Apple killed a laptop that had a lot more fans than I expectedlast week.
Another person bemoaned the fussiness of the touch volume controls that replaced the old physical keys.
But I saw the development as a sign that Apple would get serious about the Touch Bar.
Photo: Alex Cranz
The Touch Bar is an opportunity for great things, and Apples wasting it with lousy stewardship.
Typically, a computer will have a strip of keys directly over the number keys.
Theyre called function keys.
Your only options for creating your own custom row of Function keys.Screenshot: Apple
Traditionally, they were programmable keys that could execute a user-defined series of characters.
Companies eventually started pre-programming the keys so they had default tweaks.
On a Mac that included stuff like volume control and brightness.
Can you find the button that lets you customize the Touch Bar and kill the Siri button?Screenshot: Apple
So instead of having only the 12 pre-programmed function keys, a user would have options.
I know I hoped for a lot!
Like buttons for a pre-defined list of gifs to drop in Slack or iMessage.
The Touch Bar in Chrome.Screenshot: Apple
Or maybe the ability to completely control iTunes or Spotify from the Touch Bar without pulling up the app.
Or perhaps the bar could catch notifications instead of having them take up a corner of the main display.
The problem is that after the initial launch, Apple didnt iterate the product.
The Touch Bar on Safari.Screenshot: Apple
Its annoying, and Apple hasnt done much to make it less annoying.
It doesnt even prompt you to customize it when you first set up your laptop.
Compare my Chrome Touch Bar to my Safari one.
QuickTime makes EXCELLENT use of the Touch Bar.Screenshot: Apple
Its also got buttons for creating a new tab and favoriting the current URL youre on.
These last two functions are accomplished easily with widely-used keyboard shortcuts, so dedicated buttons seem redundant.
The Safari Touch Bar could be better, but at least easy access Bookmarks are useful.
This is a pretty damn useless bar found when you open Apple’s Voice Memo app.Screenshot: Apple
Other apps dont fare much better.
You get the options suggested by the app maker, and thats it.
The company introduced a cool new feature and then has just let it sit there.
It has provided no incentives nor has it led by example with the Touch Bar.
Beyond some useful implementations in Apple-built apps right at launch, Apple has done nothing with the Touch Bar.
So yeah, of course, it makes sense my coworkers hate it.
Mercifully, you dont have to be like Apple or all my co-workers.
Theres handy software that lets you better take advantage of the Touch Bar right now.
you could program scripts and customize button appearances relatively easily.
It turns the Touch Bar into an easy to program tool launcher.
Another swipe and it’s possible for you to close one.
Theyre both solid alternatives and give a peek at what would be possible if Apple bothered to care.
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