Touch Bar discussion [merged]

[C64]

Any chance they'll release a Magic Keyboard with Touch ID?

Problem 1: battery life
Problem 2: security (although you can unlock the Mac with your Apple Watch now, so maybe that's not an issue)
Problem 3: white keys and a black bar don't go well together. Making it a silver background, matching the keyboard case, means the pixels need to be on all the time, which makes problem 1 even worse.

They might be able to solve 1 in time, but I don't know if they'll want to shift to black keys. The could release a separate keyboard with black keys, and keep the "cheaper" white one around too. Wouldn't be surprised by something like that, they seem to enjoy adding more and more stuff to each product line.

 

[R3k]

Got my 15" a couple of days back.

My main issue with the touch bar is that 99.5% of the time I use it it's unintentional..I keep hitting the damn thing whenever I want to press the number keys, frustrating.

Guess I'll learn to be more accurate in the long run, but the ergonomics of the whole thing is not really doing it for me atm. That includes having to look away from the screen to use it.

 

[happyslayer]

I picked up my 13" with Touch Bar this morning and after updating to the latest Beta version of Sierra and restoring my Time Machine backup, I am finally getting to use the thing and play with the Touch Bar. So far, I really think it's cool. I have been using it. I customized it for my use... changed Siri to Spotlight and such. Now all we need is more of our existing Apps (like Office and, for me, Scrivener) to support it. I think it's cool. It's especially nice in Pages when editing text--I think the TB works quicker than using the command-combos for things like bold and italics and quickly changing colors and what have you and when watching movies--and, as an aside, the sound on this think is amazing!

 

[samcow]

I'm so close to returning this laptop, I've finally figured out how I may in the future utilize this touch bar, but the touch bar hardware itself is lacking. It needs about twice the PPI, needs to be larger, and so on. The second generation of this, you know the one where images of browser tabs are 'actually' distinguishable due to increased resolution and size, that one may be quite nice.

Otherwise I like the laptop though the battery life is unimpressive.

 

[Apple_Robert]

This video here shows the bug

The bug find starts at 14:40, for those who don't wish to watch the whole video.

 

[C64]

Can the Touch Bar be turned off completely, while still using the machine?
E.g. when you're in a darkened room and don't want the distraction.

 

[xraydoc]

Magic Keyboard would need a cable (for power and to transfer the data). I dont think bluetooth is able to do all the tasks.
A big problem and not sure they will find a quick solution for this. So keep your hopes low.

Large battery in the keyboard should satisfy the power requirements, presuming the necessary data can be transmitted over bluetooth.

 

[ascender]

Some of the videos, particularly the one from Jason Snell really shows the potential here, but at the same time I still have the nagging doubt that for many things it's a duplication of tasks I currently do with either keys or the trackpad. Are people finding they are having to remind themselves to use the bar?

 

[NAYo2002]

 

[mattopotamus]

Some of the videos, particularly the one from Jason Snell really shows the potential here, but at the same time I still have the nagging doubt that for many things it's a duplication of tasks I currently do with either keys or the trackpad. Are people finding they are having to remind themselves to use the bar?

That's all it can be. Everything it does has to be available via a menu or with a multi key command. If you know those commands the touch bar actually slows you down.

 

[Ataricade]

Can the Touch Bar be turned off completely, while still using the machine?
E.g. when you're in a darkened room and don't want the distraction.

It's not going to distract you when you have a screen in your face anyways.

 

[NAYo2002]

It's not going to distract you when you have a screen in your face anyways.

Can the Touch Bar be turned off completely, while still using the machine?
E.g. when you're in a darkened room and don't want the distraction.

You can make only the function keys show, thus less distraction. As for the lights, as someone said, the screen is brighter anyway.

 

[C64]

It's not going to distract you when you have a screen in your face anyways.

You can make only the function keys show, thus less distraction. As for the lights, as someone said, the screen is brighter anyway.

So I guess that's a no to turning it off?

I use Synergy to control another Mac with the keyboard/mouse of the MacBook, mostly for media consumption. So when watching a movie, the screen and keyboard backlights are all off on the MacBook. Having a lit up Touch Bar on an otherwise dark device will be quite annoying.

 

[NAYo2002]

So I guess that's a no to turning it off?

I use Synergy to control another Mac with the keyboard/mouse of the MacBook, mostly for media consumption. So when watching a movie, the screen and keyboard backlights are all off on the MacBook. Having a lit up Touch Bar on an otherwise dark device will be quite annoying.

Wouldn't you be better off with wireless keyboard/mouse?

 

[BarracksSi]

The Touch Bar goes to sleep like the rest of the keys.

 

[Awjvail]

Magic Keyboard would need a cable (for power and to transfer the data). I dont think bluetooth is able to do all the tasks.
A big problem and not sure they will find a quick solution for this. So keep your hopes low.

Not necessarily. The touch bar in the MBPs are only connected to the main system using USB 2.0 so the data needs aren't terribly high.

It'd be more about security than anything.

 

[Apple_Robert]

If you make a mistake customizing the touch bar, or something gets stuck or screwed up and want to restore it to factory settings, is there a way to do that sans installing the OS again?

 

[azntaiji]

So I guess that's a no to turning it off?

I use Synergy to control another Mac with the keyboard/mouse of the MacBook, mostly for media consumption. So when watching a movie, the screen and keyboard backlights are all off on the MacBook. Having a lit up Touch Bar on an otherwise dark device will be quite annoying.

The touch bar dims after ~30sec and turns off after ~1min of no mouse/keyboard activity. So i don't see that being much of an issue?

 

[NAYo2002]

If you make a mistake customizing the touch bar, or something gets stuck or screwed up and want to restore it to factory settings, is there a way to do that sans installing the OS again?

There are only like 9 or so options, you could just reassign the keys to the factory settings. Most of the customization is at the app level. You can't really screw this up.

 

[JohnnyGo]

Day two with my 13''. I like touch bar better than on the day one. It just takes time to adjust to it.

How's your battery life behavior so far ?

 

[sguser]

How's your battery life behavior so far ?

Monitoring it after SMC reset Seems to be doing better now

 

[lamerica80]

Another great reason to invest in the touch bar is that you can play DOOM on it:

 

[needfx]

on a related note, has anyone checked this out? not sure if this has already been mentioned

Touch Bar Demo App allows you to use your macOS Touch Bar from an iPad (through USB connection) or on-screen by pressing the Fn-key. It shows the original Apple Touch Bar, which changes dynamically based on the app you're currently using. With this demo app, you can try out the Touch Bar on any Mac that does not have a physical Touch Bar.

https://github.com/bikkelbroeders/TouchBarDemoApp/blob/master/README.md

 

[Apple_Robert]

In regards to the Touch ID, has anyone else found it odd, that the same Touch ID that is available to securely log you into your Mac is not available to use when you are prompted to make Admin system changes?

 

[Awjvail]

In regards to the Touch ID, has anyone else found it odd, that the same Touch ID that is available to securely log you into your Mac is not available to use when you are prompted to make Admin system changes?

Sometimes it is. It's very inconsistent and unpredictable when you're going to have to put your password in or when a fingerprint will suffice.

TouchID integration into the OS is very half baked at this point. Hope they fix it soon.