Most people aren’t eager to revisit the Touch Bar period of MacBook Pros.
However, according to The Verge, a new Kickstarter initiative has emerged, aiming to revive the Apple Touch Bar concept—though this time as an independent accessory. This 10-inch 2K OLED touchscreen is designed to be positioned above your laptop keyboard, on your desk beside your laptop, or even next to your tablet, providing convenient access to your most frequently used commands.
The device is being developed by a startup called Eniac, which believes that Apple’s original Touch Bar had potential but didn’t realize it fully. Their version, known as the Flexbar, aims to offer extensive customization options, enabling users to create macros tailored to everything from favorite Procreate brushes to cooldown timers for games like Final Fantasy XIV.
To facilitate these personalized setups, the Eniac team has developed software called FlexbarDesigner, allowing users to customize functionalities, colors, and layouts as desired.
The Flexbar features haptic feedback and comes with a magnetic stand to keep it stable wherever you place it. One potential drawback is that it appears to require a wired connection through a USB-C adapter, as all promotional materials show the device plugged in, with no mention of Bluetooth capabilities.
This limitation might be a dealbreaker for many users accustomed to wireless peripherals like Bluetooth mice and keyboards, making the Flexbar feel a bit out of place.
Additionally, considering this is Eniac’s inaugural Kickstarter project, there’s no certainty regarding successful delivery. The company stated to The Verge that it is sourcing its OLED displays through “standard supply channels,” but given the display’s unique size, finding suitable parts might be challenging.
For those interested in exploring this project further, you can visit the Kickstarter page and even download the FlexbarDesigner software to get a better sense of its functionalities.
