Sunday, December 10, 2017

SAFE Wallet X for iPhone X



Production Prototype

SAFE Wallet X for iPhone X


I have been testing first generation SAFE Wallet prototypes, and I am STUNNED with how perfectly they turned out. We also have been testing our SAFE SHIELD screen protectors for SAFE Wallet X for iPhone X, and they are also amazing.

The photo below shows a photo of a T1 Production prototype of the SAFE Wallet X for iPhone X with a BulletProof SAFE SHIELD screen protector installed. We expect to have all the new SAFE Wallet models (for iPhone X, 8Plus, 8 & MINI) in-stock and ready for immediate shipping the first week of January 2018.


Friday, November 24, 2017

Thankful for iPhone X



The Best iPhone X Review

Thankful for iPhone X

Apple insider wrote the best review I have read yet for the iPhone X, and it's titled, "Thankful For iPhone X." I highly recommend reading this article, which is really well written.


Sunday, November 19, 2017

First Photos SAFE Wallet X for iPhone X



First Photos


SAFE Wallet X 

for iPhone X


We just got received the first photos of the T1 Prototype for the SAFE Wallet X for iPhone X, and it looks great. In other words, the photographs below are of the very first injection molded prototypes from the same steel tool that will make the production models.














Monday, November 13, 2017

SAFE Wallet X for iPhone X Demo


SAFE Wallet X
for iPhone X Demo

This new video offers a fairly comprehensive overview of the all-new SAFE Wallet X for iPhone X.

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Introducing iPhone X, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 8, & SAFE & Wallet Mini


All-New BulletTrain SAFE Wallet 

Introducing

iPhone X, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 8, & SAFE & Wallet Mini

We just launched the all-new series of BulletProof SAFE Wallets on Kickstarter. The video below is a 4K version of the video.

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Tooling Design SAFE Wallet X




SAFE Wallet X


Injection-Molding Tooling Design 


I have come across many customers who talk about the SAFE Wallet, and say naive things like, "How much could it cost to make a SAFE Wallet. All it is is a  little piece of cheap plastic." I understand why people would make such an assumption. If you are not intimately familiar with the injection-molding process, you might think the same thing. The drawing below shows our tool design for our SAFE Wallet for iPhone X model, which as you see is extremely complex and sophisticated.


If just one part of this tool does not perform properly, you cant injection mold parts. And this is the tool for just making the SAFE Wallet case body. There are separate tools required (not shown) for overmolding the TPU Bumper system, as well as separate tools for the wallet door body, as well as another tool for molding all the buttons.

The tool pictured above is made to work on a 75 Ton Tool, which is heavy duty. 

It is amazing how much we take for granted the world around us, and I am certain that is the case with the SAFE Wallet. This reminds me of one of my favorite Albert Einstein quotes, which says:

"A hundred times every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life depend upon the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received." —Albert Einstein

Monday, October 9, 2017

Kickstarter Launch Update



Kickstarter Launch Update

Hi Everybody!

I have been working like a madman on the Kickstarter campaign, and the good news, is the Kickstarter page is pretty much done and polished. 

The challenge is the Kickstarter video is taking longer than I would like. The Kickstarter video is obviously really, really important, so I need more time to make it great—just like the new generation of SAFE Wallets. Speaking of which, I am sharing an exclusive image with you from the Kickstarter campaign, which is seen below. It shows all the new models we plan to introduce next Tuesday, October 24th @ 10AM PST on Kickstarter.com. I sincerely apologize for this delay, but promise it will be worth it :-)


Monday, October 2, 2017

SAFE Wallet 8 Plus Preview




SAFE Wallet 8 Plus Preview

Hi Everybody!

I have to apologize because I was planning to launch the new line of SAFE Wallet models on Kickstarter tomorrow, but things are taking longer than expected. Instead, we plan to launch the following Tuesday, which is October 10th, 2017. 




