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[MRORANGE]

It's cheaper for UK customers to fly to America/Canada to buy A Macbook Pro than to buy one in the UK.

Just boggles the mind, too bad you end up with an american keyboard.

 

[sc0la]

It's cheaper for UK customers to fly to America/Canada to buy A Macbook Pro than to buy one in the UK.

Just boggles the mind, too bad you end up with an american keyboard.

You can BTO the British keyboard in the US online store.

 

[samn]

It's cheaper for UK customers to fly to America/Canada to buy A Macbook Pro than to buy one in the UK.

Just boggles the mind, too bad you end up with an american keyboard.

do you have to pay VAT when you bring it back?

and in my experience AppleCare are not too helpful with devices purchased from other countries...

 

[Rocky Raccoon]

What are the 2015 MacBook Pro defect rates?

I have never went to the Genius Bar for my MacBook Pros since 2013. They always worked well and no errors.

 

[Chittagong]

I wonder what compelled logic Apple to slap a MacBook Pro text on the new MacBook Pro screens

 

[Fliesen]

do you have to pay VAT when you bring it back?

and in my experience AppleCare are not too helpful with devices purchased from other countries...

well, only roughly 500$ of goods are tax free, so yes, you'd have to declare it during immigration and pay the EU VAT. Also, i haven't read the article because it's behind a paywall (right?), but do they simply do Macbook US + US VAT + airplane ticket < Macbook UK + UK VAT?
because i can't believe the math would work out. The visa as well as transfer from the airport to the next Apple / electronics store would add like ... 100$ alone.

Ordering / Shipping it via borderlinx, however, may be worthwhile.

I wonder what compelled logic Apple to slap a MacBook Pro text on the new MacBook Pro screens

do you agree or disagree with them labeling their laptops again? ... the fact my retina macbook doesn't say "macbook" is SUPER weird. i'm glad it's back.

 

[Zaph]

do you have to pay VAT when you bring it back?

and in my experience AppleCare are not too helpful with devices purchased from other countries...

well, only roughly 500$ of goods are tax free, so yes, you'd have to declare it during immigration and pay the EU VAT

If its unboxed and in your belongings, don't worry about it. Nobody is checking your card statements

 

[jts]

I wonder what compelled logic Apple to slap a MacBook Pro text on the new MacBook Pro screens

To be fair, the MacBook Retina 2012-2015 were the only MacBooks ever that didn't feature the name on the screen - and tbf I do prefer the understated look. Don’t care much either way though.

 

[Fliesen]

If its unboxed and in your belongings, don't worry about it. Nobody is checking your card statements

i know - it'd still be tax evasion, though.
I've gone above the 500$ limit on many of my trips (not by thousands of dollars, though), but still - you're commiting tax evasion if you don't declare. Just thought i'd mention that. Like - if you get caught because you're super unlucky - and there's a tech savvy customs officer that can tell that it's a brand new macbook with an american keyboard - that might just bite you in the ass.

 

[samn]

If its unboxed and in your belongings, don't worry about it. Nobody is checking your card statements

If you're already happy to break the law, there are much cheaper ways to buy Macbooks.

 

[maharg]

If its unboxed and in your belongings, don't worry about it. Nobody is checking your card statements

A lot of things get cheaper if you break the law.

 

[Zaph]

If you're already happy to break the law, there are much cheaper ways to buy Macbooks.

A lot of things get cheaper if you break the law.

oh I forgot, this is gaf

 

[samn]

oh I forgot, this is gaf

dunno about you but I'm happy to pay VAT if it helps us hold onto universal healthcare

 

[Fliesen]

oh I forgot, this is gaf

this has nothing to do with "this is gaf". It's not just "pay your taxes you freeloader" shit. It can be of consequence to the person 'importing' the macbook, too ...
Imagine you're an aspiring lawyer or judge and you read this shit and are like "hey that's a fun way to save money, and a funny little adventure".

You might just have ruined your career, because you've committed a felony. (My friend's a notary public. In law school they were told 'there are no 'trivial offenses' when you're striving for a law career. They singled out the customs declaration issue in particular, because there have been instances where people lost their licenses for that shit).

