Do you miss the MacBook Pro’sTouch Bar? If so, this might be the product just for you.
A new device called theFlexbaris looking to revive the experience of Apple’s ill-fated MacBook Pro Touch Bar. It’s a standalone touch screen display with a customizable interface that can be used withMacsandWindows PCsthrough a USB-C connection.
Eniac, the Hong Kong-based company that developed the Flexbar, is attempting to bring it to market through aKickstartercrowdfunding campaign. Early backers can preorder a Flexbar for $119, with an estimated delivery date of February 2025.
As with all Kickstarter campaigns, there is an element of risk involved. This is Eniac’s first hardware product, and although it’s fully backed, there is a chance it might not make it to market if difficulties in manufacturing the product arise. Eniac says it’s committed to keeping backers of the project informed and has carefully planned each stage of its development.
Taking a page from where Apple’s MacBook Pro left off with the Touch Bar, the Flexbar aims to offer users a tiny contextual touchscreen.
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Users can customize it to suit their workflow
The original Touch Bar on the MacBook Pro was a small, multi-touch OLED display that replaced the laptop’s function keys. The Flexbar aims to emulate the Touch Bar experience but make it even more customizable depending on your workflow and the applications you use.
The Flexbar features a 10-inch 2K OLED display and comes pre-loaded with a ton of shortcut combos. You can use the FlexbarDesigner app to arrange and set up the device’s functionality to meet your needs. Its creators are also developing a plug-in system and marketplace for the device, which supposedly will launch in Q2 2025.
“With its third-party API support, Flexbar provides advanced, native-like controls for those highly interactive professional software applications,” Eniac says onFlexbar’s Kickstarter page.
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Artists and gamers may find a use for the Flexbar
Apple introduced the Touch Bar in 2016, but started phasing it out in 2021
The Flexbar works on Windows, macOS, iPadOS, and Android. Based on the promotional video, the device looks particularly useful for desktop setups; however, using it placed on a laptop looks awkward to me.
The Flexbar seems particularly useful for video editors to skim their timelines and for artists who want to switch between brush types quickly. Gamers might find a use for it by integrating it with games like Minecraft, though the Flexbar seems a bit niche for gaming in my eyes.
Apple first introduced the Touch Bar on the MacBook Pro in 2016. In 2021, Apple started phasing out the Touch Bar with the launch of the M1 MacBook Pro. The Touch Bar divided the tech community. Some loved it, others hated it. Ultimately, Apple decided to move on from it. Now Eniac’s Flexbar looks to carry forward its legacy.
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