are few and far between imo.

I could be wrong, but by and large as we are three years into tb based MBPs its safe to say it has not taken off. Software has really not fully embraced the TB, and its more niche then anything. What software does use it, mostly falls into the gee whiz isn't that cute category. I'd much rather have physical function keys as I use those every day.

Do you touch type?...sounds like you do.

Seems to me that there should be a very clear difference in attitude to the TB between touch-typists and the rest of us.

I don't touch type so I always look at the keyboard while typing and the TB often provides shortcuts that mean I dont have to look back up to the screen...great!

But I can see that a touch typist who looks at the screen while typing is going to have look down to use the TB, making it less appealing.

Presumably you have set your TB to have the F keys permanently showing. Does your last comment imply that touching an F Key on the TB is inferior to touching a physical F key?

 

[maflynn]

Do you touch type?...sounds like you do.

Yes, I prefer keeping my eyes on the screen and using shortcuts as much as possible.

Presumably you have set your TB to have the F keys permanently showing. Does your last comment imply that touching an F Key on the TB is inferior to touching a physical F key?

I failed into include a mention as of yet I'm not an owner of the TB based MBP, so I'm still working on physical f-keys.

 

[bluecoast]

I can touch type and never considered buying a MBP with a TB because of that.

I want to reach for the esc, volume and brightness keys without looking.

Nor do I want to look down at word suggestions etc when I’m touch typing. Because... touch typing.

On reading the comments, the TB seems to have some specific useful use cases if you need to scrub through a video or audio timeline.

However, if you’re:

a) a pro (you’re a dev etc)
b) you don’t need to scrub through a timeline but you do need a powerful machine, you have to buy an expensive model with the TB anyway.

This seems to annoy many people - and I don’t blame them.

 

[maflynn]

a) a pro (you’re a dev etc)

I think people (all people, including myself) can be a bit myopic. People's definition of professional is so narrow that it only includes their line of work. For instance, is a reporter for the NY times a professional? Is his need for a laptop less professional then a DJ who needs tools to make music? I'd say not. I'm not blaming anyone but when we start bantering the word pro around, its usually in the context of what the post had in mind and nothing else.

 

[Mike Boreham]

The last few replies strengthen my belief that the TB is great for non touch typists like me, and not for touch typists.