Command Control Power: Apple Tech Support & Business Talk

Jerry Zigmont, Joe Saponare, Sam Valencia
  • 4.7 (59)
  • Technology
  • Weekly

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

  1. 3h ago

    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

  2. Oct 27

    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.

  3. Oct 20

    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

  4. Oct 13

    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.

  5. Oct 6

    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

  6. Sep 29

    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.

  7. Sep 22

    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

  8. Sep 15

    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

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4.7
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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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