Touch Bar in the new MacBooks: what a beast it is. How the Touch Bar works in Windows What is a touch bar on a Mac

If the latest iPhone update turned out to be very controversial, the MacBook Pro laptops received the most significant update in the entire history of the line. And it’s not just a significantly updated case design, a new set of connectors and improved performance, but also the appearance of an innovative control element: the Touch Bar with a Touch ID fingerprint scanner. Like any other product, the new MacBook Pro 2016 has both its pros and cons. What impressions did a professional Apple laptop leave after three months of use, further in the MacDigger article.

The defining feature of any MacBook is its design. Whether you're a Mac or a PC fan, it's hard to deny that the MacBook's design and build quality are at a level unattainable by many manufacturers. In terms of design, Apple has always been impeccable.

The appearance of the new MacBook Pro is radically updated compared to previous models. We can say that Apple has made a hybrid of the previous MacBook Pro and the 12-inch MacBook. The screen resolution has not changed compared to the previous generation, but its quality has increased significantly and when directly compared with its predecessor, the difference is immediately noticeable. Higher maximum panel brightness, saturation and contrast. MacBook Pro can now be used outdoors in bright sunshine.

The 2016 MacBook Pro has an updated keyboard mechanism so that key travel is barely noticeable, which may feel awkward at first. But once you get used to it, other computer keyboards will seem terrible to you.

As before, the laptop's all-metal body looks impeccable, but it's not particularly scratch-resistant. Over time, marks may appear on it, so it is better to get a cover.

A special feature of the new generation MacBook is its huge touchpad. Traditionally, the trackpad on Apple laptops is unrivaled, but the need to increase it to such a size is questionable. The touchpad is really big, comparable to the iPhone 7 Plus. This does not provide any additional benefits. The fact is that before the touchpad did not seem small at all, and there is no feeling that increasing it gives any significant increase in the comfort of use.

But the main complaint may be the transition to USB-C. This can really be a problem at first, and Apple should have at least left a memory card slot. But if you think that you will have to carry a bunch of adapters with you, then you are mistaken. In most cases, one single adapter with “classic” USB ports and an SD card slot is enough. In addition, devices for wireless data transmission are available on the market. For example, MobiLite Wireless Pro with a built-in battery. It allows you to transfer data wirelessly from any device.

Apple is striving to establish the USB-C format as the only and universal one, and in principle there is a chance to force a general transition to it. Accordingly, if today for owners of MacBook Pro 2016 and MacBook 12″ connecting a USB drive becomes a headache, then after some time, on the contrary, owners of laptops with old connectors will experience the same torment, because the industry will gradually switch to USB-C .

There are only two weak points in this concept. Firstly, for some reason Apple is not switching to USB-C in the iPhone and iPad, although most competitors already use USB-C in smartphones and tablets. And secondly, even if this universal adoption of USB-C as the main and universal format ever takes place, it will clearly not happen in the next two years. This means that by the time the “happy future” arrives, the current “software” will already be obsolete.

It's nice to be able to charge the MacBook Pro from an external battery, but the proprietary MagSafe port is missing. Moreover, the 15-inch model consumes 85 watts, so a regular portable charger won't charge it while in use. The 13-inch MacBook Pro consumes 65 W, so you can both use the gadget and charge the battery.

What I definitely like are the stereo speakers on the left and right of the keyboard. They give a fairly good and loud sound, as much as possible in principle in such a form factor.

On the Internet you can often find complaints about the poor autonomy of the new MacBooks. Unfortunately, the actual battery life is really far from Apple's claimed 10 hours. When performing complex tasks like video editing, a 15-inch laptop lasts 1-2 hours, with normal use – 3-4. Things are a little better with the 13-inch model, which has a 5-6 hour battery life, but it's not even close to 10 hours.

The advantage of the new MacBook is definitely its performance, which exceeds all expectations. Despite the fact that the laptop does not have the latest hardware, the MacBook Pro 2016 is more productive than top-end Windows machines. There are no problems when editing 4K video when it comes to Final Cut Pro.

The RAM limit of 16 GB is disappointing, which is especially noticeable when editing large videos. The laptop supports connecting an external 5K display via USB-C. The Mac simultaneously transmits images and charges the battery, but overall impressions of this combination are mixed. In normal tasks everything works fine, but under significant loads the performance may not be enough.

As for the Touch Bar, you can doubt its necessity in terms of everyday use, but this is an innovation that can justify the upgrade and immediately sets the MacBook Pro 2016 apart from all other models. It is logical to assume that other manufacturers will also begin to experiment in this direction.

The Touch Bar is an attempt to come up with another control element besides the touchpad and keyboard. But at the same time, this is a rethinking of the keyboard, because the Touch Bar replaces the top row of keys and can imitate them.

Although, despite all its innovation, the Touch Bar is a rather controversial solution, unlikely to significantly increase productivity and greatly facilitate interaction with a laptop. If you set a goal to learn how to use it to the fullest and unlock the potential of the Touch Bar, you will be able to find optimal scenarios where the touch panel is really much more convenient than the usual methods of interacting with a laptop. But it’s impossible to say that after using the MacBook Pro 2016 it will be difficult to return to a regular MacBook Pro without the Touch Bar.

