Apple’s ‘Hello Again’ event by the numbers
Well, that was unusually brief. Apple debuted just three new products during its “Hello Again” event held today. The company showed off its new almost-all-in-one TV app (which somehow doesn’t include Netflix), a fully revamped Final Cut Pro X and the newest additions to the MacBook Pro line. There wasn’t even a “one more thing” moment. Man, I sure do miss those. Here are some numbers, because how else will you know how many input ports Apple decided to remove from this year’s model?
Click here to catch all the latest news from Apple’s “Hello again” event.
The Wirecutter’s best deals: $110 off on a Dell XPS 13 laptop
This post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a buyer’s guide to the best technology. Read their continuously updated list of deals atTheWirecutter.com.
You may have already seen Engadget posting reviews from our friends at The Wirecutter. Now, from time to time, we’ll also be publishing their recommended deals on some of their top picks. Read on, and strike while the iron is hot—some of these sales could expire mighty soon.
Bose Soundlink Mini II + Amazon Echo Dot
Street price: $250; MSRP: $250; Deal price: $214
Solid deal on a bundle from Amazon that includes the Bose Soundlink Mini II and the Echo Dot for $214. The Soundlink Mini II alone is $200, while the 2nd gen Dot is $50, so this represents a discount of $36 on the two together. As we haven’t seen many deals on either product individually, that makes this bundle a real value. Both the Carbon and Pearl colors of the Bose speaker and Black/White colors of the Dot are available.
Of the Soundlink Mini II, our portable bluetooth speaker pick for better sound, Brent Butterworth wrote, “For those who want even better sound quality and louder volume and don’t need their portable Bluetooth speaker to be super-portable, the Bose SoundLink Mini II is worth the cost.” He continues, “It’s shocking to hear how much better the SoundLink Mini II sounds than most of its competitors, with clearer voices and a fuller sound closer to what you’d expect to hear from a decent small stereo system. It also plays loud enough to drown out a small dinner party. At 1½ pounds the SoundLink Mini II is perfect for lugging along on family vacations or from room to room in the house but probably heavier than backpackers and business travelers will want to carry.”
Dell XPS 13 256GB Ultrabook
Street price: $1,100; MSRP: $1,100; Deal price: $990 with code TENOFF
This is a rare deal on the non-touchscreen version of the XPS 13. While 10% off isn’t a huge deal, this ultrabook rarely ever goes on sale. Plus, this model has been updated to Intel’s new Kaby Lake i5-7200U processor, meaning it’s slightly faster and more energy efficient than its predecessor. Make sure to change the color choice from Rose Gold to Silver to save $50, and then use code: TENOFF in the cart to receive the additional 10% off.
The Dell XPS 13 is our top pick in our guide for the best Windows Ultrabook. Kimber Streams wrote, “The XPS 13 configuration we recommend costs around $1,100 and has a seventh-generation Intel Core i5-7200U processor, 8 GB of RAM, a 256 GB solid-state drive, a Thunderbolt 3 port, and a stunning, 13.3-inch 1080p display—all in a laptop that’s closer in size and weight to the 11-inch MacBook Air than to the 13-inch Air. To fit the display into such a small chassis, Dell shrank the bezel around the screen to a teensy 5 millimeters. The design looks great, but the tiny bezel shunts the webcam to the left corner beneath the screen, so you should be prepared for some unflattering nostril and chin angles during video calls. That minor flaw aside, the Dell XPS 13’s comfortable keyboard, good trackpad, excellent battery life, and reasonable price make it the best ultrabook for getting work done in the office or on the go.”
All-Clad Tri-Ply Stainless-Steel Nonstick Fry Pan
Street price: $135; MSRP: $135; Deal price: $108
This is a good deal at 20% percent off in cart on all 3 sizes of this pan. Our pick, the 10 in. version of this pan, only drops below $110 when on sale and typically hovers above $130. The promotion is also available for the 8 and 12 in. sizes.
The All-Clad 10-inch Stainless Non-Stick Steel Fry Pan is our upgrade pick for the best nonstick pan. Lesley Stockton writes that it, “does everything our top pick can but better, albeit at a much higher price. Food came out more consistently browned and omelets released a little easier. Hash browns had a deeper and more-even golden color. The All-Clad nonstick skillet has all the features we like about the traditional skillet: classic flared shape, bent lip, and a comfortable stick handle, and it’s the only one of our picks that’s induction compatible.”
