Command Control Power: Apple Tech Support & Business Talk

Jerry Zigmont, Joe Saponare, Sam Valencia

Sam, Jerry, and Joe discuss their thoughts and draw from their combined experience of over 20 years in the Apple Consultants Network (ACN).

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#694
Tuesday · 57 min
694: Travel Tales, Starlink Van Life, and First Impressions of Apple's Foldable Duo
In this episode of Command, Control, Power, Jerry recounts attending Boston's Head of the Charles, where his freshman daughter coxed a women's varsity eight and finished despite the boat losing its skeg mid-race. Joe shares a road trip to Lake Tahoe and Yosemite, plus rainy stops in Zion and Utah's Valley of the Gods, using a Starlink Mini powered via USB-C to work remotely and navigating flash-flood warnings and a wash crossing. The hosts discuss balancing tech work with nature travel and national park crowds. They then shift to tech: impressions of Apple's first-gen foldable "Duo," iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max experiences, ongoing iOS 27 issues (weather alerts, copy/paste), and worsening Siri responsiveness. They touch on macOS "Golden Gate," Apple Mail's Exchange/EWS situation, and reactions to new Apple TV pricing and the HomeView product, including limited third-party integrations versus UniFi Protect. 00:00 Show Kickoff 00:11 Head of the Charles Recap 00:50 Racing Without a Skeg 02:26 Yosemite and Tahoe Highlights 03:42 Starlink Van Life Setup 05:15 Flash Floods and Wash Crossing 09:26 Remote Work Reality Check 11:36 Traveling With Other People 14:04 Crowds and Park Etiquette 18:29 Tech Transition to Apple Duo 18:43 Foldable iPhone First Impressions 23:34 iOS Glitches and Alert Bugs 25:31 Siri Beta Disappointment 27:18 iPhone 18 Pro Max Letdown 28:21 Case Free Durability Talk 29:45 Siri Workout Failures 32:52 AllTrails And Fitness Bugs 35:09 Golden Gate Upgrade Check 36:45 Apple Mail Exchange Trouble 40:59 Outlook Versus Mail Debate 43:47 New Apple TV Sticker Shock 46:55 HomeView Use Cases 50:03 HomeKit Versus UniFi Reality 53:35 Wrap Up And Community
#693
November 3 · 58 min
693: Apple's October 2026 Updates: Touchscreen MacBook Pro, M6 iMac, and a Revamped iPad Mini
Joe and Jerry discuss Apple's October 28, 2026 product event, focusing on the new "MacBook Pro with Pro LED XDR display," Apple's first touchscreen Mac; it uses existing M5 Pro/M5 Max chips, adds a tandem OLED touch display, and debuts a thinner, significantly lighter chassis with improved audio, while the entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro and iMac get the new M6. They note confusing lineup naming, incremental performance changes, and pricing/upgrade math (RAM and storage), including frustration that the iMac still caps at 2TB. They cover speculation about supply constraints and unlikely price drops, Apple shipping AI-ready hardware before software (Siri), and mixed enthusiasm about AI marketing. They find the updated iPad Mini compelling for its A20 Pro, Wi‑Fi 7/Bluetooth 6, OLED, and nano-texture option. They also address reports of Apple Store subscription opt-ins, briefly mention Duo device issues and ergonomics, and end with an eBay-worthy vintage Apple director's chair. 00:00 Apple Event Setup 00:41 MacBook Pro Naming Mess 03:08 Touchscreen Arrives 04:17 New Chassis Breakdown 06:16 Touch UX and Hybrids 09:11 Screen Specs Reality Check 11:20 Pricing Creep and iMac Limits 14:06 Supply Constraints Debate 19:17 MacBook Air vs Pro Pricing 21:16 Thermals and Wi-Fi 7 24:20 AI Hardware and Siri Promises 27:07 Siri vs ChatGPT in Practice 29:21 Home View Expectations 30:09 Fixing Productivity Systems 32:55 iPad Mini Temptation 35:56 Incremental Apple Updates 38:53 Store Subscription Opt Ins 43:36 Managing Subscriptions Easily 47:44 Duo Defects And Buttons 51:03 Software Update Impressions 52:01 Apple Directors Chair Outro
October 27 · 40 min
Best Of CCP: Ya Gotta Monitor the Monitoring
Sam Valencia, Jerry Zigmont and Joe Saponare discuss working with Apple technology and clients. Drawn from their combined experience of over 20 years in the Apple Consultants Network, thaey discuss technical support issues both with the technology and working with clients.