The last thing worth noting is the fingerprint scanner. Well, in fact: in top-end tablets, which most people use as toys, there is a fingerprint scanner, and in professional laptops, where the user has important documents, projects, email archives and other things that should not fall into the wrong hands, there is a fingerprint sensor still new. But now Apple will most likely build it into every laptop, which means other vendors will have to too. Again, a big plus for all users - even those who would never buy a MacBook.

Technically, the Touch ID sensor is not part of the touchpad, but is located to the right of it. Using a fingerprint scanner for quick authorization and online purchases is very convenient.

The most important question is: is this laptop worth buying? The answer depends on budget and personal preference. Apple relied on thickness and dimensions, innovation and the “wow factor”, which presented the user with a difficult choice: it seems that, logically, you should buy the latest model, if you have money, especially if it’s so cool, but if you buy a laptop to make money with its help, then doubt creeps in about the appropriateness of such a decision.

It is clear that Apple laptops have always been expensive, especially top-end ones, but when we bought the classic MacBook Pro Retina 15″, we clearly understood what we would get: a top-end device for all occasions, absolutely understandable and predictable. MacBook Pro 2016 is something new, an experiment, and here everyone must decide for themselves: is he ready to spend money on this experiment and get used to the features of the new product, or is it better to wait until the innovations that Apple has implemented here become standard de facto.

Over the past couple of weeks, we've introduced you to several fun (or weird?) apps for the Touch Bar on the new MacBook Pro. During this time, there were even more of them, so it was decided to make a small but relevant selection of all sorts of utilities, toys and applications for the touchpad on MacBooks. Some programs you will definitely like, others you may not even want to install. Already interested?

1. TouchSwitcher (free download)

It's strange that the functionality of this little utility was not originally built into the Touch Bar function. It's so intuitive to switch between applications running on your Mac using the touchpad. This is exactly what TouchSwitcher does. After installing it, a special button will appear on the left edge of the sensor, which will display icons of running programs on a small display. They tapped on one and it instantly opened.

2. Rocket (free download)

Rocket is the same TouchSwitcher, only with a slightly redrawn interface and two important features. Firstly, after launch, the utility icon is always lit in the top bar, through which it can be updated or further configured. Secondly, with Rocket you can fully launch applications from the Dock. That is, those that have not yet been launched.

3. Doom

No, well, if you were once able to run the classic Doom game on the first iPhone, then why not try to do it on the most powerful MacBook Pro? Only they will play with you not on the Retina screen, but on the tiny Touch Bar. Yes, you can play Doom on such a narrow screen! The toy cannot be downloaded yet; apparently, its author Adam Bell is still finishing it.

4. Nyan Cat (free download)

Nyan Cat is a world-famous man who appeared thanks to a YouTube video that appeared in 2011. It depicts a cat running in space with a body made of cookies. Want something like this on your Touch Bar? Easily! Even with sound, which is very important.

5. KnightTouchBar 2000 (free download)

This is an entertainment utility for those who remember the 1991 film “Knight Rider”. After launching it, the Touch Bar screen will display the same animation as on the dashboard of the Pontiac car of the main character of this legendary film. And the sound design is the same, yes.

6.Lemmings

Who remembers Lemmings? This is a game from 1991, which over all this time has been ported to many gaming platforms. In it, funny little people walk around the level mindlessly, and your task is to guide them so that they don’t get into any trouble and successfully reach the end of the level. One of these levelers can now be on your Touch Bar. You can control the little people using taps on the small screen. By the way,

Replaces the row of physical keys at the top of the keyboard. The panel is a full-fledged MultiTouch Retina display, which is an additional toolbar for the active application that the user is currently working with. In this article, we offer 15 tips that will make working with the Touch Bar simple and effective.

How to display function keys F1, F2, etc.

To access the function keys F1, F2, etc., simply press and hold the Fn button located at the bottom left of the keyboard.

Always show function keys in certain applications

Some applications may require that function keys be displayed at all times. Users can configure this function themselves. To do this you need to go to " System Settings» → « Keyboard» → « Keyboard shortcuts", choose " Function keys" and click the icon " + " to add the desired application. Now, when you launch this application, the function keys will always be displayed by default. When you press and hold the Fn key on the Touch Bar, the Control Strip interface (the right side of the Touch Bar that displays the various macOS switches) will appear.

Quickly adjust volume level and display brightness

To adjust the volume or brightness level of the screen, simply press, hold and change the position of the slider in the Control Strip.

Customizing the Control Strip interface on the Touch Bar

Open " System Settings» → « Keyboard" and select the option " Set up Control Strip" The icons in the Control Strip will start to wiggle. In this mode, you can drag (delete, replace) selected switch icons from the MacBook Pro display to the Control Strip panel.