Anova Precision Cooker Bluetooth
Street price: $150; MSRP: $150; Deal price: $112 with code KITCHEN
At $112 with from Target with code KITCHEN, this is easily the lowest we’ve seen the Anova Bluetooth. After the introduction of the new model, we expected to see it drop below $130, but that hadn’t really happened until now. Shipping is free and if you’ve got a REDcard, you can get an additional 5% off.
The Anova Precision Cooker is our runner-up in our sous vide gear guide. Tim Barribeau writes, “It’s one of the cheapest ways to get into sous vide cooking, and thanks to an innovative adjustable attachment system, the new Anova works with a much smaller volume of water than the previous iteration did—so there’s now no need to heat up a gallon of water just to cook a couple of chicken breasts.”
Deals change all the time, and some of these may have expired. To see an updated list of current deals, please go to The Wirecutter.com.
Marvel writer chased off Twitter by pathetic misogynists
A year ago Marvel announced that the character Mockingbird would be getting her first solo series helmed by author Chelsea Cain. The book ran from March until it was cancelled this month, with the final cover prominently displaying the message “Ask Me About My Feminist Agenda.” Predictably, this provoked the vile side of Twitter, and after the trolls amped up their harassment, Cain deactivated her account this morning. Once again, the social platform’s failure to combat harassment allowed a vocal minority to drive away a creative voice.
In a blog post, Cain explains that she didn’t leave Twitter because of horrific threats. She left because of the daily abuse, the “base level of casual crassness and sexism” that Twitter allows to persist. It didn’t take rape threats or users doxxing her address to make the social platform’s environment intolerable, Cain said: “The tweets that bothered me were never the ones concerned with content; they were the ones that questioned my right to write comics at all, and were disgusted by the idea of a female hero having her own series.”
Other users quickly rose to Cain’s defense, including many in the comics community, like Marvel editor-in-chief Axel Alonso and lauded editor and Ms. Marvel co-creator Sana Amanat:
Having creators like Chelsea Cain write comics makes our industry stronger & stories better. Support them & their work!#StandWithChelseaCain
— sana amanat (@MiniB622) October 27, 2016
The comic industry suffers from its own sexist toxicity, both at a professional level and within its fanbase. In a 2011 essay, former Dark Horse editor and co-host of the comics history podcast Jay & Miles X-Plain The X-Men Jay Edidin summarized how the industry got here: More men held more control over fewer comics publishers and created content for their envisioned male demographic. This formed a chicken-and-egg causation whirlpool that alienated many girls and women, keeping them from joining the fanbase and entering the comics industry.
Some persisted over the decades, enduring the boys club exclusivity and harassment to lay the foundation for more women to create comics. There’s certainly a higher population in the professional echelon today and publishers are paying more attention to their female fans, but parts of comics fan culture remains from the days when Marvel and DC catered almost exclusively to men. These are the vocal and entitled lot that lash out on social media against female creators. Resisting that abuse often takes drastic measures, as comics writer and artist Kate Leth explained:
I forget about it most days because it’s taken 5 years to get to a point where I can’t see someone telling me to kill myself every day
— Leth Merenghi 💀📚🕯 (@kateleth) October 26, 2016
Cain left on rather moderate terms compared to the extensive racist harassment that bullied actress Leslie Jones off Twitter back in July. But at the end of the day, both fled rather than deal with a toxic minority of the social network’s userbase. Even if much of the blame for Cain’s exit lies with the hostile comics fans that refuse to embrace (or even tolerate) female voices in the medium, Twitter’s inaction allows the bullying to continue. Its persistent failure to combat abuse already may have prevented a deal to get bought. Then again, Disney’s back to sniffing around for a possible acquisition, so maybe Twitter doesn’t have to fix its harassment problem before money saves the day. For them.
Source: The Daily Dot
Twitter’s identity crisis killed Vine
Today, Twitter announced that it’s effectively killing Vine, its short-form video service. Though you can still download and watch already-posted Vines, you won’t be able to upload new six-second clips from now on. It’s a shame, but in a way, it’s been a long time coming. The platform has been a lot less active than it used to be, with many flocking to Instagram and Snapchat instead for their video-sharing fix. But what really killed Vine is that it no longer fits in Twitter’s revamped business strategy: live news.