I thought I would share a photo of the all-new SAFE Wallet 8 Plus case, as seen above. If you compare and contrast it with the image below of the SAFE Wallet for iPhone 6 Plus, you notice they are very similar, but quite different at the same time. Notice the SAFE Wallet 8 Plus has a full TPU Bumper system, which includes contrasting power and volume up/down buttons.







SAFE Wallet X Preview

Below is a image that shows the final (updated) design for the SAFE Wallet for iPhone X. This is based upon the final specs that Apple published for the iPhone X. One of the primary details that changed from our first 3D prototype (Pictured in post below this one) is the size and overall shape of the Camera ring, which got much more square, and the aperture opening grew significantly.



Monday, September 25, 2017

Official iPhone X Dimensional Drawing


Official iPhone X Dimensional Drawing


Apple just released their Official iPhone X Dimensional Drawing Schematic as seen below:



The upcoming SAFE Wallet for iPhone X is pictured below, and we will launching it on Kickstarter next week on Tuesday, October 10th at 10AM PST.




Saturday, September 23, 2017

SAFE Wallet 8 & 8 Plus Confirmed Perfect Fit with iPhone 8 & 8 Plus


SAFE Wallet 8 & 8 Plus

Confirmed Perfect Fit with iPhone 8 & 8 Plus

I am happy to report, our upcoming SAFE Wallet 8 & 8 Plus have been confirmed to work and fit perfectly with the iPhone 8 & iPhone 8 Plus. In the photo below we see an iPhone 8 Plus in the SAFE Wallet 8 Plus. If all goes as planned we will be launching the all-new line of SAFE Wallets on Tuesday, October 10th at 10AM PST!!!


The SAFE Wallet 8, and SAFE Wallet 8 Plus are 100% backwards compatible with the 7, 6s, and 6 models. Not only does the camera ring fit and work perfectly, but if you look closely you will notice there is a headphone jack cutout that allows the SAFE Wallet 8 family to use headphones with an iPhone 6s and 6.

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Update on iPhone 8, 8s & iPhone X SAFE Wallet Cases As Well as SAFE Wallet Mini



Preview

iPhone X
 iPhone 8 & 8+
 SAFE Wallets
+
SAFE Wallet Mini









SAFE Wallet for iPhone X Prototype Pictured Above & Below




SAFE Wallet for 8+, X & 8 Pictured Above 



Hi Everybody!

I have an exciting big update on the future of the BulletTrain SAFE Wallet Cases!!

We plan to wait until after the upcoming Apple iPhone Keynote Introduction to launch our new generation of SAFE Wallet models, which will be known as the BulletProof Series. The iPhone Keynote will be on September 12th, 2017 @ 10AM PST and we believe Apple will show off the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and iPhone X (pronounced as 'iPhone Ten').

On September 26th, 2017 we plan to launch four different SAFE Wallet Models on Kickstarter:

-SAFE Wallet 8 [Which will fit perfectly and work with iPhone 6/6s/7/8.]

-SAFE Wallet 8+ [Which will fit perfectly and work with iPhone 6+/6s+/7+/8+]

-SAFE Wallet X [For the all-new high-end iPhone]

-SAFE Wallet Mini [Which will work and fit on most almost all smartphones, including all iPhones & Samsung Galaxy 7 & 8 Series. It can also be used as the ultimate super thin freestanding minimalist wallet.]



Design Background

Hundreds of companies have attempted unsuccessfully in the past to deliver on the promise of converging a wallet and iPhone case, but every one of them basically failed, as each one had at least one serious Achilles Heel. BulletTrain was the first company to flawlessly deliver on the promise, and no competitor has come even close since we launched the first SAFE Wallet years ago for iPhone 5.

