Notches Gone Wild

120 points by hzlatar 4 years ago | 51 comments

radley 4 years ago |

I was curious what happens if you don't have a notch. The app installs a "no f4k3 genuine replacement notch" so you can still enjoy the benefits.

LeoPanthera 4 years ago |

I'm astounded Apple approved this. Guidelines for both iOS and macOS include "don't draw attention to the notch".

ASalazarMX 4 years ago | |

Of course they do, ha ha. They could resume a few of those in "Don't dare mock us or our products".

GekkePrutser 4 years ago | |

They don't have to approve anything on Mac. You can install stuff without using the app store

Edit: oh wait sorry I see they have published it on the app store. Cool

dawnerd 4 years ago | |

Obviously it draws attention away from the notch! /s

throwanem 4 years ago | |

I'm not surprised they made an exception. Something cute and cheerful like this might go a little way toward improving people's notch-related dispositions, and in any case it is cute and cheerful so why not?

lelandfe 4 years ago | | |

Plus IconFactory would absolutely have contacts over on that side.

djxfade 4 years ago | |

Considering how little good software (or any software at all) is available on the Mac App Store, I would think Apple would be happy to accept mostly anything

dvt 4 years ago |

It's funny how much of big deal the notch was when the new Macs came out, but after using my MBP for a month+, I never (and I mean never) even notice it or get bothered by it.

knolan 4 years ago | |

I played with the new models in a store today for the first time and I was surprised that even in a couple of minutes that it wasn't noticeable. Probably iPhone induced notch blindness.

What was noticeable was how nice the new body shape is.

npteljes 4 years ago | |

I get this. When I was a teen we used computer screens with all kinds of defects, cracks, discolored patches, part of the screen getting cut off etc. Not ideal, but we got used to it quickly.

lolive 4 years ago | |

You did not use your apps in full screen mode before, right?

nevi-me 4 years ago | | |

It's not noticeable in full screen because the menu area becomes black, such that there's no notch standing out. I see it as extra screen space for the menu, clock and taskbar.

mikepurvis 4 years ago | | |

Movies are letterboxed on a 16x10.4 screen anyway, and games could easily be letterboxed or not— most games have their critical HMI elements inset somewhat from the edges of the screen anyway because of TV overscan.

dvt 4 years ago | | |

Only movies or games, not typical apps -- I guess that's one case I didn't consider.

dilap 4 years ago | |

I like it, both on computer and phone. It makes the device feel more organic.

Also, on the computer, I enjoy having somewhere I can hide the mouse pointer, if I don't want to see it.

smoldesu 4 years ago | | |

Notches are fine, but hole-punch cameras are truly fantastic. You're really getting extra real-estate instead of a divided sector at the top of your screen. I anticipate you're going to love it when the iPhone gets one in... 2024?

bmitc 4 years ago | | |

> It makes the device feel more organic.

Could you elaborate?

rgovostes 4 years ago | |

I am not exaggerating that I didn’t notice the notch at all until about an hour into using a new MacBook Pro. I thought I would be bothered by the “fat” menu bar but in reality I spend very little time looking at the menu bar and they do a good job minimizing it with dark backgrounds. (I rarely use full screen mode, where it is much more obvious.)

bmitc 4 years ago | |

Did you also not notice how it actually does nothing to increase screen real estate?

I have a visual allergy to notches on phones. I just can't fathom how someone can get used to it on a laptop.

88840-8855 4 years ago | |

Maybe then I suggest installing notches right, left and at the bottom of the screen. I am pretty sure you will never (and I mean never( even notice them or get bothered by them. :)

robertoandred 4 years ago | |

How do you deal with menus running into it?

dilap 4 years ago | | |

There's just a gap -- the menu items naturally skip it.

https://imgur.com/T7lPjmJ

cosmotic 4 years ago | |

What do you do about the menu items being truncated? I don't even have a lot and it truncates them.

thomaspark 4 years ago |

This takes me right back to those quirky old Mac OS 7/8/9 extensions that destabilized your system.

amenghra 4 years ago | |

Remember Aaron? Gave your Mac a futuristic Copland feel for the mere cost of 4MB of ram or half the total.

notJim 4 years ago |

This is honestly hilarious and adorable. I wish I had a notch so I could install it.

neilparikh 4 years ago | |

You can if you'd like to:

> And for those of you without a new MacBook Pro, Notchmeister also includes a genuine replacement notch. Be warned that side effects of this feature include making you want a new Mac even more than you already do. Sorry.

(from App store description)

reaperducer 4 years ago | |

It's very much like the old days of computing. Before everything got serious and humor became taboo.

Supermancho 4 years ago |

So nobody in this discussion (nor the site) explains what "notch" means, in context.

---

It's a black box on the top part of the screen that houses the front-facing camera and other sensors. The notch easily distinguishes the iPhone X from its older cousins and is considered part of the overall good design.

https://miro.medium.com/max/1000/1*2vE1g5s1yx-W3XNy9qjPGQ.jp... ---

I assume this "app" adds hanging lights to the notch at the "top" of your device.

throwanem 4 years ago | |

At the top of your MacBook Pro, yes. They added a notch to those too, in the most recent iteration. It has not gone entirely without entirely predictable controversy.

jondwillis 4 years ago |

I unironically love the "Glow" effect. It's subtly helpful for relocating my hidden cursor and maintaining spatial continuance. I would love something similar but perhaps allowing to adjust the color or intensity. Or maybe adding an option when video is playing so that I can hide my cursor behind the notch if I want to.

lordnacho 4 years ago |

My TopNotch app somehow stopped working, so that the notch started being visible again. Only solution was to simply use black as my background.

coding123 4 years ago |

So notch owners... what happens when you watch a video full screen.. do you just miss out on the pixels in the notch area?

darknavi 4 years ago |

Anyone else expecting some new, racy comments from Notch?