Here’s How the New MacBook Pro with Touch Bar Will Increase Your Productivity

Apple is changing the notebook game yet again with the addition of the ‘Touch Bar’, which sits above the keyboard on the company’s new MacBook Pro. Replacing the function and system control keys that once lined the top of previous MacBook keyboards, the Touch Bar is a Retina-display, multi-touch surface that adapts to different software and apps. These contextual-based commands allow it to be used for a wide variety of uses. From Apple’s keynote event, the Touch Bar looks like it’ll make a plethora of tasks easier and quicker, ultimately increasing productivity.

For designers and photographers working in Photoshop, Touch Bar can improve the workflow by placing commonly used sliders and controls within easy reach — without having to manually change or toggle them with the Track Pad. Touch Bar can also help you view the progression of a project over time, allowing you to scroll through its history by swiping left or right without using complicated keyboard commands.

For the professional DJ, Touch Bar can also make their work easier by essentially replacing a lot of the functionality of the dedicated controllers typically used in the field. A series of controls, such as sampler, loop and filter commands, can be accessed with a simple touch on the bar. The Touch Bar can also control the waveform of a song, allowing DJs to scratch and find cue points. The standard volume controls used to mix songs can also be mapped to the Touch Bar.

But the Touch Bar isn’t just for professionals and creatives. For average users, the Touch Bar could also make a slew of everyday tasks more convenient.

System controls are now easier to get to; for example, screen brightness and volume can be easily changed with a tap-and-drag motion. In Apple’s Mail app, the Touch Bar has commands to create a new message, reply, or delete emails. When you open Safari, the Touch Bar displays graphic icons that link directly to websites, allowing you to instantly go to your favorites with a tap, and allows you to sort through your tabs easier. In Photos, the Touch Bar can be used to scrub through video, rotate photos, crop pictures, and add photos or effects.

Additionally, the Touch Bar also features the first integration of Touch ID in MacBook history. A small fingerprint scanner on the right corner of the Touch Bar allows you to instantly unlock your MacBook Pro just by pressing it with your finger. And, like Touch ID on Apple’s other devices, it can be used to purchase items online via Apple Pay. And if that isn’t enough functionality, Apple has said that the Touch Bar is also going to be customizable, allowing users to add the commands and functions that they use or need the most.

The new MacBook Pro lineup is available now. The 13-inch version will retail at $1,799, and the larger 15-inch MacBook will start at $2,399. Orders will begin shipping in two weeks, the company said.

Watch the video below to see many of the Touch Bar’s features in action:

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