#691
October 20 · 54 min
691: EWS Deprecation, Apple Mail/Calendar Issues, and a Jamf Conference Misadventure
Sam and Jerry record an episode of Command and Control Power without Joe, briefly discussing hiking safety, then focus on Microsoft Exchange Web Services (EWS) deprecation affecting Apple Mail on macOS and the ethical question of proactively extending EWS via PowerShell for former clients; they extended it for a few Apple Mail–using customers but wouldn't change settings for non-clients. They describe difficult troubleshooting when business addresses were previously used for personal Microsoft 365 accounts, requiring Keychain resets and, for Apple Calendar sync issues, removing Apple Internet Accounts data. Sam notes quirks with Microsoft passkey QR logins leaving the phone camera active, shares an embarrassing "good Samaritan" story at JNUC, highlights Jamf's AI governance tool, and recounts fixing his own Jamf enrollment by disabling SIP and repairing configuration profile folders before re-enrolling. They also discuss syncing the macOS Downloads folder via iCloud, cautious AI permissions, and AI's usefulness and risks. 00:00 Recording Setup 00:40 Welcome And Missing Joe 01:22 Bear Safety Talk 04:13 EWS Deprecation Ethics 08:37 PowerShell Fixes And WhatIf 11:28 Microsoft Credential Hell 17:05 Apple Calendar Exchange Bugs 20:23 Passkeys QR Camera Quirk 21:33 JNUC Trip And Water Bottle 25:43 Jamf Keynote And AI Governance 26:43 Jamf Cloud And Roles 27:38 Jamf Life Updates 28:29 JNUC Meetup Talk 29:10 Patch And Bird Suit 30:51 Mascot Movie Tangent 32:19 MDM Profile Meltdown 37:33 Remote Support And Sync 40:57 Syncing Downloads Hack 44:21 Finder Mail Power Tips 45:29 AI Permissions And Risks 52:08 Wrap Up And Rental Car 54:15 Credits And Goodbye
#690
October 13 · 1 hr 6 min
690: AI-Powered PowerShell, and Carrier Trade-In Traps
Joe and Jerry discuss using iPhone built-in Background Sounds (rain/white noise) and Joe's reliable Shortcuts automation: when power connects, if the time is after 9:55 PM or before 6:15 AM and audio isn't already playing (checked via the third-party Actions app), set rain sound and volume and enable it; Siri's shortcut generation was buggy, while Gemini helped produce working logic. They swap notes on using white noise at home and while traveling, and Joe recounts encountering a bear at night and ideas for a "bear alert" automation. They note Apple Notes lacks version history/rollback and mention the Note Export app as a workaround. Jerry describes using Claude to guide PowerShell incident response for a Microsoft 365 phishing compromise, generating reports and adding an admin-enforced outbound wire-fraud notice. They also compare Gemini/Claude/ChatGPT (including an annoying ChatGPT "pet" hotkey conflict) and praise Duolingo's habit features. Finally, Joe explains Verizon's AI chat helped clarify phone unlocking and trade-in financing rules versus AT&T's device-locking and poor chat results, influencing his upgrade decision.
