Macbook Pro (2016)

Author
Discussion

Vaud

50,285 posts

154 months

Thursday 20th October 2016
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My choice was opportunistic rather than planned smile

JiggyJaggy

1,449 posts

139 months

Thursday 20th October 2016
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craigjm said:
Maybe the next OS will be Galileo hehe
It would be magnifico

Durzel

Original Poster:

12,232 posts

167 months

Monday 24th October 2016
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Forbes said:
Ahead of the official launch, a lot of details about the MacBook Pro Line-up have been leaked, claims Forbes. According to the news outlet, the report issued by KGI Securities Ming-Chi Kuo reveals that Apple will be launching three new models on Thursday; a 15-inch MacBook Pro, a 13-inch MacBook Pro, and an all-new 13-inch MacBook.

Apart from the thinner and lighter laptops, a key feature revealed is that the new 2016 MacBook Pro will have a context-sensitive touchscreen, which will allow users to have access to popular commands and quick actions, determined by an app-on-app basis.

It is also believed by analysts that Apple will cut down the multiple ports on the hardware and the laptop will rely primarily on USB-C for power and connectivity. It will also be backed by Thunderbolt 3, but it will, however, depend on the model.

Notably, Kuo is known to break news about Apple hardware and he has an excellent track record. Kuo also states in his report that the Apple might not reveal the external displays and the new iMacs at the event. Moreover, he predicts that in case they make the announcement, it should not be expected before the first half of 2017.

Reportedly, the MacBook Pro 2016 UK price is expected to start from £999. And the different models will be differently priced as per the specifications and features, reports PC Advisor.
Not sure how much credence to give to the above rumour since the "in the know" guy was - I believe - certain these new laptops were going to be announced at WWDC too, and that never happened.

A touchscreen MacBook/MBP would be a pretty big departure from past models, and would go against what Steve Jobs said about them in the past (which I happen to agree with).

Rawwr

22,722 posts

233 months

Monday 24th October 2016
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Durzel said:
A touchscreen MacBook/MBP would be a pretty big departure from past models, and would go against what Steve Jobs said about them in the past (which I happen to agree with).
Since Jobs finished his chips, Apple have broken free of a lots of Jobs's idealistic constraints. I suspect Jony Ive was making plans to ditch skeumorphic UI whilst his body was still warm.

MitchT

15,788 posts

208 months

Monday 24th October 2016
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The 'touch screen' being a strip above the keyboard, not the actual laptop screen. Personally I don't care for touch screen computers. There's currently an ad on TV where some smug twunt says "I couldn't do that with a Mac". Part of the product being advertised is touch screen capability. Personally I'd much rather have a good track pad than start getting fingerprints all over the screen.

Durzel

Original Poster:

12,232 posts

167 months

Monday 24th October 2016
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MitchT said:
The 'touch screen' being a strip above the keyboard, not the actual laptop screen. Personally I don't care for touch screen computers. There's currently an ad on TV where some smug twunt says "I couldn't do that with a Mac". Part of the product being advertised is touch screen capability. Personally I'd much rather have a good track pad than start getting fingerprints all over the screen.
Whoops, yes, I misread that completely boxedin

Fas1975

1,777 posts

163 months

Monday 24th October 2016
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This guy seems to know what's coming in the refresh.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_i83H3FDGw8


Nothing earth shattering to be honest. For me, the coolest feature would be the ability to use the apple pencil with the trackpad. I do a fair amount of document editing / annotation, this would be super useful.

Looking forward to Thursday

Digitalize

2,850 posts

134 months

Monday 24th October 2016
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Fas1975 said:
This guy seems to know what's coming in the refresh.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_i83H3FDGw8


Nothing earth shattering to be honest. For me, the coolest feature would be the ability to use the apple pencil with the trackpad. I do a fair amount of document editing / annotation, this would be super useful.

Looking forward to Thursday
Any of these videos are always nothing more than collections of rumours/industry sources/leaks, with some fancy graphics and illustrations put in etc.

Not saying he's wrong, but it will be interesting to see how right he is.

I'm mostly worried about the 'Brexit' tax putting the prices through the roof.

Durzel

Original Poster:

12,232 posts

167 months

Monday 24th October 2016
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Digitalize said:
I'm mostly worried about the 'Brexit' tax putting the prices through the roof.
Yeah, that's a good point. frown

EDIT: It happened with the iPhone 7, so it's almost guaranteed to happen on this frown

Edited by Durzel on Monday 24th October 16:26

Murph7355

37,648 posts

255 months

Monday 24th October 2016
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Durzel said:
...
A touchscreen MacBook/MBP would be a pretty big departure from past models, and would go against what Steve Jobs said about them in the past (which I happen to agree with).
Instinctively I used to feel the same way. However having played with a Dell XPS (albeit for just 20mins) I think Jobs was talking out of his harris and the link sounds (sounded) more like "we don't have one yet so lets cool down opinions on them".

- laptop screens aren't "vertical"
- iPads generally aren't used "horizontally"
- in my 20min dabble you don't use a touchscreen laptop the same way you use a tablet
- watch how really young kids interact with laptops. In my recent experience (I have a 17mth old and a 4.5yr old), they're unencumbered with history and do what is intuitive to them...they're comfortable using the trackpad, keyboard AND the screen (attempting to at any rate - I don't have a touchscreen laptop yet - which I suspect is part of the reason my 11" MBA has a broken one!).