So we just want someone to be aware of the fact that a component of what makes it cheaper is the european tax you're evading.
Depending on who you are (or what you're aspiring to be), the (albeit low) risks might actually outweigh the reward.

 

[maharg]

oh I forgot, this is gaf

*shrug* I'm not judging, but the savings are coming from avoiding regulation. The same can be applied to any product, or most any other comparison between paying a tax or not paying a tax. It's just not all that interesting.

 

[acksman]

Ordered 4 of the Macbook Pro's space grey decked out max CPU/GPU/1TB for my folks to start testing the touch functions and compatibility with our software. I will grab one of them, hoping we can do some things internally with the touch to automate some things in InDesign scripting.

 

[hateradio]

The startup chime is gone, but the computer also turns itself on automatically when you open the lid. (I remember when my Google Cr-48 did this back in 2010) And like the MacBook and the iPhone/iPad, it also makes a sound when you plug it in.

I miss Happy Mac.

Apple has removed everything that makes a Mac a Mac and is turning it into an iPhone.

It's almost like they're Xiaomi'ing themselves.

i know - it'd still be tax evasion, though.
I've gone above the 500$ limit on many of my trips (not by thousands of dollars, though), but still - you're commiting tax evasion if you don't declare. Just thought i'd mention that. Like - if you get caught because you're super unlucky - and there's a tech savvy customs officer that can tell that it's a brand new macbook with an american keyboard - that might just bite you in the ass.

Apple, now tempting Brits to commit tax evasion. &#128514;

 

[Fliesen]

Ordered 4 of the Macbook Pro's space grey decked out max CPU/GPU/1TB for my folks to start testing the touch functions and compatibility with our software. I will grab one of them, hoping we can do some things internally with the touch to automate some things in InDesign scripting.

i wonder how restrictive the SDK for the touch bar is. Like whether you're free to put anything there, or whether you'll have to select from a (too) restricted set of UI elements, like buttons, sliders, 'carousels', toggles only.
It's based on WatchOS, right?

 

[icespide]

Apple, now tempting Brits to commit tax evasion. &#128514;

now that's pretty funny

 

[jimbobsmells]

I actually think they will update the Mac OS to support that. Since VR is becoming a thing and Tim Cook has talked up AR. Pretty sure they will need a good GPU for development.

Sierra has native eGPU support already. I hope a decent TB3 enclosure to comes to market (in the U.K.) soon. Maybe mid-late 2017 is more realistic.

 

[Chittagong]

To be fair, the MacBook Retina 2012-2015 were the only MacBooks ever that didn't feature the name on the screen - and tbf I do prefer the understated look. Don’t care much either way though.

do you agree or disagree with them labeling their laptops again? ... the fact my retina macbook doesn't say "macbook" is SUPER weird. i'm glad it's back.

I don't mind it really, although it's bit of a tight squeeze. So yeah, it's more just weird than good or bad, since Apple is always simplifying products, to see them add something so redundant back in.

I guess it is more consistent with the MacBook. Well, except for the fact that they are set in a different font - MacBook is Myriad Light, MacBook Pro is San Francisco Regular.

 

[jts]

Ordered 4 of the Macbook Pro's space grey decked out max CPU/GPU/1TB for my folks to start testing the touch functions and compatibility with our software. I will grab one of them, hoping we can do some things internally with the touch to automate some things in InDesign scripting.

Got damn.

 

[-Pyromaniac-]

Ordered 4 of the Macbook Pro's space grey decked out max CPU/GPU/1TB for my folks to start testing the touch functions and compatibility with our software. I will grab one of them, hoping we can do some things internally with the touch to automate some things in InDesign scripting.

Can I be on of your folks pls

 

[takriel]

I'm really not feeling the touchbar. I still think it's a hindrance more than anything. Like, it's faster typing things out on the keyboard or selecting something with your mouse than looking for the thing on the touchbar.

 

[eyeball_kid]

It's cheaper for UK customers to fly to America/Canada to buy A Macbook Pro than to buy one in the UK.

Just boggles the mind, too bad you end up with an american keyboard.

