Hi, everyone!

Happy Halloween! It's a beautiful Monday afternoon, and it's so good to be back.

I'm still at home, recovering, but I hope you're all enjoying the long weekend and Halloween parties. What's your costume this year? My niece went to two parties, and she dressed up as a princess and a cupcake. She enjoyed chasing after the mascots and dancing with the other kids.

This Monday, I just wanted to share something inspirational to kickstart the week.

Part of trying new things and growth is experiencing some setbacks. Although sometimes we only see the success of other people, we also need to recognize that their accomplishments were not achieved overnight. They, too, had to battle their way to the top. In fact, they continue to do so in order to surf the waves or change the tides. It is also because of their persistence that some challenges may seem like a walk in the park. Not being able to accept the challenge of failure draws us back from our purpose and mere existence. Recognizing defeat without pushing ourselves to stand and try again makes us complacent.

Idealistic as it may sound, I believe that we're all destined to do great things. May it be for ourselves, for our family and friends or for the community, the measure of our success is entirely up to us. The only question is, how bad do we want it?

Here's a short video from Drew Canole of Fitlife to power up your afternoon. Enjoy! #StayInspired

Hi, everyone!

How's your week so far? Mine has been a bit of a roller coaster, but finally MacBook Pro gets an update, and I'm so excited about it!

"A touch of genius." MacBook Pro's 2016 tagline is very clear of how proud Apple is for this launch that they have been working on for years. This is supposedly the thinnest, most powerful and brightest notebook they've created so far.

MBP 2016 sports a strip of Touch Bar that inherited traits from the smartphone technology. It replaced the generic F1 to F12 keys that comes along with the usual ESC and eject keys. Fully customizable, the Touch Bar adapts to whatever program you are currently running, from FaceTime to Adobe Photoshop. This opens a ton of opportunities for developers and designers alike, similar to the iMessage update. At first I was hesitant that the Messages App will be heavier and slower, but I was surprised that it actually replaced my need for a different program. That said, although a bar that automatically changes functions may need a bit of getting used to, I know it will be great for us in the end.

With the Touch ID, it also allows us to unlock our computer in an instant. Apple Pay and switching between users is even possible with a touch of a finger.

Should you need the F1 to F12 keys, holding down the fn key is said to reveal them on the Touch Bar.

One thing that I would surely miss is the MagSafe plug that saved a ton of users before. Although Apple did not discuss plans about one of their smartest inventions, the introduction of Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports would mean that you can charge devices and transfer data faster. While this will push us into buying adapters for our existing devices, it also means that Apple takes another step towards the future. Same thing goes when previous ports have been changed, and people started complaining about how things will work for them, but the good thing is that we all managed to move forward.

On the same note, Apple did gave us a hint when they debuted their MacBook in 2015 which included a single USB-C port. Good thing, MBP 2016 comes with 4.

Since MBP 2016 is now using Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports, they should have included the same port on the iPhone 7.

Don't worry about getting an adapter for your 3.5 mm headphones. Although Apple axed the port on their latest iPhone, the jack is still present on their 2016 MacBook Pro.

Even if Apple managed to save the headphone jack, we all need to say goodbye to the HDMI port and SD card slot. Soon, the days when a photographer hands you his / her SD card to transfer raw images and you automatically plug it in your MBP will be over.

Friends who prefer carrying an Air typically ask me if my Mid-2012 MacBook Pro is heavy, and my answer remains the same - it's not. However, a slimmer 2016 version of my beloved notebook isn't too bad for my back. In fact, Apple said that the new MacBook Pro is 17% thinner and 13% lighter than its predecessor.

I'm not a big fan of the Rose Gold Mac nor the iPhone, but when Apple introduced the Matte and Jet Black options for the iPhone 7, I was excited that they will also create a darker hue for their laptops, and they did! Space Gray is now available for the 2016 model.

Although the casing of the MBP gets a darker hue, the screen gets brighter and more colorful: 500 nits brightness, 25% more colors than sRGB, and 67% higher contrast ratio. Creating and editing graphics, images and videos will be tastier on this MBP.

My WODs usually involve me playing a video on YouTube or one of my go-to playlists, but I sometimes find it hard to compete with the outside noise. However, that may change with MBP's redesigned speakers that generate 58% more volume.

A set of flatter keys is said to improve responsiveness, but replaced the actual clicks and physical response that we're used to. MBP 2016 reviews show that Apple improved their butterfly keys after getting user feedback for their 2015 MacBook.

The iconic glowing Apple logo is also gone in this version of the MBP. Cutting that out helped them create a slimmer body.

Apple already uploaded updates for their homegrown programs like Keynote and iMovie that will integrate with the Touch Bar and MacOs Sierra, but seeing them first hand will have to wait for now.

I did wish for a better FaceTime camera in terms of pixel ratio, but I guess that needs to wait as well. However, considering that the MBP is Apple's premium notebook with a price range up to almost 3000 USD, I think users deserve better than 720p.

Not to mention that the entry level MBP 2016 is more like an improved Air with a Pro name. Reports show that Apple may be trying to eliminate Air to streamline their models in the future.

Overall, there are a lot of things that I will miss on the MBP. However, change is inevitable and Apple is trying to advance our way of interaction with new technology. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I can't wait to get my hands on this new MBP.

For a more concise comparison of their latest models, here's a screenshot from their website. Click on the photo to get to the MBP page.

So what do you think about this update? Let me know in the comment section.

Stay inspired, and later days!