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New MacBook Pro models to feature magsafe, no touch bar and more ports: analyst

macrumors.com

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Re: New MacBook Pro models to feature magsafe, no touch bar and more ports: analyst

#191

Post by dplgk »

adrr wrote: post #59
square_usual wrote: post #38

I know it's from Kuo, but these leaks don't pass the smell test for me. It makes no sense for them to add the touchbar to the base model 13" MBPs only to remove them from the higher end versions. It makes even less sense to add more ports which aren't USB-C, as the bits about MagSafe and no dongles imply. Further, I don't understand what is meant by "iPhone 12 like" non-curvy design - I have a 2018 MBP 15", and the s…

It will probably be physical keys with screens in them. As seen in this patent. https://www.macrumors.com/2020/12/29/apple-researching-keybo... Mag safe is going to be on the charging cable and not the computer. Like on old game consoles with wired controllers.

I don't recall old consoles having magsafe wires.

Re: New MacBook Pro models to feature magsafe, no touch bar and more ports: analyst

#192

Post by oblio »

kumarsw wrote: post #190
oblio wrote: post #169

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A lot of power users look at their keyboards. Touch typists are a very small minority, even among power users. At least pure touch typists (people who only touch type). And these computers are not purely for power users.

I wonder how many folks touch-type with the function keys. I touch-type, but I still need to look down to use the function keys.

If they're grouped in blocks of 4 it's reasonably doable, especially for the ones at the edges of the blocks (for example F4 and F5 are popular buttons for IDEs and even browsers or other common applications).

Re: New MacBook Pro models to feature magsafe, no touch bar and more ports: analyst

#193

Post by geerlingguy »

toomanybeersies wrote: post #164
skocznymroczny wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The main issue of this is just like with touchbar and similar solutions - power users don't look at the keyboard, so the usefulness will be minimal.

I think HN is a bit unfairly biased against the touchbar, since it serves almost zero purpose for programming work. However, it's quite handy when doing multimedia work with applications that integrate with the touchbar (Logic Pro, Final Cut Pro, Photoshop)

I spend hours a day in FCP and Photoshop. The ONLY thing it's useful for is scrubbing, but even there, I have other tools that are more helpful and don't take away F keys I can use as macros.

Many times more useful are tactile programmable keys like what I get on an Elgato Stream Deck, or other dedicated hardware. The touch bar is useless since it's one solid strip. Creatives don't like staring at their keyboards either.

Re: New MacBook Pro models to feature magsafe, no touch bar and more ports: analyst

#194

Post by geerlingguy »

kumarsw wrote: post #190
oblio wrote: post #169

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A lot of power users look at their keyboards. Touch typists are a very small minority, even among power users. At least pure touch typists (people who only touch type). And these computers are not purely for power users.

I wonder how many folks touch-type with the function keys. I touch-type, but I still need to look down to use the function keys.

I used to be able to touch type the speaker volume and mute F keys. With the slider or volume mute buttons, I often have a hard time hitting them correctly on the Touch Bar. This is after having it for years.

Re: New MacBook Pro models to feature magsafe, no touch bar and more ports: analyst

#195

Post by pmx »

dplgk wrote: post #191
adrr wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It will probably be physical keys with screens in them. As seen in this patent. https://www.macrumors.com/2020/12/29/apple-researching-keybo... Mag safe is going to be on the charging cable and not the computer. Like on old game consoles with wired controllers.

I don't recall old consoles having magsafe wires.

They weren't magsafe but they had breakaway cables that would disconnect if someone tripped on it.

Re: New MacBook Pro models to feature magsafe, no touch bar and more ports: analyst

#196

Post by jki275 »

saagarjha wrote: post #175
toomanybeersies wrote: post #164

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think HN is a bit unfairly biased against the touchbar, since it serves almost zero purpose for programming work. However, it's quite handy when doing multimedia work with applications that integrate with the touchbar (Logic Pro, Final Cut Pro, Photoshop)

It's not completely useless for programming: for example, I use the button to stop an app in the debugger pretty often.

Those were F keys before, which I could put my finger on and use without having to hunt for the correct featureless spot on the Touch Bar every time I needed to step.

Re: New MacBook Pro models to feature magsafe, no touch bar and more ports: analyst

#197

Post by dplgk »

pmx wrote: post #195
dplgk wrote: post #191

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't recall old consoles having magsafe wires.

They weren't magsafe but they had breakaway cables that would disconnect if someone tripped on it.

I guess "old consoles" to me is SNES, etc

Re: New MacBook Pro models to feature magsafe, no touch bar and more ports: analyst

#198

Post by RikNieu »

switz wrote: post #66

If anyone from Apple is reading, let me just say – this is exactly what I want. Magsafe charging. Function keys instead of the touchbar. 15-16" screen. M1 CPU. 32GB Memory. I also prefer the 2015 keyboard, but it's not a dealbreaker. I'll pay for the kickstarter now if it means it'll come out in the next 18 months. Please make it happen.

I was not exactly planning on buying a new computer this year, but if Apple was to release this tomorrow I'd order it instantly.

Re: New MacBook Pro models to feature magsafe, no touch bar and more ports: analyst

#199

Post by jasnk »

square_usual wrote: post #38

I know it's from Kuo, but these leaks don't pass the smell test for me. It makes no sense for them to add the touchbar to the base model 13" MBPs only to remove them from the higher end versions. It makes even less sense to add more ports which aren't USB-C, as the bits about MagSafe and no dongles imply. Further, I don't understand what is meant by "iPhone 12 like" non-curvy design - I have a 2018 MBP 15", and the s…

Perhaps the new MacBook Pro supports USB-C charging AND wireless charging? MagSafe in this context could be referring to wireless charging. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MagSafe

The quote from Kuo specifically mentions MagSafe charging connector design, but he could have mistakenly assumed his source was still referring to the wired connector if they mentioned MagSafe.

Curious about changes to I/O ports. I would expect additional (more than two) USB-C ports, but unsure which I/O types may be considered a "standard" need for pro users at this point. Perhaps video output and/or legacy USB?

The touch bar is visually appealing and likely great for most consumers, but the bar has not been as functional as physical function keys during my time touch-typing/ programming due to lack of tactile feedback. I frequently have to look at the bar, else I tap the wrong button. I often trigger the bar unintentionally while hovering over number keys. I am thankful the M1 Pro has an Escape key. I would be very likely to upgrade to a higher end MacBook Pro to have physical function keys again.

Re: New MacBook Pro models to feature magsafe, no touch bar and more ports: analyst

#200

Post by yoz-y »

toomanybeersies wrote: post #168
yoz-y wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1mm for a phone is quite a bit though. Pursuing thinness (and thus lightness) makes a lot of sense for a device you lug everywhere with you.

Except that they make them thin at the expense of sturdiness, so everybody needs to get a case for their iPhone to avoid breaking the thing if they drop it more than a couple of feet.

Hm, I was under the impression that the sturdiness was mostly tied to materials, mainly usage of glass instead of plastic. A lighter phone should at least in theory be less breakable. Bendiness is another thing though.
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