The news comes on the heels of Twitter’s latest quarterly report, which not only revealed that it would be laying off 350 employee, but that it was also restructuring to be profitable in 2017. And no wonder — though it continues to make money, Twitter has never turned a profit and user growth has remained stagnant. Even after co-founder Jack Dorsey took over as CEO last year, the company just couldn’t seem to turn its fortunes around.
2016 in particular has been rough for Twitter. Not only did it see an exodus of executives, it also faced increasing scrutiny over its constant harassment problems. The problem reached a fever pitch this year when SNL’s Leslie Jones received a barrage of racist and sexist tweets, leading her to briefly quit. Twitter did eventually ban the leader of that mob as well as implement quality filters and a safety council, but the damage was already done. Plus, those efforts don’t seem to have solved matters either. Marvel writer Chelsea Cain was also recently driven off Twitter due to abusive comments she received about her work.
This turned out to be a sticking point when Twitter sought to sell itself a few months ago. Several companies were interested in the deal — Salesforce, Google and Disney, to name a few — but all were ultimately scared off, in part because of the toxic reputation of Twitter’s users. Indeed, it seems as if Disney was even really close to pulling the trigger, but Twitter’s online abuse issues proved too messy for Disney’s family-friendly image.
Meanwhile, Vine was fading. As mentioned earlier, it was losing valuable market share to Instagram and Snapchat. Not only do they both allow for longer clips (Instagram allows up to 60 seconds while Snapchat’s restriction is 10) but there’s also a lot less pressure to be funny or original. Vine was a fun place to be creative and quirky, sure, but most people just want to take goofy videos of their cat. Furthermore, the stars that did emerge on Vine quickly discovered that there weren’t a lot of monetization opportunities there and eventually fled to other platforms.
See what’s happening: https://t.co/ChbWRrSJyKhttps://t.co/r9AZd9rzI3
— Twitter (@twitter) July 25, 2016
At the same time, Twitter is still trying to find its voice. A few months ago, it launched an audacious television ad campaign that positioned itself as a place to “see what’s happening.” It was the beginning of Twitter trying to rebrand as a source for live news, not just a social network. It introduced Moments, a feature that highlights trends and news tweets and further integrated Periscope, its video streaming platform. Most recently, it started dabbling into live programming, such as Thursday Night Football and the US presidential debates. It’s even going to air two live original shows produced by the NBA.
As the possibility of a Twitter sale dwindled, it became clear that the company needed to double down on this vision. In a leaked internal memo, Dorsey said the site was a place for “news and talk,” making it “the people’s news network.” If Twitter is going to remain independent — which it seems like it’ll have to — it needs to focus in on a single purpose. For now, that appears to be in live news and entertainment. And unfortunately, six-second video loops have no place in this world.
‘SpyParty’ finally looks like a real video game
Yes, after nearly 10 years, SpyParty is still in development. It’s an underground kind of independent, competitive game where one player is a spy attempting to complete discreet tasks at a fancy party, and another player is positioned outside, observing the scene through the scope of a sniper rifle. The spy attempts to blend in with a room full of AI-powered partygoers while the sniper tries to figure out which one is actually human (and then shoot that character, of course).
And soon, it will all be much, much prettier. Creator Chris Hecker, artist John Cimino and newly hired environment artist Reika Yoshino today revealed five new characters, a professional-looking UI and an updated version of SpyParty’s largest map, Veranda. The update isn’t live yet, but it’s coming in hot and should be available in the game’s paid beta late tonight.
These are big changes. For years, SpyParty was packed with blocky placeholder art as Hecker fine-tuned the actual gameplay. In 2012, he started rolling out the updated visuals. Even in an unfinished, seemingly never-ending beta, the game has attracted plenty of players and it boasts a small, yet fervent, fanbase that includes everyone from casual players to competitive fighting game fans.
Today’s update affects the UI most of all. Aside from a massive visual upgrade, the new UI enables players to fully customize their matches, jump into a quick game and share unique “QuickPlay” settings.
“Things like game timer duration, number of guests, prohibited and required missions, etc,” he says. “I’m expecting a lot of wacky totally unbalanced game modes to be tried by the elite players, and probably some interesting new balanced ones will be found as well.”
The five new characters are Mr. Q (a Lex Luthor-looking fellow), Ms. R (a businesswoman with short brown hair), Mr. S (a dwarf modeled after Silvio Berlusconi), Ms. T (who wears an orange Sari) and Mr. U (a fancy blonde lad). Mr. Q and Ms. T are updates to the fan-favorite characters “Orange Dress” and Danger P. Johnson. These additions bring SpyParty’s character count to 21 and they were initially intended to be the final batch. However, there may be five more coming down the line.