Access to advanced Control Strip features

Click the chevron (arrow) button to the left of the Control Strip interface to access an expanded list of system functions and controls.

Setting up an expanded Control Strip

Pressing the button in the form of a chevron (arrows) during the Control Strip setup process will allow you to access a more complete list of system functions.

How to place the necessary tools of the selected application on the Touch Bar

To place the necessary tools of a specific application on the Touch Bar, launch the application whose tools you would like to place in the Touch Bar and go to the " tab View» → « Set up Touch Bar" It is worth considering that not all applications have this feature.

How to customize the Control Strip while changing application settings

When changing application settings, you can quickly move on to adjusting the Control Strip by simply tapping on the interface.

Escape key

The Escape key is located in the upper left corner of the touch control pad, but its placement is slightly inconsistent with the physical buttons below it. However, MacBook Pro owners who are used to touch typing need not worry—presses on the Escape key will be registered even if your finger doesn't make full contact with the button.

Sleep mode

The Touch Bar's backlight dims after 60 seconds of inactivity and turns off completely after 75 seconds to conserve your laptop's battery power. To return it to working condition, you can touch either the panel, the keyboard, or the trackpad.

Trackpad + Touch Bar

macOS lets you use your trackpad and Touch Bar at the same time. For example, you can add an object to Pixelmator and change its color or size at the same time.

Ability to take Touch Bar screenshots

With the release of macOS 10.12.2, users now have the ability to take screenshots of the Touch Bar (). The functionality is available to owners of MacBook Pro running macOS 10.12.2 or later.

It promised to become iconic and revolutionary. This year Apple laptops turn 25 years old, the Pro and Air lines have not been updated for a long time, everyone was waiting for a bunch of “amazings”.

Tim Cook and his team tried to keep the public's interest for more than an hour, but at the same time they showed only one new product. year on the Air line (laptops are more powerful and smaller) and set a new standard in the segment of compact but powerful ultrabooks.

The main innovation of the firmware was the second display, or rather the touch panel Touch Bar.

I believe that the new feature is a step back, and not a cool revolutionary innovation; there are a number of complaints about this engineering solution.

1. Why was the top row of keys removed?

Many users regularly use EFKs for work; they often adjust the display brightness or the volume of the device without even looking at the keyboard. Now you can't do this blindly, and when another application's buttons appear in the panel, you'll have to switch to the Finder or desktop to turn down the volume or increase the brightness of the keyboard backlight.

The touch key raises the most questions Escape. The button is used quite often in games and applications; touch input without feedback is not the best solution.

2. Panel height is too low

During the presentation, we saw how the Touch Bar helps when working in professional applications. The panel contains keys for applying various effects; you can view the color palette or timeline, depending on the program.

From my experience working in video editors, I can say that sometimes even a third of the screen is not enough to comfortably work with the Timeline, not to mention a small strip the size of a cut-down key.

The display of photo windows with open Safari tabs in the preview panel causes a fit of laughter. It looks fine on the big screen during a presentation, but try looking down at the keyboard and imagining a series of pictures the size of the F1 button.

3. There is no feedback

Clicking a virtual button has no feedback. The user will have to control the operation of the keys at all times.

4. Constantly changing panel capabilities

It will be very difficult to learn the location of changing icons, which means that the speed of working at the computer will decrease. Only when working with Photoshop or Final Cut Pro, the panel can change depending on the selected tool, the selected operating mode, or the selected area of photos and videos.

It’s simply impossible to get used to such a variety of icons on the Touch Bar.

5. Why duplicate hotkeys

Most of the actions that were performed using the touchpad during the presentation can be done by pressing the corresponding hot keys. Shortcuts have been present in the system for a long time, we are used to them and have learned the necessary ones; we can quickly press them blindly.

Why instead shift your gaze to the touchpad and press down on the sensor without feedback?

6. Cross on touch dialing

But I began to master the 10-finger touch typing method and was already accustomed to not looking at the keyboard of my computer. Why is Apple trying to take me back a step again so that I regularly “jump” my eyes between the buttons and the screen.

PC users in the US, 95% of whom have touch typing skills, will have to get used to looking at the keys to perform certain actions.

It was very sad to see how all the presenters at the presentation were forced to bury their eyes on the keyboard in order to convince us of its convenience and usefulness.

A ray of light

The only necessary feature in the new panel is the Touch ID sensor. It significantly expands the capabilities of laptops, allows you to pay for purchases without smartphones and instantly switch between user accounts.

Unfortunately, the fingerprint scanner was not included in the low-end MacBook model without the Touch Bar.

We are very interested in your opinion about the main innovation of 2016.

As before, the laptop's all-metal body looks impeccable, but it's not particularly scratch-resistant. Over time, marks may appear on it, so it is better to get a cover.

What I definitely like are the stereo speakers on the left and right of the keyboard. They give a fairly good and loud sound, as much as possible in principle in such a form factor.

Technically, the Touch ID sensor is not part of the touchpad, but is located to the right of it. Using a fingerprint scanner for quick authorization and online purchases is very convenient.