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IT Pros: exclusive shows await you on Patreon, focusing on the more challenging aspects of running your practice and working with clients and employees.


205: A Square With Rounded Corners

Topics:

Jerry picked up a USB-C to Ethernet adapter with "groovy" lights
-Anker USB-C Gigabit Ethernet Adapter

Some Apple Watch discussion with regards to unlocking your Mac and updating

Sam & Jerry get into some iCloud Family Sharing and Child Apple ID issues

Jerry recommends a couple of apps for extracting data from iOS devices:
-ecamm PhoneView: http://www.ecamm.com/mac/phoneview/
-iMazing: https://imazing.com

Jerry provides live tech support for iOS storage issues due to a large Photos library

Joe demos Circle with Disney and have a successful presentation at a local school
-https://meetcircle.com
-Now they offer Circle Go for outside of the home network: https://meetcircle.com/circle-go/

Jerry recounts a story of a client diagnosing a "rogue IP" on their network

Joe's client has QB issues and deals with phony tech support.  It brings up the common issue of fake sites in legitimate Google searches.

The guys talk about the level of FUD (Fear Uncertainty and Doubt) amongst people with regards to technology

Aw Snap! - Joe brings up his disdain for Google Chrome's error messages

Our call for feedback about joining the Apple Consultant Network (or not) was answered by our listeners and brings about some discussion

201: MacTech Pro Boston & Upcoming Events with Neil Ticktin

On this show, we are very pleased to welcome Neil Ticktin, Editor in Chief and Publisher of MacTech and Host of MacTech Pro Events.  These regional events are perfect for the Apple Consultant looking to gain knowledge on important subject matter and network with their peers.  Neil joins us for a show focused on MacTech Pro and the amazing line up of topics:

  • Creating a Storage Strategy: Integrating solutions for Cloud, Local, Network with Access, Archive and Backup in Mind

  • Deployment Methods: Files, Configurations and Directory Services

  • Scripting Python: Solo and Playing with the Other Kids

  • Group Discussion: Limited time, limited resources. Best practices to optimize you.

  • IoT and Home Automation

  • Security. Don’t be the low hanging fruit for a hacker.

  • macOS Troubleshooting. Console is your friend.

  • The Tools You Should Know

Use this special link exclusively for Command Control Listeners to receive a discount on your next registration: http://pro.mactech.com/go/ccp/

Find the next available date in a city near you!

200: Not So - Off The Rails!

Topics:

-PsiMac is hiring! Judy offers up details about a full time consulting position at their Norwalk, CT office.

-Jerry, Joe & Sam get together for a rare in person show to celebrate 200 episodes and it goes...well it goes ok. We would like to thank our good friend Tom Bridge for putting us in touch with James Smith.  James was instrumental in making the show sound listenable after a very rough recording (it gets better about 20 minutes in).

-Jerry serenades the group and the audience at the opening of the show

-The team discusses a pre-show Google Hangout experience with some of our dedicated listeners

-A little reminiscing and trips down memory lane about the show's humble beginnings

-Down to business, Jerry goes in to a story about Gmail and Outlook 2011 security settings

-A dialogue opens up about cellular carriers and their plans.  And how to avoid higher chargers.

IMG_8947.jpg

-Sam's daughter helps the CCP crew ring in show 200 with a batch of cupcakes

-Don't forget to join us at Aces Conference this year, where we will hold a very special live show!
www.acesconf.com

-Sam got hot under the collar dealing with a client's poor planning and working with another vendor

-One of Joe's show ideas, "Residential Roundtable" gets a conversation going

-After Joe brings up another show idea, Sam's back on the couch to talk about the need for office space.  Joe offers up some of his experiences in his years in his own space.

-Admin or no admin? That topic comes up again as a point of focus for the next hire in a small business.

-Access to our back catalog will now only be available to our Patreon sponsors.  Please take a moment to visit our Patreon site and consider contributing to the show.  Thanks for listening!

 

199: How Far Up The Dogpile?

Topics:

-Sam runs into a long on-site day with a stack of Mac mini servers

-Clients vary about how much sensitive data they choose share with their trusted consultants

-Phishing scams can prove to be difficult to completely resolve for clients

-AOL or not?  The crew is divided

-Jerry reminds us that email, contacts, & calendars seems to be a area that constantly requires training

-A frustrating client tests Joe.  It leads to a further discussion about dealing with difficult clients.

-Sam has some follow up on the AutoMounter product he found from the App Store
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/automounter/id1160435653?mt=12

194: Blowing Up Your Zendesk Tickets

Topics:

Sam's team worked on a 27" mid-2011 iMac with surprising results.  Could it have been the drive enclosure this whole time?