“One thing is that we’re up to the letter U in the temporary code names, and doing five more would take us to Z,” Hecker says. “A compelling argument, you must admit.”
Finally, the game’s largest map, Veranda, is now a Southern Colonial Mansion. Previously, it was a simple 3D balcony floating in the midst of the ether.
“This is the start of a long road to a full professional game,” Hecker says (yes, after many, many years of development on SpyParty).
Watch Apple’s MacBook Pro event in 9 minutes
In contrast to Microsoft’s everything-and-the-kitchen-sink approach to announcements just a day earlier, Apple’s “Hello Again” event was a more focused affair. However, there was still a lot to take in. How does the new MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar work, exactly? And what’s this TV app that Apple introduced? Don’t worry about having to spend ages reading (or watching the full replay) if you don’t have time, though. We’ve recapped the entire presentation in a 9-minute video, so you can get the gist of Apple’s media shindig in the time it takes to grab a drink.
Click here to catch all the latest news from Apple’s “Hello Again” event.
MacBook Pro First Impressions: A Lightweight ‘Engineering Marvel’ With Beautiful Screen
With pre-orders for the new MacBook Pro up today, and a launch expected within the next two to three weeks, Apple has given a number of journalists access to the 13-inch and 15-inch devices so they can share their thoughts with anyone who is interested in the new flagship MacBook Pro line. MacRumors has already rounded up a collection of opinions regarding the newest feature on the MacBook Pro — the Touch Bar — so this roundup will be focused on other areas.
Namely, topics covered include the keyboard, trackpad, screen, and overall weight and feel of the device. Opinions on the keyboard appear to differ depending on whether or not the user is acclimated to the 2015 MacBook’s Butterfly Enclosure keyboard, but otherwise the new MacBook Pro is getting positive initial reactions to its design, particularly in its ability to pack in powerful specs in such a lightweight enclosure.
Images via Engadget
Many of those who got a chance to touch the new MacBook Pros of course first interacted with the keyboard, and The Verge ended up liking it, while noting that it’s essentially the same as the one introduced on the Retina MacBook in 2015, which might cause problems with anyone who hasn’t owned one of those MacBooks. It also said that the trackpad is “absolutely massive.”
The keyboard is almost identical to the Butterfly keyboard found on the tiny MacBook. That’s going to cause some people to grind their teeth, but I think it’s great and easy to type on — and I do think the keys might have sightly better travel, but don’t hold me to that. In any case, I expect that this will be a sore spot for some people, but my level of sympathy isn’t as high as it ought to be, because I think this keyboard is great.
The Trackpad is absolutely massive, so much so that Apple had better make sure it has its palm-rejection software perfect, because your palms are going to be resting on this thing all the time.
Forbes looked particularly at the weight of the MacBook Pro, and came away impressed with the device’s form factor and heft, even calling the 15-inch model “a reasonable weight for people on the go.” The site was able to handle both 13-inch and 15-inch versions of the MacBook Pro and was particularly pleased with the smaller laptop due to its 3 pound weight and more svelte design.
As a road warrior and a 13-inch MacBook Air user, I was most interested in that model and pleased to learn that it’s the same weight (3 pounds) and a bit smaller form factor. Even the 15-inch, at 4 pounds, is a reasonable weight for people on the go. I was able to handle both models and could easily see myself carrying around the 13-inch model as I go about my day or walk from booth to booth at a large trade show like CES.
Macworld delved deeper into the ports that the MacBook Pro offers, including the 3.5mm headphone jack (located on the right of each MacBook) that some feared might be eliminated following its removal on the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. With the new models, Apple has included four total Thunderbolt 3 ports, two located on each side of the MacBook Pro (besides the Touch Bar-lacking $1,499 tier, which has just two Thunderbolt 3 ports).
While Macworld admitted that adapters will inevitably be required for some tasks (with no proper USB-A input, an iPhone can’t be charged or synced on the MacBook Pro), the move towards a more flexible input standard is “appreciated.” As Apple demoed during the event, one Thunderbolt 3 port can connect a MacBook Pro to a 5K display and even charge it at the same time, and there are many other dynamic instances that users will be able to take advantage of thanks to the new ports on the MacBook Pro.
