Touch Bar discussion [merged]

[fokmik]

i hope, also,with WWDC and the next macOS, to enable the trackpad for the upcoming apple pencil,i think touchbar+apple pencil+larger trackpad will make a bless for drawings and for designers in autocad and so on
markup in mails and edit photos,can be an exceptional add on

 

[jugih]

Here's how Im utilizing my touch bar. Have cloned menu bar and dock/open apps on to it and running screen w/o them.
Perfect!
It shows Wifi SSID and you can also turn on/off BT/Wifi. It shows playing track from Spotify/iTunes if active and remaining power for the battery. And of course toggling spotlight is there too.

Left/Right toggle snaps and splits windowses on their side of the screen

 

[Gidjit-SmartLauncher]

As a vim (editor where you press escape a lot) the touch bar really put me off the new MBP.

 

[James.K.Polk]

Here's how Im utilizing my touch bar. Have cloned menu bar and dock on to it and running screen w/o them.
Perfect!
It shows Wifi SSID and you can also turn on/off BT/Wifi. It shows playing track from Spotify/iTunes if active and remaining power for the battery. And of course toggling spotlight is there too.

View attachment 697788

So this is almost exactly what I want to do. Did you set it all up through BTT? Can you share how?

 

[jugih]

So this is almost exactly what I want to do. Did you set it all up through BTT? Can you share how?

Yes, it's done via BTT
Here is the config, (or preset file) for BTT:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/89e19lbmd7t5t53/btt_asetukset.json?dl=0

If this file doesn't hide esc key by default, go and hide it from BTT settings, as an apple logo functions as esc key

 

[iRabbit]

If they are rarely used, why put a bunch of new buttons in the same place and expect them to be used more?

And why complain if they do? Especially when you can set it to just be all function buttons if you choose.

Would rather have a trackpad with a touch bar than a keyboard.

However, it wouldn't at all mimic the experience of the touch bar on the laptop then, it would be a whole different experience to have to learn. That's not the best scenario at all.

Final Cut and Logic may be the only use cases, and the only apps left in the Apple software portfolio that gets "Pro" attention, but how many hardware purchases are made due to dependency on those apps?

I don't think they are the only two use cases at all. They may be the ones that Apple designs, but there are other companies making pro level software. I'd also wager a lot of people buy laptops to run Final Cut, Logic, DJing software, Photoshop and it's collection of applications, and many more. I can think of several right in my family, myself included, who fall into that lineup and are varying ages.

I am open for new ideas, I could even switch to Windows and Android, if the opportunity came along, but right now the best laptop experience is on a MacBook 12". Light, small and fast enough...and no touch bar.

That's a highly subjective opinion. What you mean is, it's best for you. The size difference from the 12 to 13 is negligible at best. I came from an Air and think the 13" is perfect, for me and love the touch bar.

 

[s4yunkim]

As a vim (editor where you press escape a lot) the touch bar really put me off the new MBP.

I use vim all day, the touch bar "esc" is not that bad.

 

[doitdada]

That's a highly subjective opinion. What you mean is, it's best for you. The size difference from the 12 to 13 is negligible at best. I came from an Air and think the 13" is perfect, for me and love the touch bar.

Great

 

[Gidjit-SmartLauncher]

I use vim all day, the touch bar "esc" is not that bad.

Good to know. Thanks!

 

[New_Mac_Smell]

So it's been about 7 months now, and I'm wondering if anyone has found any nice, integrated, or elegant uses for the TouchBar? Please no flaming or negativity, I agree it seems pretty useless however I maintain it could be useful... More curious if we've got to that point yet.

I've seen some apps that allow you to customise it, however I don't think it's particularly elegant to spend so much time doing that (They may be self set up, I don't know though).

I touchtype so rarely look at the bar anyway, the only use I get out of it are quickly changing the volume and occasionally telling Siri to shut-up. Oh and the Emoji bar in iMessage, that's useful. I've not really noticed the uses in PS or other apps that added support either.

I don't know what I want it to do, I'm not an app developer. But after 7 months I'm hoping some members of this useful community might have come across some nice uses for it.

 

[SDColorado]

You know, I actually set it up just the way I like it for Airmail and use it fairly extensively for that. Airmail and 1Password may have the two best implementations I have seen. I think maybe it would be more useful if other developers would get on board with integration. But I can't complain, I used the function keys significantly less than I use the TouchBar

 

[turbineseaplane]

"Anyone found anything useful?"

For me, No

I really hope the 15" (and really the whole line of configs, 13 & 15) get Non-TouchBar options that aren't hamstrung in any other way.

Some love it, some hate it, some don't care.
It would be nice to be able to choose if you want it at all, across the entire lineup.

 

[Super Xander]

In some cases, yes.
Definitely they could be a lot more improvement, and hopefully more apps will include the touch bar over time, also I wait and hope until WWDC to see if there will be some new features and improvements to the touch bar.

I am an college student and mostly uses Word as well as Safari. I can recommend hiding the tool-bar in safari so the webpage fill the whole screen. The touch bar work as a tool bar and makes the screen feels bigger.