It doesn't matter how good the trackpad is, there are some OS operations that are just easier/faster/more intuitive lifting your finger and touching the relevant place on the screen. e.g. hitting the equivalent of the Apple menu item.

I can't see it replacing the trackpad, but as another input device I can equally see it being really handy to have. I was really, really surprised how natural it felt to the point I think it could be a deciding factor in the new laptop I buy this week.

As for fingerprints, my laptop seems to get them anyway. Cleaning glossy screens is one of the necessary evils of life!

The touchscreen function keys are a gimmick IMO. Integrating the fingerprint scanner with it has half a good reason. But function keys of any description ceased being fundamental to my use of a computer about 20yrs ago. And the chances of the software I use being able to take real advantage of such a piece of hardware are slim IMO. Besides, a touchscreen laptop obviates the need for such a gimmick. You want to quickly be able to hit "save" or "print",just dab it on the screen.

Spec of the processors might keep me with Apple. I don't really need a huge amount of power right now, but I keep my laptops for at least 5yrs so it will need some "future proofing" (dumb phrase smile). Moving away from OS X would be a bit of a wrench, though it's needing more and more frequent updates these days, and Win10 didn't look half bad. Build quality could be a factor.

On the other hand...if Apple roll out that god awful butterfly keyboard across the range, and cut out a lot of useful connectivity...it will weigh heavily against the choice I make.

Looking forward to Thursday. If only so I can retire my old faithful 11".

Piginapoke

4,736 posts

184 months

Monday 24th October 2016
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I unlock my MacBook Pro with my Apple Watch, which is much handier than I thought it would be.

Vaud

50,285 posts

154 months

Monday 24th October 2016
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"- iPads generally aren't used "horizontally"

I only use mine horizontally...

leglessAlex

5,383 posts

140 months

Monday 24th October 2016
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Durzel said:
Digitalize said:
I'm mostly worried about the 'Brexit' tax putting the prices through the roof.
Yeah, that's a good point. frown

EDIT: It happened with the iPhone 7, so it's almost guaranteed to happen on this frown

Edited by Durzel on Monday 24th October 16:26
To be fair, that's hardly surprising though is it? The pound has lost so much against the dollar of course Apple will raise the price by 10% or so(and we'll be lucky if it's only 10%, the Pound has lost what, 20%?). I don't think it will have such a big effect on the sales, Macs have always been on the more expensive end of the market anyway.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's a good thing! I think it's one of those inevitable results of voting for Brexit, the pound going down was always going to happen and thus foreign companies like Apple were always going to put the prices up.

For me the interesting things will be the graphics and whether they use integrated or discreet, and the ports, whether they have HDMI and multiple USB-A ports. If it has neither discreet graphics or USB-A ports then I can't see it being a great success, surely that would be a limitation too far for something that's supposed to be a 'Pro' level machine.

Durzel

Original Poster:

12,232 posts

167 months

Monday 24th October 2016
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Yeah, not surprised, doesn't make it any less stinging frown

I (think) I've managed to blag a 10% discount via a student friend, but it probably will just absorb the Brexit hike. frown

Murph7355

37,648 posts

255 months

Monday 24th October 2016
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Vaud said:
"- iPads generally aren't used "horizontally"

I only use mine horizontally...
You horizontal or the iPad?

Digitalize

2,850 posts

134 months

Monday 24th October 2016
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There's basically no way it won't have discreet graphics, for the 15" model, like the current lineup.

USB-A doesn't hugely matter for me, USB-C is better than it in every way.

Evolved

3,553 posts

186 months

Monday 24th October 2016
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Vaud said:
"- iPads generally aren't used "horizontally"

I only use mine horizontally...
Weirdo!

Vaud

50,285 posts

154 months

Monday 24th October 2016
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Murph7355 said:
Vaud said:
"- iPads generally aren't used "horizontally"

I only use mine horizontally...
You horizontal or the iPad?
I view my iPad in a 4:3 ratio, where the 4 is defined as my Left-Right scan, and the 3 is the Top-Down scan. My body orientation is irrelevant.

Murph7355

37,648 posts

255 months

Monday 24th October 2016
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Vaud said:
I view my iPad in a 4:3 ratio, where the 4 is defined as my Left-Right scan, and the 3 is the Top-Down scan. My body orientation is irrelevant.
I assumed Mr Jobs meant lying flat on a table ref "horizontal"....? Rather than the orientation of the device.

doogle83

758 posts

146 months

Tuesday 25th October 2016
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Durzel said:
Yeah, that's a good point. frown

EDIT: It happened with the iPhone 7, so it's almost guaranteed to happen on this frown

Edited by Durzel on Monday 24th October 16:26
This is what I'm waiting to see too really. I'd like a 13" machine, 16GB RAM / 256 so nothing earth shattering. If prices are up more than ~20% on the current range (based on Microsoft just increasing their UK pricing in this region) then I'll probably just buy a refurb XPS... Not long to wait either way now though smile