-Friend of the show Mike Dent (@mcdent) of Ubertechs provides some insight on his experiences using a different drive enclosure:  https://www.zapals.com/akasa-ak-hda-03-black-2-5-to-3-5-ssd-hdd-adapter.html
-Equally important is the thermal sensor: https://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/DIDIMACHDD11/

The rates conversation is revisited with each of the hosts bringing up their model for attracting MSP clients while not shying away from those "break/fix" clients.

Sam brings up a quick option to use Apple's Volume Purchase Program to purchase an app for a client when no credit card was on file.

While on the subject, he brings up a great little product for keeping volumes mounted even when the disconnect unexpectedly.  AutoMounter: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/automounter/id1160435653?mt=12

An old favorite FTP app called Rumpus: 

Joe found an intriguing (and possibly dangerous) problem with power adapters for an iPad in the office.

During a slow period, Jerry shares his thoughts on Watchman monitoring and ZenDesk integration and particularly how to turn them in to billable work with clients.

Jerry found an odd Apple Mail issue where it was slow to launch.  Keychain related?

Sam shares a great tip about how to login to a non-admin account on a Mac when the screen is locked...only to find that this feature does not function in Sierra!  Thanks to Kevin Ginger for the quick research.
-https://www.jamf.com/jamf-nation/discussions/21385/unlock-standard-user-s-screensaver-as-admin-broken-in-10-12

Joe's client has an issue where Safari would not load any websites.  The fix related to reinstalling the Security Update 2016-003 Supplemental (10.11.6).

Little Flocker is highly recommended from Jerry for detecting and protecting a Mac from malware and other security concerns: https://www.littleflocker.com.  Comes from the mind of Jonathan Zdziarski https://www.zdziarski.com/blog/

Jerry experiences a "wonky" iPhone search issue.

Sam encounters an odd situation with static DNS values ending up in his network settings after visiting a client.  Jerry chimes in with the possibility of a hacked router.  Sam will follow up on that on a future show.

As a special bonus, Jerry shares a great kitchen tool called the Rapid Egg Cooker: http://amzn.to/2lsJaJb

175: Sifting Through Sierra

Recorded September 27,, 2016

We are sponsored this week byGruntwork by Mac-MSP. 

Gruntwork is the ultimate managed service package for you and your clients. "Think of what you would do when trying to solve a user’s support request: run a disk verification utility. Run permission repair. Update the affected software to the latest version. With Gruntwork, those chores have already been accomplished. Your time spent troubleshooting issues is greatly reduced when the common maladies are already ruled out. Better yet, Gruntwork prevents many common problems, so the Mac just works and you can focus on higher level tasks for your client." 

Find out more at - http://mac-msp.com/gruntwork and tell them CCP sent you.

TOPICS:

Web Design:
RapidWeaver - https://realmacsoftware.com/rapidweaver/
SquareSpace - https://www.squarespace.com
Wix - http://www.wix.com
Logo Design:
http://www.designcrowd.com
https://99designs.com

Mailing Lists:
http://mailchimp.com
https://www.campaignmonitor.com

Belight Business Card Composer - http://www.belightsoft.com

IT Asset Management - MonkeyBox
https://monkeybox.com

Online MDM Solution
https://www.bushel.com

Alfred - Productivity App for Mac OS X
https://www.alfredapp.com

• from Ars Technica Sierra review: "Apple told us it would continue to offer an upgrade path to older Macs that stop at El Capitan but haven't yet been upgraded for whatever reason. While the installer will disappear from the public Mac App Store, anyone without the El Capitan installer already in their purchase history will be able to add it via an Apple support page."

• GateKeeper removes the option to allow apps from "Anywhere" in System Preferences, but the option is still available on the Command Line (sudo spctl --master-disable), or individual apps can still be opened using right-click and then choosing "Open" as before; does the removal of the "Anywhere" option portend a gradual deprecation of the ability to open unsigned apps at all?
• to turn off the new Universal Clipboard feature in macOS Sierra, disable Handoff in System Preferences > General; no way to turn off Universal Clipboard but keep Handoff
Remote access for business users or teams
http://www.splashtop.com

Alfred - Productivity App for Mac OS X
https://www.alfredapp.com

How to Disable Gatekeeper and Allow Apps From Anywhere in macOS Sierra
https://www.tekrevue.com/tip/gatekeeper-macos-sierra/

• Apple Watch unlock is in Security & Privacy; requires 2-factor authentication on Apple ID; requires Bluetooth 4.0 and 802.11ac Wi-Fi

SAMUEL VALENCIA - TEAM V | 2016 TCS NEW YORK CITY MARATHON

Team V is the official endurance fundraising program for The V Foundation for Cancer Research. 
http://www.jimmyv.org
https://www.crowdrise.com/samuel-teamv/