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Apple Engineers Its Own Downfall with the Macbook Pro Keyboard

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Re: Apple Engineers Its Own Downfall with the Macbook Pro Keyboard

#81

Having interfaced with Apple in a different way (apart from owning a new MBP and an iPhone X) I'd say the issue is, and continues to be, growing pains. They're certainly losing the lead in software engineer talent (giving it away to whom, I'm not sure). But the single most horrible experience I've had with Apple in the last year was trying to get software published on the App Store. That's a department that's so larg…

Interested to know why the gender of the manager matters?

Re: Apple Engineers Its Own Downfall with the Macbook Pro Keyboard

#82

Realistically, I just can't really see Apple fixing this by introducing a new keyboard design that's any thicker. As much as I would love to hear "We've heard your feedback on the keyboards and we've made some drastic changes to address them in our new Macbook Pro", it just doesn't seem like their style. What do others think they're going to do for their next release of laptops?

Short of fitting a keyboard condom, or iPad (no doubt called TouchBoard) where the keyboard used to be, what can they do? Make the battery thinner so they can get sane key travel back within the case without increasing overall thickness? So I expect to see a couple more releases of ultra thin keyboards with various fix mechanisms before they accept that rules of physics and dust apply to them too. :)

> what can they do?

Make the case thicker.

Re: Apple Engineers Its Own Downfall with the Macbook Pro Keyboard

#83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Replace the entire keyboard with an oversized touchbar? ;)

I personally suspect one day they'll marry the touch bar and the taptic engine to make a keyboard surface. That way they could have emoji keyboards and such. And they would only have to manufacture one top case, no matter what country they were shipped to.

Maybe if it worked with the Apple Pencil and the taptic feedback was good enough I could see being curious about it. It’d probably just be a good way to incite a riot though.

Re: Apple Engineers Its Own Downfall with the Macbook Pro Keyboard

#85

Is the title meant to be a joke? - Apple as a company does not have a single point of failure. - Arguably the iPhone could be called that; if they stopped selling MacBooks next year it still wouldn’t be their “downfall” (not that I like this state of affairs as I like MacBooks). I don’t really hate the butterfly keys either. I’ve been using it for over a year now on the pro, and I don’t know if it’s the second iterat…

The downfall seems to refer to downfall in iFixit Repair-ability score.

Re: Apple Engineers Its Own Downfall with the Macbook Pro Keyboard

#86

Realistically, I just can't really see Apple fixing this by introducing a new keyboard design that's any thicker. As much as I would love to hear "We've heard your feedback on the keyboards and we've made some drastic changes to address them in our new Macbook Pro", it just doesn't seem like their style. What do others think they're going to do for their next release of laptops?

Short of fitting a keyboard condom, or iPad (no doubt called TouchBoard) where the keyboard used to be, what can they do? Make the battery thinner so they can get sane key travel back within the case without increasing overall thickness? So I expect to see a couple more releases of ultra thin keyboards with various fix mechanisms before they accept that rules of physics and dust apply to them too. :)

A "keyboard condom" isn't a joke or insane. It would be a membrane layer between the operating mechanism of the keyswitches and the keycaps. They haven't done it because it adds thickness to the design.

Re: Apple Engineers Its Own Downfall with the Macbook Pro Keyboard

#87

Apple biggest UX failures always stem from putting form before function. There is a lower limit to thinness/lightness before consumers just don't care, and it was passed long ago. There was great progress made with the unibody Macbook Pros and the Macbook Airs but these latest models are so thin that it's actually annoying and leads to issues like poor battery life, lack of repair-ability, and malfunctioning keyboard…

The touch bar is another example of this.

I always hit the wrong keys, even after a year I'll end up hitting ~/` instead of the escape key, I routing hit "mute" instead of volume down (or I'll hit up instead).

Re: Apple Engineers Its Own Downfall with the Macbook Pro Keyboard

#88
post #13
post #4

Who is Apple engaging in design anorexia for? Does it drive sales? Couldn’t some other stat be used to pad their presentations? Any thickness less than an inch is fine with me. I’m not concerned with whether my laptop fits in an envelope.

I don't know why so many people are under the impression that they do thinness for thinness sake. They do thinness for lightness sake. The lighter your laptop (or tablet, or phone), the more you'll choose to not leave it behind but rather to just lug it around with you, and so the more places you'll have it and the more it'll be there to aid your productivity in random situations. [Also, for phones and tablets specif…

The Magic Keyboard actually doesn't use the same butterfly key mechanism: it's a scissor switch, albeit one that attempts to emulate some of the feel of the butterfly key keyboards (but with more travel).

Re: Apple Engineers Its Own Downfall with the Macbook Pro Keyboard

#89

I picked up my repaired late-2016 15” mbp this morning from warranty repair (replacement). The keyboard feels 100% better. Apple replaced my top case, logic board, and display system for free, out of warranty. I was very concerned about this computer’s longevity, I’ve even ordered a Razer mx cherry keyboard to use when at my desk to take some workload off apple’s questionable design decision, but the replacement keyb…

Have you researched Stockholm syndrome?

Ha you got downvoted but I admit that I sincerely want this computer to be fixed, having invested deeply in the Apple ecosystem. No question there is bias, but my experience also covers Acer and HP computers at work, which have real shortcomings, incomparable to my mbp. For what it’s worth to your snark, I used a Linux system as a pinch hitter while mine was in the shop, and very much enjoyed Linux but for the crappy machine. A comparable i7, SSD, longBattLife,retina quality laptop is always going to be $$$, so go with what you know, right? I’ve been tempted by the Surface Book 2, but since it costs about the same for comparable systems, go with what you know!

Re: Apple Engineers Its Own Downfall with the Macbook Pro Keyboard

#90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The article was referring to the 2012 Retina MacBook Pro.

IMO, 2012 Retina and its updates were masterpieces of hardware design. I wish they continue producing them with more up to date hardware.

Loved my 2012 Retina. It served me all through a Comp Sci degree, and has now gone to friend who is still studying.
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