#689
October 6 · 51 min
689: Stitches, Switches, and Sketchy Devices: A Podcast Nose Dive
Jerry describes having basal cell carcinoma removed from his nose and urges regular dermatology checkups, then shares how iOS 27 repeatedly warned him before sharing a "sensitive" stitched-and-bloody photo, even suggesting he consult a "trusted adult." Joe discusses costly RV maintenance and how machines (including hard drives) can fail when left idle, leading into Mac maintenance routines. They debate slang like "cooked," then talk Apple's new iPhone lineup, including Jerry's iPhone 13 Pro Max purchase and their mixed expectations for the first-gen iPhone Duo (weight, outer-screen constraints, camera and battery compromises) alongside improvements like cooling, battery life, and a vapor chamber. They cover Apple Watch "always listening" features, citing Gruber's privacy rationale, and discuss practical recording/summaries for medical visits. Jerry explains how Claude helps him solve technical issues, analyze security research, navigate health insurance decisions, and produce billable security reporting; they note macOS screen sharing bug fixes and mention keychain migration and safe mode articles. They tease upcoming Patreon topics about a move and walking away from a client. 00:00 Show Kickoff Banter 00:21 Nose Surgery Story 02:30 iOS Sensitive Image Warning 04:43 Scar Care And Skin Checks 05:19 RV Maintenance Costs 06:57 Idle Vehicles And Backup Drives 07:51 Mac Maintenance Cycles 08:57 New Slang Cooked Debate 10:32 New iPhone Pro Purchase 11:09 iPhone Duo First Impressions 13:59 Upgrading From 16 Pro 15:52 Carrier Handoff And eSIM Switching 17:56 Duo Software And Fold Durability 19:26 Foldable Display Durability 20:54 Watch Always Listening Debate 23:24 Trusted Device Privacy Logic 25:53 Real World Recording Use Cases 27:43 Claude as IT Copilot 31:33 AI Summarizes Security Research 34:49 Health Insurance With Claude 39:25 Billable Security Reporting 41:45 macOS VNC Bug Takeaways 43:00 Keychain Migration Confusion 45:33 Safe Mode and Show Wrap 46:19 Patreon Tease and Goodbye
September 29 · 56 min
Best Of CCP: Backblaze to the Future & Proofpoint Pandemonium
Sam Valencia, Jerry Zigmont and Joe Saponare discuss working with Apple technology and clients. Drawn from their combined experience of over 20 years in the Apple Consultants Network, thaey discuss technical support issues both with the technology and working with clients.
#687
September 22 · 57 min
687: Haircuts, Apple Upgrades, and UniFi Networking Lessons
Joe and Jerry chat about haircuts, travel plans to Yosemite via Reno and Lake Tahoe amid fires and crowds, and recent wildlife encounters. They discuss upgrading iPhones and frustrations about promised Apple Intelligence features, plus recurring complaints about changing chargers and Apple hardware quality, including deteriorating Apple cases and notoriously poor pre‑M1 MacBook Airs. Joe shares an anecdote about helping an elderly client set up a new Apple account on an M4 iMac while a clock loudly recited affirmations and the Lord's Prayer during an Apple support call. They cover "technical debt" ("Schedule the maintenance or the maintenance will schedule itself"), Mac pricing for RAM/storage, John Siracusa's choice to use an external SSD for a photo library, mixed experiences with M1 MacBook Air performance and batteries, and field benefits of newer Macs. The episode also reviews UniFi improvements (CGNAT alerts, channel optimization, rollback/Safe Ops), using Claude to analyze Wi‑Fi settings, and frustrations when AV installers build weak networks in high-end homes. 00:00 Show Kickoff 00:08 Haircut Talk 01:00 Yosemite Trip Plans 01:34 National Park Chaos 03:41 Fires and Burning Man 04:35 New iPhone Dilemma 06:10 Planned Obsolescence Debate 08:43 Case Fail and Client Rants 11:17 Clock Prayers and Apple Support 14:22 Hotline Servers Nostalgia 16:53 Tech Debt Wisdom 17:56 External SSD Storage Strategy 24:27 Storage Prices Blip 25:28 Apple Pricing Stays High 26:37 M1 MacBook Air Aging 31:15 Battery Life Upgrade Case 35:33 UniFi Keeps Improving 40:39 AI Tuning WiFi Channels 42:07 Safe Ops and Rollbacks 45:36 Network Gear Brand Talk 50:47 AV Installs Gone Wrong 54:15 Wrap Up and Sign Off
#686
September 15 · 57 min