Apple typically only adjusts product pricing for currency changes when a model has a big refresh. So they adjusted the pricing due to Brexit and probably factored in how they think the pound is going to hold up over the next few years. This is not Apple trying to screw UK customers, but making sure they don't get burned three years from now if the pound tanks.

i wonder how restrictive the SDK for the touch bar is. Like whether you're free to put anything there, or whether you'll have to select from a (too) restricted set of UI elements, like buttons, sliders, 'carousels', toggles only.
It's based on WatchOS, right?

It looks to me that developers are completely free to design their own controls. Apple does provide some standard UI widgets, but you can go completely custom if you want with the NSCustomTouchBarItem class.

https://developer.apple.com/reference/appkit/nstouchbar

Of course there's limitations, and I'm sure we'll see Apple reject apps that try to go too far. I think this bit in the Touch Bar's Human Interface Guidelines declares their intent clearly:

Although technically it&#8217;s a screen, the Touch Bar functions as an input device, not a secondary display. The user may glance at the Touch Bar to locate or use a control, but their primary focus is the main screen. The Touch Bar shouldn&#8217;t display alerts, messages, scrolling content, static content, or anything else that commands the user&#8217;s attention or distracts from their work on the main screen.

 

[acksman]

Can I be on of your folks pls

We have over 600 iMacs/Pros/Minis. We don't have much time between hardware changes with Apple to test changes to software.

 

[Mr. F]

I feel like I've been seeing more negative press/blowback around the pricing/spec schemes for the MBP this time around than ever before.

But for the record, there's no chance on them walking back to more reasonable prices in the future, is there? Something courage something.

 

[icespide]

I feel like I've been seeing more negative press/blowback around the pricing/spec schemes for the MBP this time around than ever before.

But for the record, there's no chance on them walking back to more reasonable prices in the future, is there? Something courage something.

Laptop revisions almost always see increased prices with price cuts around a year later.

 

[The Real Abed]

https://developer.apple.com/reference/appkit/nstouchbar

Of course there's limitations, and I'm sure we'll see Apple reject apps that try to go too far. I think this bit in the Touch Bar's Human Interface Guidelines declares their intent clearly:

I'd still give anything for a utility that forces a clock to appear down there at all times when it's in default idle mode. Being a huge fullscreen user I miss having an always visible clock. Would be neat if it had a proximity sensor and would display some of my menubar information when I'm not near it and automatically switch when I go to reach for a button.

 

[Mr. F]

Laptop revisions almost always see increased prices with price cuts around a year later.

Maybe it's just the fact that the CAD is ever tanking, but I haven't noticed Apple prices budging for the most part.

 

[Apath]

Does Apple have these on display yet?

 

[icespide]

Maybe it's just the fact that the CAD is ever tanking, but I haven't noticed Apple prices budging for the most part.

The retina MBP was expensive as fuck at first but got a few price cuts over the years

 

[Zeyphersan]

Does Apple have these on display yet?

Non Touch Bar yes. No Touch Bar yet

 

[Guess Who]

The retina MBP was expensive as fuck at first but got a few price cuts over the years

The difference is that when the rMBP was new they also still had freshly updated non-Retina models at reasonable prices. This year the entry level 15" is still rocking a 3 year old CPU.

 

[UnluckyKate]

Apple is number one in accessibility among blind people using computers. How will they use this touch bar???

 

[icespide]

The difference is that when the rMBP was new they also still had freshly updated non-Retina models at reasonable prices. This year the entry level 15" is still rocking a 3 year old CPU.

definitely true, but still it's reasonable to think these prices will be lower in a year

 

[acksman]

Apple is number one in accessibility among blind people using computers. How will they use this touch bar???

We are hoping that a pre-sound can be assigned to each command so it will be known before you select the command to execute.

 

[Fliesen]

Apple is number one in accessibility among blind people using computers. How will they use this touch bar???

well, i suppose it might work similar to iOS accessibility - if you tap a button on the touch bar, it'll read out what it does, tap it again - it executes.

 

[HowardRoark]

We're thinking about getting a new MBP, and 13" form factor seems good. If we opt for touch bar and upgrade the RAM to 16gb, it's around $2,000 with an employee discount. Man, that's steep.