My goal as the designer of the SAFE Wallet has always been to make it as sturdy as possible, both in it's ability to protect your iPhone and protect itself from drops. Personally, I am a careful man, and have never experienced a drop that cracked my screen or SAFE Wallet, on both iPhone as well as my iPad. That being said, my goal with the upcoming all-new SAFE Wallets for iPhone 8 & X is to make the SAFE Wallet EXTREMELY Sturdy and protective so users don't have to worry about damaging their iOS devices. How sturdy? As sturdy as possible!!! If I can make the SAFE Wallet as sturdy as an Otterbox Defender, that is my goal, and I think we are going to finally deliver on this goal with the new generation. [Note the new upcoming SAFE Wallet is overall about the same thickness as an Otterbox, but the SAFE Wallet features a wallet that can hold up to 5 credit cards, as well as featuring a built in MagicStand that can hold up your iPhone in Portrait or Landscape. And the SAFE Wallet is far more ergonomic, and comfortable to hold.]

The photo below shows an iPhone 7+ in a SAFE Wallet, and both have screen protectors on them. I always shied away from screen protectors because I thought they looked cheap and were dust collectors. I have bad memories of the plastic film screen protectors that defeated the point of having a beautiful high-res Retina screen. That being said, we have been working on developing our own screen protectors because I believe if we offer a great screen protector, it will allow the SAFE Wallet to completely protect your iPhone, so you can't crack your screen, and I think that is what everybody is afraid of. It is worth pointing out, the new SAFE Wallets have much thicker and taller front bumpers. The photo on the right shows a regular glass screen protector, and I don't like it. It collects dust and looks cheap.

The photo on the left shows the SAFE Wallet for iPhone 7 with a Full Coverage Tempered Glass Screen Protector, that offers Edge to edge Protection we are developing, and it is named the SAFE Shield Screen Protector. 

It has specially rounded edges so it fits the iPhone and SAFE Wallet so perfectly, you can't even tell its their. In other words, even if you look closely it looks like there is no screen protector, but it is there. When we officially launch, we will be sharing more information about this revolutionary new screen protector.

One of the things that is great about The SAFE Shield screen protector is not only is it almost invisible, but everything works perfectly with the iPhone.





It is worth noting the TPU bumper design on the all-new SAFE Wallet is so aggressive, that even if you have a screen protector on your Phone, there is still enough clearance for significant bumper. This should mean that if you drop your SAFE Wallet in a way it lands face-forward on a front edge, the TPU bumper should not only protect the iPhone, but also the screen protector.

To my way of thinking, if you know that using a SAFE Wallet makes it almost impossible to damage your iPhone, that is a huge relief, because replacing cracked screens can be very expensive.


The photo below shows a Solidworks rendering of the design for our SAFE Wallet X for iPhone X. From a design perspective we believe we have absolute proof -of-concept, and are working on fine-tuning all the details. We plan to do a high quality 3D model print that we will feature in our Kickstarter video. Assuming we launch on Kickstarter on September 19, 2017, we will likely have a 30 day campaign, and we believe we will be able to deliver the SAFE Wallet 7 models immediately after the campaign ends. Meaning around the middle of October 2017. We also plan to deliver the SAFE Wallet Mini model in the same timeframe. We believe if we make all the right moves, we will be able to deliver the SAFE Wallet for iPhone 8 just around the begging of 2018.



Tuesday, August 15, 2017

SAFE Wallet for iPhone 7/7+ & Production BulletTrain eXpress Keyboard Platform




SAFE Wallet for iPhone 7/7+
&
Production BulletTrain eXpress Keyboard Platform 

Hi Everybody!

We have been testing the all-new upcoming BulletTrain SAFE Wallet production prototypes for iPhone 7/7+ for about a week now and they are AMAZING!!!! 

The production prototypes have been tested and are 100% compatible with the iPhone 6/6s/7, and 6/6s/7+. From everything we have seen we also believe it is very likely they will be 100% compatible with the upcoming iPhone 7s, and 7s+. The photo below shows a white iPhone 6 on the left (in a SAFE Wallet for iPhone 7 SAFE Wallet) and a black iPhone 6 on the right, in a SAFE Wallet for iPhone 7+.