686: North Korean Remote Job Infiltration, Apple Threat Alerts, and Stopping Gift Card Scams
Joe and Sam discuss a Wall Street Journal documentary on North Korean operatives using stolen identities, AI tools, and U.S. accomplices to gain remote jobs at American companies, including schemes where U.S.-based helpers host shipped laptops for overseas workers, raising financial and data-leak risks. They note interview red flags, AI face/voice masking, and an email pitch offering a U.S. partner for a 50/50 split. Sam updates on trying FDA-approved Closee eye drops for age-related vision issues, finding partial improvement but stopping due to itching/burning and concern over past side effects. They troubleshoot Fireflies AI auto-joining meetings via default settings after easy "Sign in with Microsoft" onboarding. Joe reviews Apple threat notifications, Lockdown Mode effectiveness, verification via account.apple.com, and Consumer Reports resources. Sam outlines KnowBe4 security awareness training and shares a near-miss CEO text gift-card scam stopped by verification. 00:00 Show Kickoff 00:08 Overemployed Meets Espionage 02:04 How the Laptop Proxy Scam Works 04:41 Interview Red Flags and Tests 08:22 AI Voice and Face Spoofing 09:13 Suspicious Joint Venture Email 10:57 Eye Drops Experiment Update 14:42 Fireflies Auto Join Mystery 18:20 Apple Threat Notifications Explained 22:33 Can Attackers Fake Apple Alerts 26:42 Lockdown Mode and Best Practices 28:28 Apple Emergency Resources 29:27 Handling Hard-to-Assess Clients 32:56 Jamf Response Playbook 34:50 Developer Mode Malware Evasion 36:46 Staying Ahead of Scams 38:10 Selling Awareness Training 39:45 KnowBe4 Campaigns and Phishing 45:10 Gift Card Scam Case Study 54:51 Phone-Level Limits and Wrap-Up
#585
September 8 · 52 min
685: Recovered MacBook, Client Trust, and Preparing for Rosetta 2's Phaseout
Recovered MacBook, Client Trust, and Preparing for Rosetta 2's Phaseout In this episode of Command Control Power, Sam and Joe discuss being short-staffed while covering client onboarding and ticket work, and how client relationships shift when a different technician becomes the main contact. Joe recounts a new small boutique client raising concerns about him having passwords, leading to credential changes and enabling MFA, plus a quick non-technical win fixing a poorly positioned VoIP phone stand. They address HomePod/Apple Music use in a business and disabling personal content requests, suggesting services like Spotify instead. Joe shares a case where a "stolen" MacBook Air was recovered via Delta's lost-and-found because his MDM login window message showed company contact info; he used Adigy monitoring to track online status and IP changes, then arranged an Apple trade-in-value credit path for the recovered device. They close with upcoming macOS 28 changes: Rosetta 2 removal and loss of support for encrypted HFS+ volumes, recommending reporting to identify Intel apps and demonstrating MDM value to clients. 00:00 Cold Open And Introductions 00:17 Covering For Matt 01:31 Client Handoffs And Trust 04:49 Passwords And MFA Talk 06:55 The VoIP Phone Fix 08:13 HomePods In The Office 13:34 Small Biz Vs Enterprise Vibes 15:38 Adequate Survey And Anonymity 18:09 Music Tangent And Genre Debates 23:25 Back To Tech Teaser 23:33 Stolen Mac Recovery 24:23 Lost Device Monitoring 25:31 Delta Lost and Found Lead 30:15 Laptop Returned and Verified 30:36 Lock Screen Message Win 32:35 Trade In or Resell 35:29 Refurbish and Alerts Trigger 36:09 Flex Policy Breakdown 39:02 Lock Screen Serial Tips 41:20 Rosetta and HFS Changes 46:53 MDM Reporting Value 49:59 Wrap Up and Next Episode
#684
September 1 · 56 min
684: Resetting AirTags, Beta Bugs, and Vibe-Coded Mac Health Checks
