Is the new MacBook Pro a must have? (The 3:59, Ep. 140)

We look at the reviews of Apple's flagship laptop, dissect Facebook's take on news and return to the world of Harry Potter.

Roger Cheng Former Executive Editor / Head of News

Roger Cheng (he/him/his) was the executive editor in charge of CNET News, managing everything from daily breaking news to in-depth investigative packages. Prior to this, he was on the telecommunications beat and wrote for Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal for nearly a decade and got his start writing and laying out pages at a local paper in Southern California. He's a devoted Trojan alum and thinks sleep is the perfect -- if unattainable -- hobby for a parent.

Expertise Mobile, 5G, Big Tech, Social Media Credentials

SABEW Best in Business 2011 Award for Breaking News Coverage, Eddie Award in 2020 for 5G coverage, runner-up National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award for culture analysis.

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Joan E. Solsman Former Senior Reporter

Joan E. Solsman was CNET's senior media reporter, covering the intersection of entertainment and technology. She's reported from locations spanning from Disneyland to Serbian refugee camps, and she previously wrote for Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal. She bikes to get almost everywhere and has been doored only once.

Expertise Streaming video, film, television and music; virtual, augmented and mixed reality; deep fakes and synthetic media; content moderation and misinformation online Credentials

Three Folio Eddie award wins: 2018 science & technology writing (Cartoon bunnies are hacking your brain), 2021 analysis (Deepfakes' election threat isn't what you'd think) and 2022 culture article (Apple's CODA Takes You Into an Inner World of Sign)

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Roger Cheng

Joan E. Solsman

Nov. 14, 2016 9:52 a.m. PT

The reviews for the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar are in, and the word is fairly positive.

CNET's review says Apple's newest laptop is worth the splurge, calling the Touch Bar "inventive." Other reviews have been more lukewarm, and the high price is still an issue.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, meanwhile, defends the role of his company in the election but notes that the site needs to do a better job of identifying fake news. He previously dismissed the idea that hoax stories, which proliferated on his social network, affected the outcome of the election.

Lastly, we talk about Joan Solsman's interview with Dan Fogler, one of the stars of "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them."

The 3:59 gives you bite-size news and analysis about the top stories of the day, brought to you by the CNET News team in New York and producer Bryan VanGelder.

Check out the extended shows on YouTube.

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