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Miss the MacBook Pro's Touch Bar? Check Out the Flexbar
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Exactly.
I don’t hate the Touch Bar. But having to look away from your display and down at this thing and then push it with a finger is far less efficient and fast than doing a similar task using keyboard shortcuts/commands or various on-screen widgets.
I used to own a Magic Trackpad just for scrolling and scrubbing in apps like Final Cut.
But while scrolling, zooming, and pinching is great with a Magic Trackpad, having to look away from the screen and lift my hand off my mouse and onto the Trackpad would break my flow.
It’s much faster to settle with doing everything with the keyboard and mouse and never having to switch between physical peripherals.
This would slow me down even if it’s maybe a bit more precise and better for scrolling and scrubbing in an app’s timeline.
I love the Touch Bar! I don't miss it because I still use my M2 MacBook Pro with Touch Bar as my personal machine.
My work laptop is now an M3 Max. I use it 99% of the time docked in clamshell mode. I use the Stream Deck to replace the lost functionality of the TouchBar which has the major advantage of working on my work machine when docked.
I'll keep my M2 going as long as possible so I can retain the touchbar functionality for when I'm mobile.
As far as this device goes, there is plenty going for it including the OLED display, API (I see this thing as working more like a Stream Deck so it won't be completely dependent on developers enabling support in their applications), and I love the idea of haptic feedback, something the original TouchBar definitely needed.
But I'm not keen on the wire, and I wonder if it will have enough weight to sit and be stable on the desk when being used.
IMHO, a much better product would have been to release a bluetooth keyboard with this Touch Bar integrated into it, but I think the designers wanted to capture the laptop market as well.
Because it replaced physical buttons, hope now you know
If it were optional above the top key row people would have fewer problems with it existing.
Because it replaced physical buttons, hope now you know
It replaced useless physical buttons though. Sliding for the volume was much better and more natural. Having access to macros was great too - these days with Apple Shortcuts it would have been even better. BetterTouchTool was great. Now i've got F keys back that I never use - and the only function keys I use on there are volume mute, up and down.
I admit having the physical escape key in version 2 was an improvemen though.
Isn’t that the point of a kickstarter? Waiting until there is a product is to late?
Probably because Elgato's success has proven that a competently designed touch bar is absolutely valuable.
Because a lot of Apple users do want the touch bar and this company sees an opportunity to swoop in and make money on that fact?
My dislike for the touch bar was never due to its existence, it was plenty useful at times. It's that it replaced the FN keys and you either got to see one or the other (yeah, I know, I could hit a key on the keyboard and the FN keys would show). If the touch quit working (and it seemed to plenty of times), you also lost the ability to use your FN keys.
This solution lets you retain both the FN keys AND use the touch bar; best of both worlds
This solution lets you retain both the FN keys AND use the touch bar; best of both worlds
I cannot imagine taking the time to create and build a product to restore what may be the worst feature Apple ever had on a MacBook.
Nice, looks like I need to hold it with one hand while pressing it with another. What a great gadget to decrease my productivity.
Also, am I the only one that find it a nightmare to pack? Will it break/bend in my backpack?
Also, am I the only one that find it a nightmare to pack? Will it break/bend in my backpack?
Within one or two macOS cycles, this company will inform their customers they — quite regrettably — need to introduce a subscription model in order to keep up with ongoing OS changes made by evil Apple. They will tell customers "you don't have to" but then they will also not be able to guarantee the length of time your product will continue to work properly. They'll say they feel really bad about it. Save yourself the inevitable irritation.
Assuming it will a) reach production stage and b) will get developer support. Then after that, yes, a subscription seems likely. Followed by a bankruptcy three months later. Good luck everyone!
I actually didnt mind the touch bar BUT I need a set of function keys. The 16" MBP would be find if it had a row of touch bar keys above the FN keys
The Logitech MX is a much better option for the Mac. I do see how it could be useful for the iPad though.
www.logitech.com
MX Creative Console
Shop MX Creative Console. Features customizable controls, tactile feedback, and seamless integration with your favorite creative apps.
I always thought the issue with the Touchbar was that the space was given to the app in use at the time. I would have most often preferred it was a place for widgets, notifications, calendar, timer, or other non-focus activities, so that I could be full-screen in my productivity app and essentially use the touchbar as a very narrow secondary screen.
I expected Apple and developers to give the Touchbar more attention and options, but it pretty much died with the options it launched with, I never felt I had control or the ability to make it useful to me.
I’m not backing a hardware kickstarter from a company with no track record, but the theme of a small controllable screen above my keyboard remains attractive, just a shame that Apple so badly whiffed on the execution, a rare total failure to take advantage of what a small screen in that location could offer.
I expected Apple and developers to give the Touchbar more attention and options, but it pretty much died with the options it launched with, I never felt I had control or the ability to make it useful to me.
I’m not backing a hardware kickstarter from a company with no track record, but the theme of a small controllable screen above my keyboard remains attractive, just a shame that Apple so badly whiffed on the execution, a rare total failure to take advantage of what a small screen in that location could offer.
*useless for you
Most power users ie. programmers use function row keys all the time. Replacing it with a touchbar was a massive pain in the **s.
That. Although on a laptop the touch bar was close to the bottom of the screen so it wasn't too far to look down for it. And IDEs like Intellij gave you proper run/debug buttons and other stuff like that.
However, I associate the touch bar now with the butterfly keyboard which was defective by design (don't tell me yours never broke, you probably never used your laptop outdoors). So there's no way I'm trying it again in any form.