Resetting AirTags, Beta Bugs, and Vibe-Coded Mac Health Checks The hosts discuss how to reset an Apple AirTag by inserting and removing the battery five times until a different sound plays, noting newer AirTags may require pressing down. They share issues seen on iOS 27 and macOS betas, including missing app icons in search, slow contact searching, Contacts app odd behavior, Apple Configurator on iPhone failing to enroll devices until using a non-beta phone, and a Control Center white-noise toggle bug requiring reboots. They debate installing macOS 27 "Golden Gate" on production machines, restarting habits, and workflow clutter from Safari tabs, Finder windows, and messy desktops, with Sam recommending an analog black glass dry-erase desktop board. They also note a Safari private browsing/profile issue showing history and Microsoft 365 credential problems. Jerry describes using Claude to "vibe code" an unsigned "MacWorks Health Check" app that collects Mac discovery info and uploads reports to Dropbox via API keys to replace a costly subscription tool. 00:00 Show Kickoff and Setup 00:26 Resetting an AirTag 02:33 iOS Beta Bugs and Contacts Glitches 04:20 Configurator Beta Breakage 07:41 White Noise and Beta Quirks 08:33 Should You Install macOS Betas 13:53 Restarting and Workflow Friction 15:06 Tabs Desktops and Finder Chaos 21:37 Analog To Do Board and Vig Talk 23:19 Vigorish Explained 23:45 Desktop Whiteboard Find 25:12 Madden Movie Tangent 25:55 Safari Private Mode Bug 29:53 Analog Workflow Systems 33:14 Notion For Solo Work 36:26 Vibe Coded Health Check 41:19 Sizing Storage Needs 50:55 Tool Ideas And Wrap
August 25 · 1 hr 3 min
Best Of CCP: 158: Balanced Billing the Partner Plan with Richard Wingfield of Envision Design
Recorded on may 31, 2016 TOPICS: Richard B. Wingfield - Head Geek, Envision Design, LLC of Houston Texas:"I have been using Mac's in business since original Macintosh in '84 and Envision, as a consulting firm, has been around since 1993. Started part time as sole proprietor and 20+ years later we are now a firm of 5 full time consultants here in Houston. I tell people I am a "recovering architect" as I got my start in technology practicing architecture and being the "tech guy" in every firm I ever worked for. I even helped manage a DEC vax/vms system for a firm in Austin soon after graduating from The University of Texas with a degree in Architecture. This episode examines Richards own "recipe' for Managed Services. Here is a brief description as discussed: … Simple Hybrid Partner Plan is setup so almost all the clients "get it" and are not confused about how it works - 3 part invoice is made up of - small monthly fee per device (each mac, each windows, each iOS or android, each server… fees like $25/mac or $49/windows or $250/server etc) client must enroll ALL computers in the office (cant get cheap and have some on the system and some not) - our "consluting fee" - which is time for humans to do the work to manage, monitor, secure and maintain systems and ALWAYS includes a minimum of one 2hr visit per month (more if needed or requested) - fees for services or hosting (if we host kerio email or rackspace or web or crashplan backups or re-sell backblaze) ----------------------------------- You can find more about Richard and Envision design here: Web: http://www.envisiondesign.net
#682
August 18 · 1 hr
682: Using Claude for IT Fixes: Printer Pools, Chrome Log Sleuthing, UniFi IoT Wi‑Fi, and iPhone Protection Tips
The hosts discuss confusion caused by Microsoft's email warning that Publisher will end in October 2026 and urging users to convert files to PDF. Jerry shares how he's been using AI—especially Claude (and sometimes ChatGPT)—to speed up IT work: creating an Addigy printer pool by assigning static IPs to flaky Brother network printers, analyzing Mac logs with Claude to find a runaway Chrome render process causing memory pressure, and using the Quitter app to auto-quit Chrome as a workaround for battery and performance issues. He also describes fixing a weak UniFi doorbell connection by creating a 2.4GHz-only SSID and broadcasting it on multiple access points. The conversation broadens to AI guardrails, environmental and economic concerns, and social impacts. They cover security-minded IoT network segmentation, Sonos reliability, a client scare about entering a Mac password prompted by Touch ID autofill in private browsing, RingCentral sidebar customization, presbyopia eye drops, and phone accessory tips including ESR screen protectors, Spigen cases, camera lens vulnerability, battery health, and pros/cons of Apple's iPhone Upgrade Program. 00:00 Podcast Kickoff Banter 00:19 Microsoft Publisher Panic 01:39 AI Fixes Printer Deployments 04:19 Claude Reads Mac Logs 05:53 Quitter App Chrome Workaround 08:14 AI Ethics and Guardrails 12:07 AI Economy Bubble Talk 16:03 UniFi Doorbell WiFi Fix 20:23 IoT Networks and VLAN Trust 25:00 Sonos Reliability Updates 28:12 Experian Password Scare 30:06 Touch ID Prompts Confuse Users 32:00 V-Neck and Beard Side Chat 32:18 Beard and Shirt Banter 32:54 Eye Drops for Presbyopia 35:23 Screen Reflections on Calls 37:11 RingCentral Sidebar Hack 39:21 Best Budget Screen Protectors 41:58 Do You Even Need Protectors 44:27 Cracked Camera Lens Mystery 47:06 Battery Health and Upgrade Temptation 52:07 iPhone Upgrade Program Debate 57:54 Wrap Up and Sign Off
