Kuo: Apple to include new scissor switch keyboard in MacBook • Hacker News Board

Re: Kuo: Apple to include new scissor switch keyboard in MacBook

#411

Post by sroussey » Thu, Jul 04, 2019, 4:39 PM UTC

dewey wrote: post #19

kenneth wrote: post #17

Once I got used to the new keyboards, I actually far prefer them. Ditto with the TouchBar. Yeah, I'm a heretic I suppose. Keyboard: pleasant clicky-ness and little movement required. Thin AF. TouchBar: customized with BetterTouchTools to be a hybrid of my most often-used shortcuts (expand menu, alfred, fantastical, window management, and 1password on the left, notification center and lock screen on the right) and mus…

The problem that most people have is not with how it feels, it's how unreliable it is with buttons failing or missing keystrokes. Sometimes only caused by a spec of dust. Getting used to the feeling of the flatter keyboard isn't really an issue for most people.

No, most people have no issues. There is not a 51% failure rate. Being in a group does not a majority make.

Re: Kuo: Apple to include new scissor switch keyboard in MacBook

#412

Post by wl » Thu, Jul 04, 2019, 4:39 PM UTC

welly wrote: post #360

starsinspace wrote: post #332

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, if I throw away all the USB-A things I have and start over now... but that would be quite a waste. Also, try to find a true USB-C hub. With that I mean a box with one upstream USB-C input and several (>= 3) USB-C downstream ports. As far as I can tell, such products still do not exist. There are many USB-C-docks with USB-C input, various other downstream ports, and sometimes an additional USB-C port which is po…

Do you still hang onto that old VCR because DVD players won't play your tapes and it'd be a waste to throw that VCR away? At some point we have to upgrade if we want to stay current. This is the same with any technology, not just USB-C.

That National Instruments DAQ on my bench isn't going obsolete any time soon. Going to more mundane things, neither are my keyboard and mouse.

Re: Kuo: Apple to include new scissor switch keyboard in MacBook

#413

Post by clintonb » Thu, Jul 04, 2019, 4:39 PM UTC

Reason077 wrote: post #374

labcomputer wrote: post #283

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Also, on what planet did anyone have a Magsafe cord over 2m? It was fixed to the adapter. The 2m usb-c cable is removable, add it with the 1m power cable and it is a further reach than any prior Mac laptop adapter I've had, though I suppose third party ones exist. The power brick had a 2m detachable line-voltage cable, and fixed 2m low voltage cable. 2 + 2 = 4. I can sit 4m from the wall and charge using only the p…

> "Can you help me understand why you believe that Apple needed to move to USB-C to on the computer end in order to make a cable removable at the power supply end?" The thing is, once you make the cable detachable at both ends, it eliminates the need for MagSafe in the first place. A USB-C laptop will not go flying across the room if someone trips on the cable, because the cable will detach at either or both ends bef…

That's not quite true. The USB-C port is pretty strong relative to MagSafe. Depending on the surface where my laptop is resting, the laptop will move before the cable detaches.

Re: Kuo: Apple to include new scissor switch keyboard in MacBook

#414

Post by Calamitous » Thu, Jul 04, 2019, 4:40 PM UTC

Am I the only person that would love a thicker laptop with more features from Apple?

I don't need thin. Thin doesn't excite me. More battery would excite me. More ports. More anything but thin.

Re: Kuo: Apple to include new scissor switch keyboard in MacBook

#415

Post by nxc18 » Thu, Jul 04, 2019, 4:41 PM UTC

HeWhoLurksLate wrote: post #391

bmurphy1976 wrote: post #316

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The new keyboard. The ergonomics are fine, but I am hard on keyboards and nevertheless expect 5+ years of duty (my last machine was bought new in 2013, and just wasn't cutting it with 8G of RAM). I can't have an unreliable and expensive keyboard. I just don't get it. I've had my MPB with the new keyboard for 9 months now and I hate it more than ever. The ergonomics are absolutely terrible, the layout (particularly…

Personally, I have an older wired Apple "chiclet" keyboard (short-throw, not long) and I can hit ~120 WPM on it- which is way above the 90 WPM max I get on a clicky mechanical keyboard (Cherry Blue / Green / Red). I don't like their new keyboards, and I have a Lenovo Thinkpad keyboard which I love to use, too, but Apple's slightly older keyboards have a spot in my heart.