Also in word, you can use the: "Focus mode," to hide everything and let the touch bar work as the tool bar. Very useful. Hopefully this kind of thing will be integrated in more apps.

 

[New_Mac_Smell]

Hmm I was thinking the toolbar/menu bar could be useful there. I guess my problem is I just don't look in that area so aren't really benefiting from it. It doesn't take anything away from me, but so far it isn't adding much, but I think it could.

I'd like some realtime information or even just the main menu bar put there, even if it just told me the time at least I could see things at a glance. Hmm guess I'll have to wait a bit longer for some clever developer to make full use of it.

 

[prh8]

I don't have a tbMBP yet, but iTerm2 is about to release an update with some pretty cool touchbar functionality. Seems significant since developers were some of the most vocal against the touchbar.

 

[leman]

I found the TouchBar to have some situational utility, nothing paradigm changing of course, but ultimately much more useful than the otherwise dead function key bar. What I use it for:

- multimedia controls (obviously much more convenient)
- color/style changes when working with presentations in Keynote, it is very neat
- emojis
- some applications have some nice shortcuts/preview functionality

 

[prh8]

As a vim (editor where you press escape a lot) the touch bar really put me off the new MBP.

Have you tried using Capslock as escape? I know a lot of Vim users do that.

 

[turbineseaplane]

- multimedia controls (obviously much more convenient)
- emojis

Honest question about the multimedia controls.
What makes that more convenient for you?

I'm super habituated to the F7-F12 keys of Media/Volume with no looking and song skipping showing me an on screen notification. No need to move my hands or look down or anything. I'm curious how you use the TouchBar in a more efficient/convenient way?

Full disclosure, this is my main issue with most of the TouchBar - I essentially never look down at the keyboard, so I find that concept (looking down) to be less efficient from the start.

Re: Emoji's - I still find nothing as efficient as CTRL+CMD+SHIFT and search (or select with cursor if preferred) to instantly get the one I want from the full list.

Is the Emoji TouchBar benefit more about having the ones you use a lot show up right on the bar for you?
When I tried it for Emoji's I just found it immensely tedious if the one you wanted wasn't right there on screen already.

 

[leman]

Honest question about the multimedia controls.
What makes that more convenient for you?

Sliders. I find them much more convenient to use compared to buttons. Also, navigating videos (e.g. youtube). I can very well understand though that the TB breaks your habit. For me, I don't believe that I ever *not* looked down when using the multimedia keys — after all, its not something I would use constantly.

Is the Emoji TouchBar benefit more about having the ones you use a lot show up right on the bar for you?
When I tried it for Emoji's I just found it immensely tedious if the one you wanted wasn't right there on screen already.

Yeah, the emoji bar could use a redesign, right now its fairly unusable. But input prediction that can turn words to emojis is neat. I do agree that one can't really call this a productivity feature

 

[rukind2]

After using the 13" for a few months I find that I don't utilize the track bar for anything other than volume, brightness, ESC. Feels gimmicky for my usage level.

 

[Gidjit-SmartLauncher]

Have you tried using Capslock as escape? I know a lot of Vim users do that.

Thanks for the tip! Will give it a try.

 

[skaertus]

The Touch Bar seems to me a beautiful idea, but I am not sure it can be really useful. I am thinking of buying a new laptop, and the Touch Bar is neat, but is it worth it? Does it make any difference in productivity or usability?

 

[Pangalactic]

am thinking of buying a new laptop, and the Touch Bar is neat, but is it worth it

It's definitely not worth it. Let's see what Apples announces today, but if nothing changes I would suggest you get a non touchbar version instead - far better battery and far fewer bugs and glitches.

As I've mentioned already, the touchbar is occasionally useful for scrolling actions, but in no way does it replace the function keys. If it came along with the fn row and cost $100 more, it would be a different story, but right now it's purely a gimmick. Even for emojis, you can Ctrl-⌘-Space and search for the emoji you want (for Pro-level emoji users )

 

[913479]

Pulled the trigger on a tbMBP 13 in. today after returning a 2016 MBP 15 in. but I can't help but wonder about the future of the touch bar...

I don't think I heard the words touch bar even once during the WWDC Keynote besides when they announced the Kaby Lake refresh. macOS High Sierra... nope. New iMac Pro keyboard... nope.

Could/would Apple just abandon the touchbar? Do they have a history of doing anything like that?

Side-note: I personally thought the touch bar was awesome. It may cost a lot but it added cool features to a row of keys I rarely ever touched besides to adjust volume and brightness.

 

[aevan]

Pulled the trigger on a tbMBP 13 in. today after returning a 2016 MBP 15 in. but I can't help but wonder about the future of the touch bar...

I don't think I heard the words touch bar even once during the WWDC Keynote besides when they announced the Kaby Lake refresh. macOS High Sierra... nope. New iMac Pro keyboard... nope.

Could/would Apple just abandon the touchbar? Do they have a history of doing anything like that?

Side-note: I personally thought the touch bar was awesome. It may cost a lot but it added cool features to a row of keys I rarely ever touched besides to adjust volume and brightness.

Well, they are still sticking to 3D/Force Touch and people/developers are still hesitant to use that - so I'm guessing no, they will not abandon it but improve it over time.