 

[eyeball_kid]

Apple is number one in accessibility among blind people using computers. How will they use this touch bar???

From the developer docs:

Accessibility and the Touch Bar

AppKit views and controls adopt the NSAccessibility protocol and automatically send appropriate accessibility notifications. Because the Touch Bar is designed to work with AppKit, it is fully accessible.

Be sure to use the customizationLabel property on every NSTouchBarItem instance that you designate as customizable (as described in NSTouchBar Customization). The accessibility system in macOS makes use of these labels.

I assume it would act in a similar way to iOS, but routed through macOS's accessibility system.

 

[Benjamin1981]

We're thinking about getting a new MBP, and 13" form factor seems good. If we opt for touch bar and upgrade the RAM to 16gb, it's around $2,000 with an employee discount. Man, that's steep.

We don't design products around price. That's how much these things cost.

Phil Schillers' answer to a user regarding the high prices of the new MBPs.

Yeah these things cost that much because of insane Apple profit margins.

 

[HowardRoark]

We don't design products around price. That's how much these things cost.

Phil Schillers' answer to a user regarding the high prices of the new MBPs.

Yeah these things cost that much because of insane Apple profit margins.

This might be their strategy, but I'm kind of thinking if I'm spending this much, I might as well just go 15" to get the dGPU.

 

[edgefusion]

We don't design products around price. That's how much these things cost.

Phil Schillers' answer to a user regarding the high prices of the new MBPs.

Yeah these things cost that much because of insane Apple profit margins.

What is the profit margin on one of these new MBPs?

 

[Kito]

I'm gonna hate it when I have to replace my 11" Air.

I don't want a bigger screen nor a butterfly keyboard.

 

[Juice]

I wonder what compelled logic Apple to slap a MacBook Pro text on the new MacBook Pro screens

I suspect that because the industrial design of so many laptops look just like the MBP now, the name is the only thing they can be sure no one can copy.

 

[Guess Who]

I'm gonna hate it when I have to replace my 11" Air.

I don't want a bigger screen nor a butterfly keyboard.

I can get not wanting the new keyboard, but size wise I don't know why you would be against the 12 inch MB. The screen is bigger, but only because there's way less bezel.

 

[leng jai]

I don't know how anyone uses the MBA 11", the bezel was a monstrosity even back in 2011.

 

[Blackhead]

Apple typically only adjusts product pricing for currency changes when a model has a big refresh. So they adjusted the pricing due to Brexit and probably factored in how they think the pound is going to hold up over the next few years. This is not Apple trying to screw UK customers, but making sure they don't get burned three years from now if the pound tanks.

False. Apple typically adjusts product prices whenever they feel a need to. They've even suspended sales in a country due to currency fluctuations! I would not be surprised to see another adjustement next spring if Article 50 is invoked leading to another pound drop

It looks to me that developers are completely free to design their own controls. Apple does provide some standard UI widgets, but you can go completely custom if you want with the NSCustomTouchBarItem class.

https://developer.apple.com/reference/appkit/nstouchbar

Of course there's limitations, and I'm sure we'll see Apple reject apps that try to go too far. I think this bit in the Touch Bar's Human Interface Guidelines declares their intent clearly:

This is the Mac not iOS; developers won't even bother to submit to the Mac App Store for Apple's approval

 

[Kito]

I can get not wanting the new keyboard, but size wise I don't know why you would be against the 12 inch MB. The screen is bigger, but only because there's way less bezel.

The keyboard is my only issue. Its size is fine, and I will probably end up choosing the next 12" iteration if the 2nd gen butterfly is as good as claimed.

I don't know how anyone uses the MBA 11", the bezel was a monstrosity even back in 2011.

The bezels aren't that different.

 

[345triangle]

I can get not wanting the new keyboard, but size wise I don't know why you would be against the 12 inch MB. The screen is bigger, but only because there's way less bezel.

aspect ratio is also a pretty big difference — the 12-inch macbook is slightly taller, but the 11-inch air is a fair bit wider. i have both and the macbook definitely feels like the smaller machine overall while offering a much more usable screen.