I got hooked on Macs shortly after IBM no longer provided me with ThinkPad loaners. Macs are addictive. As Steve Jobs said many times, “It just works”. The time to upgrade my 2014 MacBook Pro had arrived. It is not nearly as old as America’s voting machines, but the new Apple MacBook Pro intrigued me. I ordered it day one and got one of the first ones. The new Touch Bar is magical. To login to the Apple MacBook, you simply touch the power button at the right end of the glass Control Strip and it reads your fingerprint. The entire top row of function keys have been replaced with the glass Touch Bar. The bar changes what functions it provides based on what app you are using. For example, if you are reading emails, the Touch Bar has buttons for reply, forward, archive, trash, etc. If you are using iTunes, it has touch buttons for play, shuffle, volume, etc. When you touch the volume button, it displays a slider to adjust the level. While typing, the Touch Bar shows word choices. It is, in a sense, a hybrid of laptop and iPad. 

Converting from computer to another can be a challenge. This time was no exception. The Apple Migration Assistant is a big help but it is not perfect. Usually, the app moves your apps, data, and settings to the new computer and everything works. However, some apps, data, and settings do not like to be migrated. The solution is to reinstall apps and reapply settings. It took me two days to get everything exactly the way I want it, but I am very happy with the new MacBook Pro. I’m sure it will help me write better books. The innovative Touch Bar is a joy to use. Speaking of innovation, check out the following video, filmed by a drone, showing the status of Apple’s new world campus in California.