We plan to offer the SAFE Wallets for pre-order on Kickstarter in the next few weeks. Typically, I would make 3D printed appearance models and put those on Kickstarter, but this time I decided not to, as I did not want to make people have to wait for us to perfect the production models. In other words, the SAFE Wallet for iPhone 7 and 7+ seen in the photo are T4 production prototypes made from the injection-molding tool. My manufacturer believes we should have them perfect by T6, which means that I should be ready to sign-off on production in about a month.

So what are our opinions? My awesome engineering team and I are all blown away with the T4 prototypes. The new SAFE Wallets are everything I could ask for in a SAFE Wallet. They are extremely good looking, super-comfortable in the hand with increased ergonomics that make them less slippery, highly-functional, and built-to-last. Our focus on this latest generation model is to try to get as close as possible to creating a SAFE Wallet that is indestructible. One that will not only completely protect your iPhone, but also protect itself from most drops.

Also, the Ruby Red BulletTrain express keyboard in the photo above and all four in the photo below are production models I just tested, and they are also AMAZING!!!!! We start shipping them tomorrow....




Tuesday, July 18, 2017




SAFE Wallet for iPhone 7/7+

Update & Photos


Hi Everybody!!!

Many customers have been writing-in, asking for an updated ETA on when the SAFE Wallet for iPhone 7/7+ will be available? I have some great news for you! The photos below are of the T2 Production Prototype for the SAFE Wallet for iPhone 7/7+. In other words, these photos are of the most recent production prototypes—meaning they have been injection-molded. The photos were taken by our manufacturer and this first photo shows an iPhone 7 in a SAFE Wallet, with a glass screen protector on his iPhone. 



If you look closely at the image above, you will notice our new TPU bumper system is much taller and beefier  than before, thus, it will offer much better front and corner screen protection. In other words, the all-new SAFE Wallet model has a rubber TPU Bumper system, which is very, very, very highly protective of the iPhone. How protective you ask? I believe in the real world, if you use a glass screen-protector, as seen on the model above, the all-new SAFE Wallet will offer protection on par with an Otter Box Defender iPhone Case, without any of the goofy brick-like bulk. This is a pretty amazing achievement in-and-of-itself!!! Also, the new SAFE Wallets are more ergonomic and comfortable to hold then ever!

From all the reports and communication I have received from my factory, it appears like the all-new design is woking out perfectly, with no issues. I am breathing a huge sigh-of-relief as this all-new design represents huge design changes to the SAFE Wallet. 

What exactly is different? Everything and Nothing... The perfect functionality and 5 card capacity has remained unchanged, as has the built-in MagicStand (Kickstand) functionality which allows you to stand up the SAFE Wallet in Portrait or Landscape on any flat surface. The build-quality, and most importantly the protective nature of the SAFE Wallet has increased exponentially. In other words, I believe with this new generation of SAFE Wallet we will have the best-looking, most functional, and most protective case made, which also remains very skinny. Installing and removing the iPhone with this new design is completely effortless and takes about a second!!! Also, opening and closing the wallet door feels better and more confident than ever, as we resigned and reengineered the double-locking wallet door system.




We also got rid of the dual hinge dowel and sping-pin system, and replaced it with a single invisible hinge-system which is much sturdier and far more dependent and resilient. 

Keep in mind this all-new SAFE Wallet for iPhone 7/7+ will be 100% backwards compatible with the iPhone 6/6s/6+/6s+. Assuming Apple come out with a 7s and 7s+, I hope this new case will be compatible with that for factor as well.

I plan to launch these all-new model on Kickstarter in the next 30 days or so, and hope to deliver them soon after that time. In other words, if all goes as planned, I hope I hope to be able to deliver the first models pre-sold on Kickstarter on or around September 15, 2017. 



I plan to offer the all-new SAFE Wallet for iPhone 7/7+ in our four classic BulletTrain Colors of Ruby Red, Polar White, BulletTrain Blue and Stealth Black. The production prototype pictured in the three photos above is the Stealth Black model. One of the unique characteristics of this all-new model is it will offer an option that will allow the end-user to interchange the Volume Up/Down button as well as the Power Button to different colors, which in turn makes the SAFE Wallet look completely different.

