Right now, if you’re shooing away update notifications on your Mac system, it’s most likely egging you on to upgrade your operating system to ‘OS High Sierra’. And if you’re anything like us, you’re probably clinging to the warm familiarity of El Capitan, Snow Leopard, or Sierra.
But, unlike many iPhone models, Apple’s personal laptop devices are built to last and continue supporting the next iterations of the company’s home software programs. The following hardware supports OS High Sierra with little to no issue: Macbook/Macbook Pro/Macbook Air that were made from about 2010 to today. Mac mini’s, pro’s and iMac’s that are newer than the 2010 model year will also be totally compatible with the new operating systems.
Plus, upgrading could actually mean your computer can do more cool stuff than before. Luckily, OS updates don’t just mean improvements in storage or, in some cases, a premature slow-down in speed due to your hard drive figuring out just how much it has outside of the software itself to store your data. Systems like High Sierra is actually an awesome iteration of Apple’s premiere software, due to improvements in Siri and Dictation, a universal clipboard to make compatibility between Apple products better, calling people with your cell phone number, using Apple Pay on the Internet, and basically everything the new butterfly keyboard (with its many built-in features) can do.
Now, if you don’t own a newer version of your Mac product, your computer most likely does not feature the trackpad. However, it’s a pretty cool addition to the keyboard we all know and love. Granted, your function key line is gone in lieu of other touch-screen items, but it’s easily accessible with the ‘fn’ key on the bottom left of the keyboard, as always. Arguably the coolest things about the butterfly keyboard is the fact that it’s actually more precise than the old-school ‘scissor’ method of placing keys. Essentially, the keys move less when you hit them, helping you make less mistakes typing things up or using function keys. This is why new MacBooks seem to have a thinner, smaller keyboard and a larger trackpad. The goal is higher productivity, and we believe new models of the Mac achieve this. Plus, the butterfly keyboard helps optimize Force Touch functions and Voice Over functions, using gestures.
However, critics say the new butterfly keyboard model mimics tapping a touchscreen and does not allow for the feeling of ‘typing’. So if you’re a typing purist, it may take a bit to get used to the new technology. But, the average consumer spends their time typing messages on an Apple or Android smart phone, so we don’t’ think the change will come as too much of a shock to the system.
Have other questions about the newest operating systems on your favorite devices? Contact our team at Rocky Mountain Computer Specialists today.