August 11 · 55 min
Best Of CCP - 540: Interview With Mike Bombich of CEO and Developer of Carbon Copy Cloner
-We are pleased to welcome Mike Bombich, creator of Carbon Copy Cloner. -He tells a story of losing data that inspired his creation of Carbon Copy Cloner. -Mike spent 8 years as a creative with Apple. -CCC was initially donation-ware. -He never wanted to put any barrier between you and your data. -macOS Big Sur started the downfall of bootable backups. -Mike talks about how that affected CCC and his customers. -We talk about Time Machine's reliability and alternatives to built in solutions. -Mike is not a fan of backing up to disk images. -Jerry talks about the new Quick Updates feature of CCC. -Mike talks about his feelings on cloud storage. -Migration Assistant is another hot topic and we get into methods of restoration. -Mike has always had a concern about releasing software that can delete data. -We love the fish (it's a tuna!) that guides us to privacy settings. -He shares a bug from the Mojave days that affects helper tools, that has now been corrected in Ventura. -Carbon Cooy Cloner's update will not be subscription based. -Check out the latest release of Carbon Cooy Cloner and the list of new features.
#680
August 4 · 54 min
680: Microsoft Retires SMS/Voice MFA, Salesforce SSO Headaches, and SOC 2 Realities
Sam and Joe discuss Microsoft's plan to retire Microsoft-provided SMS and voice calls for MFA, with key dates of Sept 1, 2026 (users on SMS/voice are automatically enabled for passkeys and nudged to register) and Feb 1, 2027 (blocking enforcement for users whose only MFA is SMS/voice, no opt-out), noting paid/customer-managed telecom options and the need to warn clients, address legacy per-user MFA vs conditional access, and handle shared accounts via shared mailboxes or passkey-sharing tools. Sam recounts a prolonged Salesforce SSO/MFA issue worsened by poor vendor documentation and misleading AI guidance, ultimately tied to a Microsoft KB update. They then cover partnering with Fuji for client SOC 2 compliance support, emphasizing evidence, audits, costs, and ongoing maintenance, plus how cyber-insurance questionnaires drive security improvements. The episode also touches on residential support cases, Vision Pro support challenges with DRM blocking screen mirroring, and show wrap-up. 00:00 Show Kickoff 00:17 Microsoft MFA SMS Retirement 00:44 Key Dates and User Impact 03:28 Authenticator Backups and PSAs 04:40 Legacy MFA Cleanup Challenges 07:36 Conditional Access Licensing Risks 10:12 Shared Accounts and Passkeys 12:21 Salesforce MFA SSO Headaches 13:25 AI Missteps and Vendor Docs 17:50 SOC 2 Help from Fuji 21:23 SOC 2 Costs and Maintenance 22:49 Easy Buttons and Real Audits 26:27 Cyber Insurance Questionnaires 27:53 Partnering for Expertise 29:07 Cyber Insurance Foot in Door 30:31 Apple Store Referral Win 31:01 Lightroom Migration Pitfalls 34:31 Blocked Contacts Mystery 38:04 Email Search and User Training 40:02 Supporting Vision Pro Clients 47:28 Amazon Returns and Exceptions 50:24 Wrap Up and Callouts
#679
July 28 · 52 min
679: New OS, Old Problems
In this episode of Command Control Power, the hosts discuss early experiences with the macOS 27 "Golden Gate" beta, noting it feels snappy and stable but breaks QuickBooks, leading one host to keep QuickBooks on a headless Mac mini running macOS 26. They cover upcoming Apple Intelligence features, including AI-assisted file renaming, Safari profiles and AI-suggested tab grouping, page-change notifications, and Apple Passwords' potential to automate password changes (which appears incomplete in testing). The conversation compares Apple Passwords with 1Password, explains passkeys with client-friendly metaphors and technical points, and notes issues caused by multiple password tools. They also review AirPods Pro 3 fit and changes, discuss hearing-aid functionality on AirPods Pro 2/3, and share troubleshooting tips for Splashtop permissions and an Apple Mail send bug tied to "check spelling before sending." 