I know there are many, many BulletTrain SAFE Wallet customers who are as excited to get ahold of one the production models as soon as possible, and I assure you I have been moving as quickly as possible to get to market with this. As the designer of the SAFE Wallet, I believe it is worth mentioning that it looks simple-as-pie, but actually developing this all new model has been anything but simple. It has actually been a gigantic ultra-time consuming challenge, but I promise it will be well with the wait.



What About The iPhone 8 SAFE Wallet?

There have been many rumors about Apple introducing an all new 10th Anniversary iPhone model that has a radical redesign with a screen that takes up the whole front of the phone. It has been speculated that Apple will be launching this all-new model this Fall, and I hope they do!!! So an obvious question, is how long will it be before BulletTrain comes out with a SAFE Wallet for this new model? I don't know for certain, but I can share with you that my engineering team and I have learned so much from resigning the SAFE Wallet for iPhone 7/7+, we anticipate we will be able to get to market much faster with it :-)




Saturday, June 17, 2017

BulletTrain eXpress Keyboard Platform First Production Photos



All New 

BulletTrain eXpress Keyboard Platform

First Production Photos


The first production of the BulletTrain eXpress Keyboard Platform has just completed, and in the photo below we see models from the first production run. These model are scheduled to ship out of Asia this next week, and we hope to ship them the following week.







Friday, June 16, 2017

Magic Pencil Holder 100% Compatible With 10.5 inch iPad Pro



Magic Pencil Holder

100% Compatible With

10.5 inch iPad Pro 


Many customers have been asking if the Magic Pencil Holder is compatible with the all-new 10.5 inch iPad Pro, and the answer is YES!! The photo below shows the iPad Pro with the Magic Pencil Holder holding the Apple Pencil...


Tuesday, May 23, 2017

SAFE Wallet iPhone 7 & 7Plus Model Preview Update



SAFE Wallet
iPhone 7 & 7Plus Model Preview Update


Many customers have been writing in to ask what is going on with our SAFE Wallet for iPhone 7 and 7 Plus models, and figure out when they will be available. The design is complete, and it is AWESOME!!!!

Our toolmaker began building the tools this week May 22, 2017), and we hope to have our first production prototypes by the middle of June. It is reasonable to assume the tool will need some tweaking, so with any luck we will be ready to begin shipping the SAFE Wallet for iPhone 7 & 7+ by the middle of July. The iPhone 7 plus and 7 models of SAFE Wallet are pictured below.



The photo above shows a Stealth Black SAFE Wallet for iPhone 7Plus next to a Ruby Red SAFE Wallet for iPhone 7. Notice the SAFE Wallet for iPhone 7 Plus has matching Black volume buttons, which are very stealthy. This gives the all Stealth Black model an almost military spec look. You can see the ruby red volume up/down buttons on the side of the SAFE Wallet for iPhone 7, but in the photo you can't really see the red back of the case, but you can see in the photo below. In other words, the SAFE Wallet pictured on the right in the photo above with the red buttons is the exact same Ruby Red prototype model pictured below.



The image above shows a SAFE Wallet for iPhone 7 from the side view. Notice it has a red back with matching red buttons, along with a black TPU Bumper. This is the new design language of the SAFE Wallet for iPhone 7 an 7 Plus. 

The photo below shows a Ruby Red SAFE Wallet for iPhone 6/6s Plus on the left side, next to a Ruby Red SAFE Wallet for iPhone 7. If you look closely you will notice many subtle differences. First, the 7 model has a bumper that wraps around the entire front of the iPhone, including on the bottom. It also has a MUCH taller Bumper to help protect your iPhone. Also, its important to note that despite the case (no pun intended) they are both Ruby Red models, they look quite different.