You also get four Thunderbolt 3 ports on the 13-inch and 15-inch models (only two on the lower-end 13-inch MacBook Pro with Function Keys, but we’re discussing the Touch Bar models here). Apple put two on each side, and it’s kind of cool how all the ports can charge the laptop or connect to Thunderbolt, DisplayPort 1.2, and USB-C devices.
I’m used to having dedicated ports for each IO method, so the flexibility is appreciated, and it’s a relief Apple went with four instead of, say, two. You’ll still need adapters for some things, like peripherals that use USB-A or Thunderbolt 2 ports, or an SD card reader, since that slot is gone. But having multiple ports might let you avoid picking up one of the USB-C docks that MacBook owners need if they want to connect more than one device at a time.
Engadget was particularly impressed by the screen on the new MacBook Pro models, calling it “stunning” when in person and “a noticeable upgrade” from the previous generation of MacBook Pros. The site specifically mentioned that warmer colors in red and yellow boost image quality, and overall colors “really are richer and more vibrant.”
Engadget concluded its hands-on preview with one of the more superlative opinions on the new MacBook Pro, calling the device “an engineering marvel” that feels very solid in the hand and has beautiful finishes in Silver and Space Gray. Thanks to the added bonus that the 13-inch version weighs “even less than a MacBook Air,” the site said that the 2-3 week shipping estimate will be a hard wait after pre-ordering.
Aside from the Touch Strip, the laptop itself is an engineering marvel. It feels super solid, like a solid slab of aluminum, and I’m particularly enamored with the space gray finish. It’s remarkable that Apple managed to cram fully fledged MBP internals into a chassis that weighs even less than a MacBook Air — I held my Air in one hand and the new 13-inch Pro in the other, and I couldn’t tell a difference between them. The 15-inch model is a bit heavier, of course, but it’s still a relatively svelte machine for how powerful it is.
And I can’t discuss the hardware without mentioning the new screen. The wider color gamut it provides isn’t something that most civilians need, but it is a noticeable upgrade when you see the difference side to side. Colors really are richer and more vibrant, particularly with warmer colors: reds and yellows in particular.
For anyone interested, Apple’s new MacBook Pro is available for pre-order today, with the 13-inch model starting at $1,799 and the 13-inch model starting at $2,399, and both versions are said to begin shipping in the next 2-3 weeks. Apple has also introduced a second 13-inch MacBook Pro sans Touch Bar for $1,499, which is shipping today. For more hands-on coverage, check out our roundup of opinions on the Touch Bar.
Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Tag: October 2016 event
Buyer’s Guide: Retina MacBook Pro (Buy Now)
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Apple Updates iMovie, GarageBand, Xcode and iWork Apps With Support for MacBook Pro Touch Bar
Though the new MacBook Pro models equipped with a Touch Bar won’t be in the hands of consumers for at least two more weeks, Apple today updated many of its Mac apps with support for the feature.
GarageBand, iMovie, Keynote, Numbers, Pages, and Xcode are now able to work with the Touch Bar built into new 13 and 15-inch MacBook Pro machines.
In Xcode, the Touch Bar offers up context-specific buttons when in the Xcode editor, commit sheet, navigator, and Interface Builder. The Interface Builder makes it easy for developers to add Touch Bar features to their Mac apps, and the Touch Bar simulator lets them see how their app works with the Touch Bar.
In Numbers, Pages, and Keynote, the Touch Bar can be used to edit text, shapes, tables, and charts, providing quick-access tools depending on what you’re working on.
In iMovie, the Touch Bar allows users to quickly add video clips to a movie, or use them to create picture in picture, green screen, and split screen effects. There are also options for using the Touch Bar to play a movie, split a clip, or adjust clip volume.
In GarageBand, the Touch Bar can be used to adjust all Smart Controls on a selected track, adjust volume, or to fine-tune the sound of instruments and effects.
Apple has also released a new version of iTunes, iTunes 12.5.2. The update is not yet available for download and it may be limited to new MacBook Pro models, introducing support for the Touch Bar.
Over the course of the next few weeks, many popular Mac apps from third-party developers will also be updated to support the new Touch Bar in the MacBook Pro. Some apps that will have Touch Bar buttons include Pixelmator, Affinity Photo, Photoshop, Sketch, DaVinci Resolve, Microsoft Office, and more.