00:00 Show Kickoff 00:08 macOS Golden Gate Beta 01:47 Safari Tab Groups 06:18 Apple Intelligence Highlights 08:39 Passwords Auto Change 17:48 Passkeys Explained 24:01 Passkey Pitfalls 26:33 AirPods Pro 3 First Impressions 26:47 Better Fit Out of Box 27:07 Why Upgrade AirPods 28:08 Lost AirPod Find My 30:10 Sound Signature Debate 31:25 AirPods at Loud Venues 33:03 Hearing Aid Potential 37:00 Remote Setup iPhone Mirroring 42:08 Splashtop Permissions Trick 44:42 Fuzzy Mic Trend Rant 46:50 Apple Mail Send Bug Fix 49:17 Next Episode Teasers Wrap
July 21 · 37 min
Best of CCP - 342: Accruing Technical Debt
Sam Valencia, Jerry Zigmont and Joe Saponare discuss working with Apple technology and clients. Drawn from their combined experience of over 20 years in the Apple Consultants Network, thaey discuss technical support issues both with the technology and working with clients.
#677
July 14 · 50 min
677: Beyond the Surface: Network Tools and Cloud Security
The hosts discuss several network and security topics, starting with UniFi's new "Device Supervisor" feature under Power and Resiliency to monitor device heartbeat and automatically recover silent devices, plus UniFi's move from UniFi Server to UniFi OS Server that may require a migration and re-adoption, pushing remaining sites off a Mac mini to cloud management. They revisit ethernet surge protection and grounding for outdoor cameras and consider alternatives like rack grounding, DIN rails, grounding rods, or using a sacrificial outdoor switch with fiber uplink. They mention Speedify for bonding multiple cellular/Wi‑Fi connections. The conversation shifts to email security: Microsoft's "impossible travel" detection and API reporting versus Google's weaker reporting, alongside odd Google reauthentication/password-change loops and MFA fatigue leading to a Google account breach. They cover deploying Claude Enterprise in healthcare with BAA needs and using Microsoft Purview/Defender to block pasting PHI into Claude, then discuss risks of fake password prompts, password managers (1Password vs LastPass), and end-user security training.
#676
July 6 · 54 min
676: OS 27 Support, Siri AI, and the New Backup Reality
The hosts discuss early impressions of iOS 27 on an iPhone 15 Pro Max and interest in Siri AI on newer iPhone hardware, plus Apple's macOS 27 compatibility list ending Intel support while continuing support for 2020 M1 Macs, which they estimate could extend security updates to roughly 2029. They debate device lifespans for home and business, note iOS 27 supports iPhone 11, and consider how Siri AI's on-device, voice-first, screen-aware approach could change form factors and competition. A cautionary story highlights lost Quicken 2016 data due to missing backups and limitations of iCloud Drive and Backblaze, including Backblaze's cloud-sync folder controversy and retention/restore issues, while Carbon Copy Cloner's option to temporarily download cloud-only files is raised. They recount multiple Migration Assistant failures resolved by re-wiping and redoing the migration, identify a client complaint as Stage Manager, and briefly cover testing the UniFi 5G Max cellular backup with AT&T and a low-income T-Mobile-based SIM option.
June 30 · 1 hr 5 min
Best Of CCP - 034: Interview with Ben Greiner, Inventor of Robot Cloud and President of Forget Computers
Ben Greiner is a pioneer in the Apple IT consulting industry and a longtime leader in the Apple Consultants Network. He founded Forget Computers in Chicago in 1998, transforming it into one of the nation's most respected Apple-focused managed service providers, and later created Robot Cloud, an innovative multi-tenant management platform that helped popularize managed services and automation for Apple consultants. Widely recognized for championing standardized device management, recurring service models, and operational efficiency, Ben continues to influence the Apple consulting community as an Apple Champion and Growth Advisor at Addigy, where he helps MSPs build and scale successful Apple practices

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