So what's different? Everything and nothing. This new model harkens back to the SAFE Wallet for iPhone 5, in the sense it has a TPU front and, now a complete TPU side bumper. The difference is this one has a much larger and more protective bumper system. This should result in not only protecting your iPhone much better, but also in protecting the SAFE Wallet from any kinds of drops. In other words, the emphasis with this new model has been on significantly increasing the overall strength and robustness. Every single aspect of this new model has been re-designed and optimized for strength and durability.

Also, I am happy to announce The SAFE Wallet for iPhone 7 and 7Plus WILL be 100% backwards compatible with the entire iPhone 6 and 6 Plus family!!! The models will come in our standard colors of Ruby Red, Polar White, BulletTrain Blue and Stealth Black, but all models will have a black TPU bumper. Also, for the first time we will offer user-interchangeable volume up/down buttons and power button, so you will be able to put red buttons on a black case, as seen above. In a matter or seconds you could swap them out for a Stealth Black set...you get the idea...

Sunday, April 16, 2017

BulletTrain Express Keyboard Platform (3rd Generation) for Magic Keyboard 2 and Magic Trackpad 2 By Matthew Taylor



BulletTrain Express Keyboard Platform

 (3rd Generation) for Magic Keyboard 2 and Magic Trackpad 2

By Matthew Taylor



My first experience with the BulletTrain Express Keyboard Platform was 5.5 years ago while traveling in Bali: 


Ever since Apple released the updated Magic Keyboard 2 and Magic Trackpad 2, I’ve anxiously anticipated the arrival of the 3rd Gen. Express, and Jake was kind enough to loan me a prototype for evaluation.




TLDR: overall, the new Express is excellent, with one caveat: I’d prefer it were sloped at a negative instead of a positive angle. If you’re a fan of Apple’s Magic Keyboard 2 and Magic Trackpad 2, I highly recommend it so long as you either don’t mind the positive slope or you can work around it, as I have done.




The Ideal Mac Setup?

I can only talk about the new Express in a holistic sense, and how it fits into my entire Mac setup.

Ever since Retina Mac displays became a “thing” when Apple launched the original 15” Retina MacBook Pro way back in 2012, I knew exactly what Mac setup I wanted:

  • a Retina 13” MacBook Air
  • attached to an external 27” Retina Display
  • and an integrated Express Platform/Magic Keyboard/Magic Trackpad setup that charges off USB

Now, that finally exists! Late in 2016, Apple released the laptop I’ve always wanted: the lighter-than-ever 13” Retina MacBook Pro, which at 3 lbs., is the same weight as the old-model MacBook Air… and, with thinner bezels, it covers a smaller footprint. Thus, the new MBP essentially is the Retina MacBook Air I wanted four years prior! As a bonus, my new MBP includes Touch Bar and Touch ID, two features I didn’t even know I wanted back in 2012. (Apple’s so great at that… delivering goodies we didn’t know we wanted. Right?)



Also in late 2016, LG released the 27” Retina 5K UltraFine display that connects to the new MBP via Thunderbolt 3. Unfortunately, this display is riddled with usability bugs and wake-from-sleep problems. At times, you have to restart your MBP just to get it to connect to the display. Additionally, the case and black plastic bezels are fugly as sin. However, when it works, the display is positively gorgeous, and comparable to the display quality of a Retina iMac. The moment Apple releases an external Pro display, I’ll buy it and ditch the LG.

And so, to complete my ideal Mac setup (at least, the one I envisioned back in 2012), Jake provided me with the 3rd Gen Express, which unifies the charge-via-USB Magic Keyboard 2 and Magic Trackpad 2. I cannot even begin to describe how much I freaking hated dealing with the AA batteries in the old Magic Keyboard/Trackpad (talk about obsolete technology!).



Being able to charge over USB makes a world of difference in terms of convenience and niceness. I occasionally travel with my Express, so now I no longer have to pack heavy batteries and a battery charger!

The form factor and design of the new Express is lovely: the Magic Keyboard and Trackpad snap in easily, the lines are clean and smooth, the design is attractive and significantly improved compared to Generation 2, and it’s much lighter than the previous model, which is a huge benefit especially when you travel with it. I also love that I can easily access both the lightning charge ports and power switches on both the Keyboard and Trackpad.