Tags: Pages, Keynote, Numbers, iMovie, Xcode, GarageBand
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Belkin Debuts New Thunderbolt 3 Express Dock HD
Belkin today announced the launch of its Thunderbolt 3 Express Dock HD, which is designed to work with the USB-C Thunderbolt 3 ports on Apple’s new 13 and 15-inch MacBook Pro machines.
Created to be a “complete single-cable docking solution,” the Express Dock HD features 40Gb/s data transfer speeds, 85 watts of power delivery for charging, and support for a single 5K monitor or two 4K monitors.
“Belkin has a long-standing history of designing complementary peripherals and accessories for the industry’s most innovative hardware products, such as the all-new MacBook Pro,” said Steve Malony, vice president and general manager, Belkin. “The new Thunderbolt 3 Express Dock HD and its exceptional single-cable docking solution for notebooks was developed with a deep understanding of consumers’ needs for ideal connectivity solutions.”
The Express Dock includes Two Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports, three USB-A ports, one DisplayPort, a Gigabit Ethernet port, an Audio In/Out port, and a second Audio Out port. Up to five Thunderbolt devices can be daisy-chained from the dock and it includes a 170W power adapter to supply power to attached peripherals while also charging a MacBook Pro.
Belkin is also introducing a USB-C to HDMI adapter and two Thunderbolt 3 cables in 0.5 ($29.95) and 2m ($69.95) sizes. Pricing on the Express Dock and the adapter has not yet been announced.
Belkin’s Thunderbolt 3 Express Dock and USB-C to HDMI Adapter will be available soon from the Belkin website and from Apple.com. The Thunderbolt 3 cables are already available from both Belkin and Apple.
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Apple’s Phil Schiller: ‘We Don’t Design for Price, We Design for the Experience’
Following the launch of the redesigned MacBook Pro, CNET has published an interview with Apple executives Phil Schiller, Jony Ive, and Craig Federighi, highlighting some of the design decisions that went into the new machine.
The contextual OLED Touch Bar on the new MacBook Pro, which is its key feature, has been in development under the direction of Jony Ive for at least two years, and according to Ive, it “marks a beginning” of a “very interesting direction” for future products.
Apple’s new MacBook took so long to develop because the company didn’t want to “just create a speed bump,” aiming instead for something that’s a “big, big step forward.” Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller says the MacBook Pro will allow Apple to “create many things to come,” some of which “we can’t envision yet.” He also said Apple isn’t driven by a calendar, but is instead aiming to create “new innovations” in the Mac line.
Many customers are unhappy with the high price of the new MacBook Pro models, something Schiller addressed in the interview. An entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar costs $1,799, a full $500 more than previous-generation models, and 15-inch models start at $2,399. Schiller says Apple cares about price, but has to design for experience rather than cost.
Affordability is “absolutely something we care about,” Schiller says. “But we don’t design for price, we design for the experience and the quality people expect from Mac. Sometimes that means we end up at the higher end of the range, but not on purpose, just because that’s what it costs.”
The MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar doesn’t signal a future move into touchscreen Macs, something the Apple executives made clear. A Mac with a touchscreen isn’t “particularly useful,” Ive said, while Schiller said Apple investigated the possibility of converging iOS and Mac devices but decided against it.
“We did spend a great deal of time looking at this a number of years ago and came to the conclusion that to make the best personal computer, you can’t try to turn MacOS into an iPhone,” Schiller says. “Conversely, you can’t turn iOS into a Mac…. So each one is best at what they’re meant to be — and we take what makes sense to add from each, but without fundamentally changing them so they’re compromised.”
Both Federighi and Schiller believe the laptop is a form factor that’s going to be around for a long time. “As far as our eyes can see, there will still be a place for this basic laptop architecture,” Schiller said, pointing out that it’s been useful for the past 25 years.
Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Pro model with no Touch Bar is available for purchase starting today and will deliver in just a few days. The new 13 and 15-inch models that do include Touch Bars are available for order, but won’t ship until mid-to-late November.
Along with a Touch Bar, Apple’s new MacBook Pros feature upgraded processors, new graphics capabilities, improved displays, faster SSDs, Thunderbolt 3 support, and 10 hour battery life.
CNET’s full interview, which also focuses on the history of the Mac notebook lineup, is well worth checking out.
Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Tags: Phil Schiller, Craig Federighi, Jony Ive
Buyer’s Guide: Retina MacBook Pro (Buy Now)
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