#iAUnboxCast 43 – Apple 16 inch MacBook Pro

16 inch MacBook Pro

Show Description

 

On this episode, Michael, Aleeha, Chris and Jason unbox the 2019, 16 inch [MacBook Pro](https://www.apple.com/macbook-pro-16/(.

 

Providing Feedback

 

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#iACast 25 – Fruit or Flop?

Apple invite for its Hello Again event.

We apologize for the delay in uploading the podcast, but we hope you will enjoy hearing our coverage of the recent Microsoft and Apple Events. The Microsoft Event took place on Wednesday, October 26, and the Apple Event took place on Thursday, October 27.

For information about what was released at Microsoft’s Windows 10 Event, check out this link from BGR.

Microsoft Event October 2016: Announcement recap – everything unveiled

For detailed coverage of the Apple event, check out this great page from MacRumors.

Apple Shares Full Video of Today’s MacBook Pro Event [Update: iTunes Version Available]

At iAccessibility, we have some useful posts about using the Touch Bar on the new MacBook Pro as low vision or blind users.

VoiceOver at the Bar

Zooming in on the Touch Bar

As always, thank you for listening! If you enjoy our podcast, please share it with others and rate us in your podcast app. For feedback and suggestions, please email feedback@iaccessibility.net

First Look: 13 Inch 2016 MacBook Pro without Touch Bar

image of MacBook Pro 2016 from iMore.com

Last week I had the chance to check out the 2016 MacBook Pro that is 13 inch without the new Touch Bar, and my thoughts on this machine are mixed. Here is what I observed.

Chasis

The 2016 MacBook Pros come in what feels like a new type of anodized aluminum unibody case. This case does feel stronger and more smooth than other models, and the Space Gray does look nice for a MacBook Pro.

Display

The new display on the MacBook Pro  is noticeably brighter, and thinner. It is so think that they removed the backlit Apple Logo to make the display thinner, which is not my favorite decision as the light up Apple logo is iconic to Apple’s product line.

Trackpad

The new trackpad on the 2016 MacBook Pro is considerably bigger than previous models. This allows for the user to have more working area to use for the ouse. One thing I noticed is that this makes there be less of a hand rest for proper typing, so one could not easily rest their hands on the MacBook without accidentally moving the mouse if a finger or palm hit the trackpad.

Keyboard

Apple has changed their laptop lines to use a new keyboard that uses better key design and prevents typical keys from breaking. These keys are flatter, and do not have as much key travel as previous keyboards. If you are familiar with the 12 inch MacBook then you will be familiar with this keyboard. I personally do not like the amount of travel the keys have, so I find it difficult to type on this keyboard. The keys do have slightly more travel then the MacBook, but they still do not have the amount of travel that comes on the 2015 MacBook Pro, which can be an issue for some. Many are able to adapt to these keys but many including myself prefer the previous keyboard style.

Ports

The 13 inch MacBook Pro without the Touch Bar comes with 2 USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports on the left side, and a headphone jack on the right. These ports are incredibly fast and powerful, but they are actually difficult to feel on the side of the machine to line up the device you are plugging in. This allows the machine to be thinner, but this may be an issue for users with low feeling in the fingers. With this model of the Pro, we also see the removal of the MagSafe charging port. On this model of the computer, one charges the machine by plugging the charger into any of the new USB-C ports. This now adds the risk of tripping over cables and pulling your computer off of whatever surface it is resting on.

Conclusion

The 2016 MacBook Pro strives to take us into the future with new display, keyboard, and connectivity technologies, but to do so, Apple has had to make sacrifices that remove features that users are used to having like standard USB ports, and a keyboard with more travel. In a few years we will not notice these changes and we will just accept them as standards, but until then it will be a rocky transition with a lot of cables hanging off of our MacBooks.

Quick Tip: How To Enable VoiceOver Using The Touch Bar

image of MacBook Pro 2016 from iMore.com

The MacBook Pro’s new Touch Bar has changed the way users interact with their Macs. The Touch bar removes the traditional row of function keys for a customizable touch bar that can have different options based on which app is active. While this changes the way we use the Mac it still allows for VoiceOver users to still be productive users of the MacBook Pro. While the function keys are changed on this machine, you can still enable VoiceOver with a similar method to the iPhone. Here is how it works.

Enable/Disable VoiceOver with Touch ID

  1. Hold the Command Key
  2. While holding Command, tap the Touch ID sensor or the Power button three times

This method is a very simple way to enable and disable VoiceOver on the Mac which closely resembles how iPhone and iPad users enable and disable accessibility features.

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