I just switched to the Apple keyboard at work from my CODE keyboard (too loud in conference calls and I always forget to unmute) and I was shocked to find I’m faster on the Apple keyboard, even without any time to get used to it.

The MBP keyboard is still a POS though.

Re: Kuo: Apple to include new scissor switch keyboard in MacBook

#416

Post by kkarakk » Thu, Jul 04, 2019, 4:42 PM UTC

sansnomme wrote: post #195

Apple does have a patent for glass keyboard that uses haptic.

jesus christ, don't let apple bring that evil into the world on a macbook. on an ipad maybe but if it's on a mac i'll have to carry around my bt keyboard everywhere and that's no bueno

Re: Kuo: Apple to include new scissor switch keyboard in MacBook

#417

Post by elamje » Thu, Jul 04, 2019, 4:43 PM UTC

Perceptes wrote: post #71

I desperately hope this is true. I have the first MacBook Pro that came with the Touch Bar, and it's the worst computer I've ever owned. The keyboard has failed twice, and the Touch Bar is inferior to the old hardware keys in every way. I hate it. The only reason I got it is because the MacBook Air it replaced was dying and I couldn't wait any more. Assuming this report is true, my only remaining worry is that they w…

I totally understand, as do I. If you are trying to make a MacBook Pro more usable than they are currently, you have to get https://pock.dev It has been the best $0 app I have ever downloaded, and has changed my Touch Bar experience completely.

I makes your Touch Bar into your dock, and can include the date time, battery life, a mini Spotify/music controller, and several other useful things.

Re: Kuo: Apple to include new scissor switch keyboard in MacBook

#418

Post by parasubvert » Thu, Jul 04, 2019, 4:45 PM UTC

pier25 wrote: post #244

parasubvert wrote: post #206

Earlier quoted context omitted.

See, I use a retina MBP touchbar and really don't agree. Apple has made some missteps but it's still the best pro laptop for my uses. Over two years with one replaced keyboard (because I spilled wine on it!) and no sticking keys. USB-C is awesome. I can reuse all my 3rd party and Apple adapters for my USB-C peripherals, including tablets and the Nintendo Switch. In retrospect, Magsafe wasn't that great (comes off too…

> They're obsolete. That is simply false. The biggest mice and keyboard manufacturers still ship with USB-A cables. Even Apple itself ships its mice and keyboards with USB-A cables.

Obsolete was an exaggeration. "In sunset", perhaps?

PS/2 mice and keyboards shipped for many years after USB. I expect USB-A will be around for a long time even though most of us will have moved on to USB-C.

Re: Kuo: Apple to include new scissor switch keyboard in MacBook

#419

Post by Theodores » Thu, Jul 04, 2019, 4:46 PM UTC

afandian wrote: post #101

xattt wrote: post #85

I sardonically worry that they will offer a touch screen keyboard instead.

The Lenovo Yoga Book is a hinged tablet. Bottom half is a glass surface with both capacitive touch and Wacom digitiser. It comes with a Wacom pen, which has a swappable ballpoint pen nib so you can draw on paper and have it digitised. There's a backlit silkscreen-type stencil that shines through a (permanent) keyboard layout. And touchpad. So, it's touch-screen typing on a fixed keyboard layout. And you can swap betw…

The machine is cool though. I have one and use it just for testing purposes. So the strange keyboard is a feature for me. The thing is that the on-screen keyboard is far more preferable than the expensive Wacom stand.

I don't think it is bad as a spare power brick, plus the sound on it is pretty good. For pose value the TRON style keyboard works every time.

Re: Kuo: Apple to include new scissor switch keyboard in MacBook

#420

Post by elamje » Thu, Jul 04, 2019, 4:46 PM UTC

kkarakk wrote: post #401

bmurphy1976 wrote: post #364

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This app was released recently: https://pock.dev/ It puts the dock in your touchbar. It's the first time in the 9 months I've had this laptop where I've actually gone "ok, this is useful" and I am actually using it. I now have the dock auto hide and I mostly use the touch bar to open apps. That said, I'd still prefer they ditched the touchbar in favor of function keys. I'd be happy if they shrunk the ridiculous size…

honestly what do you use the dock for? i find i set up my windows in different workspaces at the beginning of the day and just toggle between them. the dock is more of an annoyance nowadays.

The https://pock.dev Touch Bar is great. It can show you the DateTime, battery life, all of your open apps, but the thing I use it for most is Spotify. You can do swipe gestures on the Spotify Touch Bar icon to control the music player without opening the app at all.