Previous Generation 2 BulletTrain eXpress pictured above


Going back to my first experience with the Generation 1 Express, that product was a total game changer compared to all the other janky solutions. The 3rd Gen is a lovely extension and refinement of that original breakthrough innovation.



Ergonomic Considerations

My one suggestion to BulletTrain for future improvement is to change the slope design to be negative instead of positive. Simply put, my understanding of ergonomic principles is you want your wrists angled slightly down, not up. Read more about that here:


The Express features a positive slope, which based on the above-referenced ergonomic principles as well as my personal experience, is far more likely to cause wrist strain. The 2nd gen Express also featured a positive slope, and the slope appears to be even more positive with the 3rd gen model. To compensate for this issue, I usually place my Express on a negative-sloped book or keyboard tray so I can gain the advantages of better ergonomics. Even if BulletTrain decides not to go with a negative slope in the future, a true-neutral slope (as is the case with the standard MBP keyboard/trackpad) would be a substantial improvement in my usability experience, because it would mean I would have to use a less-negatively-sloped book or keyboard tray in the future.


Whither Touch Bar and Touch ID?

Lastly, and this certainly isn’t something BulletTrain can currently control, I miss having easy access to Touch ID and the Touch Bar while using the new Express. This obviously will not affect anyone who doesn’t own a MBP with Touch Bar, so if you don’t own one of those models, you can skip this section.

User feedback on the Touch Bar has been mixed, with about 50% of users giving it a thumbs up and 50% thumbs down:


It seems there’s more consistent support for Touch ID, and a little less enthusiasm for the Touch Bar. My personal experience is Touch ID is awesome, and the Touch Bar is great for emojis and brightness controls. The Touch Bar has a number of downsides, for instance, the “send mail” shortcut is easily pressed accidentally and shouldn’t exist, because it can lead to the embarrassing experience of accidentally sending an incomplete email.  That said, for me, being able to access emojis in this manner is a game-changer in using my Mac, because I text with friends from Mac Messages frequently, and the keyboard shortcut to access emojis is piss poor. Ironically, if Apple simply implemented a better emoji keyboard shortcut, most of the rationale for the Touch Bar would disappear!

Overall, I like the Touch Bar a lot despite its eccentricities, and love the Touch ID. So, I’m hoping Apple will release an updated Magic Keyboard 3 with Touch Bar, preferably in the same form factor as the existing one, so it can fit right into the 3rd Gen Express!



All of this leaves me in a quandary: do I use my MacBook Pro keyboard to type (with easy Touch Bar and Touch ID access), or, do I use the Express with Magic Keyboard 2 and Magic Trackpad 2? Currently, I’m trying out both options, with a slight preference for using the Express.

Using the Express as my primary input method provides a more satisfying typing experience, as the Magic Keyboard 2 provides better key travel than the new MBP’s keyboard. So, when I’m doing serious long-form writing, that’s better – and I can always reach up to access Touch ID or the Touch Bar if I must. I also gain the benefit of being able to position the MBP next to the LG 5K, for a side-by-side monitor experience.



Future Mac Dreams

Returning to my original premise – the “ultimate Mac setup” – here’s what I want that I don’t currently have:

  • An Apple-designed external 27” or larger Retina Display (5K for sure, but if we’re talking ideal, how about 8K or 10K?)
  • A Magic Keyboard 3 with Touch Bar and Touch ID
  • A 4th Gen. Express with a negative slope

A Mac fan can dream, can’t he?

For now, I’m happy with the 3rd Gen. Express, and the way it integrates into my Mac setup, so long as I have it appropriately-positioned on a negative-slope surface.


Congrats, Jake and BulletTrain, for continuing to push the envelope on what’s possible in accessorizing, integrating, and completing the ideal Mac user experience!



If You Enjoy The BulletBlog by JAKEe Be Certain To Check Out Jake's Other Blogs: