I got sick of it myself and switched to a Lenovo X1 Carbon. Comparison here: http://blog.richard.do/index.php/2018/05/2018-macbook-pro-vs...
Ask HN: Does anyone know if Apple plans to address the MacBook keyboard issue?
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Re: Ask HN: Does anyone know if Apple plans to address the MacBook keyboard issue?
#12My guess is the touch bar along with haptic feedback is going to replace the whole keyboard.
I can't tell if you're joking, but I've long wondered about keyboards transmuting into touch pads of some kind. Haptic feedback is only part of it, though. I really depend on affordances like the nubs on the F and J keys or the valleys between keys to orient my hands above the keyboard properly without constantly having to look at them. The lack of such affordances on your average on-screen keyboard make high-speed touch typing very difficult for me. Does anyone know if there's been any research in this area?
Re: Ask HN: Does anyone know if Apple plans to address the MacBook keyboard issue?
#13Earlier quoted context omitted.
ah ok thanks Out of curiosity, what other laptop would you have moved to? Another apple laptop or something different altogether?
I was thinking of either the Lenovo X1 Carbon, or the Dell XPS 13. They seem robust, lightweight and run Linux.
I had a really good experience with the XPS 15, and a colleague of mine was really happy with the 13 model. They seem to work perfectly fine with the latest ubuntu and fedora and they had a decent battery life
Re: Ask HN: Does anyone know if Apple plans to address the MacBook keyboard issue?
#14Actually, the current version is v3, found on 2017 MBPs. v2 appeared on 2016 MBPs, and v1 on the first 12" MacBook. I have the v2 version, and this is my third top case, if it were not for consumer laws here, I would have moved to another laptop. As far as I'm aware there are no plans to address them, we have to wait until the next Apple event to hear more, hopefully.
I currently have a 2017 MacBook Pro and the keyboard isn't giving me much trouble. Sometimes something will get in the key mechanism, but blowing into the gap between the key and the case fixes it. After using it, my wife's 2013 MacBook Pro feels really spongy (a keyboard I loved).
I don't even want to count how many compressed air bottles I'm through.
Most of the time it fixes the problem, but (so far) three times I had to take it to the Apple Store and claim Consumer Law because the key mechanism broke.
Re: Ask HN: Does anyone know if Apple plans to address the MacBook keyboard issue?
#15My guess is the touch bar along with haptic feedback is going to replace the whole keyboard.
My guess is that your joking, if not then you must be one of the few touchbar fans ("there are dozen's of us...dozens!").
Re: Ask HN: Does anyone know if Apple plans to address the MacBook keyboard issue?
#16Well when the internals don’t provide meaningful productivity differentiation for 90% of users for the last about 6-8 years now, and the MacBook Air design circa 2012 is virtually indestructible, how else are they going to get their users to upgrade machines every 2-3 years if not for shitty keyboard redesigns?
Re: Ask HN: Does anyone know if Apple plans to address the MacBook keyboard issue?
#17Even if they have, they are known for super strict security rules, so it won't be disclosed.
I saw a link to their patent application where they patented a way to protect the current keyboard design from dust and crumbs.
Personally, I got tired of their disregard for software developers issues with hardware, and now my working machine in the new XPS 13 from Dell. I am happy with it.
Re: Ask HN: Does anyone know if Apple plans to address the MacBook keyboard issue?
#18Earlier quoted context omitted.
ah ok thanks Out of curiosity, what other laptop would you have moved to? Another apple laptop or something different altogether?
I was thinking of either the Lenovo X1 Carbon, or the Dell XPS 13. They seem robust, lightweight and run Linux.
Would you get the Developer Edition on the XPS 13?
Does anyone know why there isn't a Developer Edition on the 15 inch XPS?
Re: Ask HN: Does anyone know if Apple plans to address the MacBook keyboard issue?
#19My guess is the touch bar along with haptic feedback is going to replace the whole keyboard.
The multitouch technology in their phones was developed by a company that made a completely flat keyboard with no haptic feedback of any kind. (The Fingerworks Touchstream).
http://www.ergocanada.com/products/keyboards/fingerworks_lp....
It had some pretty powerful macro/gesture functionality. A friend of mine had one and loved it, but wound up having to buy a humidifier to keep it working in the winter.
Re: Ask HN: Does anyone know if Apple plans to address the MacBook keyboard issue?
#20I have the 12" MacBook, so it's the v1 keyboard, and after I got used to it, I was OK with it.
I also didn't like it at first, but after some getting use to, I love it. I like it better than my mid 2015 MBP.
edit: I also bought a new MBP 13" and I like it the best. I prefer a 13" form factor, but I primarily got it because it has physical keys instead of the bar.