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Turning a MacBook into a touchscreen with $1 of hardware (2018)

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Re: Turning a MacBook into a touchscreen with $1 of hardware (2018)

#41

Post by jacobgkau »

hu3 wrote: post #37
xmprt wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Previously, those were rumors from enthusiasts who wanted to see it. Now it's an internal leak so there's a lot more credibility to those rumors.

No, there were internal "leaks" in the past as well. https://archive.ph/xOgtp

> January 11, 2023

> Based on current internal deliberations, the company could launch its first touch-screen Mac in 2025

Even if it didn't come to pass, just a few years ago is a more relevant leak than the every-year-since-the-iPad-released "rumors."

Re: Turning a MacBook into a touchscreen with $1 of hardware (2018)

#42

Post by antonymoose »

bitmasher9 wrote: post #28
dotBen wrote: post #16

I wouldn't want a touchscreen MBP even if it was free, anyone else feel similar? I don't get the draw - we already optimize for keyboard commands to avoid living our fingers over to a touchpad. Why would I want to start clicking on my screen? If you're using your computer for tasks (rather than entertainment) and you're not a visual designer, I don't get why Apple are apparently going to be putting them into the new…

Sometimes, if I’ve been using my iPad for awhile and switch over to my MBP, I might reach out and touch the screen out of habit. I can’t be the only one.

I had the opposite problem when work issued me a ThinkPad - I would accidentally brush my screen with my caveman knuckles once a day and somehow nuke a dozen lines of code.

Re: Turning a MacBook into a touchscreen with $1 of hardware (2018)

#43

Post by hntway90904 »

criddell wrote: post #29
gavinsyancey wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You don't have to use it.

As long as there's a way to maintain the current display density, that would be just fine. However, like on Windows, I suspect macOS would increase the tap target size on lots of the touchable elements. Even if I don't use the touchscreen, I would still have to pay the touch target real estate tax in my applications.

That's a fair ask. My dream would be a simple toggle in something like control center for macOS that can flip between "touch mode" and "desktop mode" with most of the under the hood stuff being the same and just UI changes for the task. No doubt this would create new hurdles for software devs but again I'm dreaming here. Windows 10 actually had this with "tablet mode" in the notification center but I think they already soured people on the touch Windows thing by this point. I think Apple could reasonable do it better if they had the will but they'd much rather you buy and iPad for touch and a mac for desktop and everyone who doesn't want an extra device for certain use cases is left out in the rain.

Re: Turning a MacBook into a touchscreen with $1 of hardware (2018)

#44

Post by harr01 »

dotBen wrote: post #16

I wouldn't want a touchscreen MBP even if it was free, anyone else feel similar? I don't get the draw - we already optimize for keyboard commands to avoid living our fingers over to a touchpad. Why would I want to start clicking on my screen? If you're using your computer for tasks (rather than entertainment) and you're not a visual designer, I don't get why Apple are apparently going to be putting them into the new…

The benefit of a touchscreen MBP is that Apple will be forced to make their screens more protective.

Re: Turning a MacBook into a touchscreen with $1 of hardware (2018)

#45

Post by LtWorf »

prmoustache wrote: post #35
mrtksn wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's actually quite pleasant user experience for scrolling. Some interactions are better with a pointer, others are better with touch. You can try it on an iPad with Magic Keyboard attached, it's very good to be able to do precision through the trackpad and then casually move large things on the screen with your fingers.

Honestly I just hate having fingerprints on a screen. And I use pageup/pagedown mostly which to me is better than scrolling. Trackpad is nice for a device you can lay flat on a table or keep on one hand while sitting on the sofa, not too much when the device has a keyboard permanently attached to it and it cannot fold. I know I have a thinkpad like that and I never use the touchscreen.

Yesterday someone online told me I'm a boomer because (among the many other issues I mentioned) I said that apple computers lack page up/down keys which is annoying.

Re: Turning a MacBook into a touchscreen with $1 of hardware (2018)

#48

Post by bigyabai »

rox_kd wrote: post #40

Neeeeveeeer!!! please let macbooks be as they are .. why would I ever choose to put fingers on that beautful screen ... I don't get it!

> why would I ever choose to put fingers on that beautful screen ... I don't get it!

I'm not sure, but bare in mind that the iPad is almost as large of a market as the Mac at this point, and the iPhone has long surpassed Mac revenue. Touching your computer is a very popular sentiment among the grimy-handed public.

Re: Turning a MacBook into a touchscreen with $1 of hardware (2018)

#49

Post by dataflow »

criddell wrote: post #29
gavinsyancey wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You don't have to use it.

As long as there's a way to maintain the current display density, that would be just fine. However, like on Windows, I suspect macOS would increase the tap target size on lots of the touchable elements. Even if I don't use the touchscreen, I would still have to pay the touch target real estate tax in my applications.

Note on Windows you can disable the touch device and it goes back to the old density. Don't know if Macs support it.
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