Command Control Power: Apple Tech Support & Business Talk

Hosted by Jerry Zigmont, Joe Saponare, Sam Valencia

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Episodes

100

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

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

Listen to episodes

60 recent

August 11, 202655 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.

August 4, 2026Episode 68054 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

July 28, 2026Episode 67952 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, 202637 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.

July 14, 2026Episode 67750 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.

July 6, 2026Episode 67654 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, 20261 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

June 23, 2026Episode 67448 min

674: Champing at the Bit for iOS 27 and Ghostly Hackers

The hosts discuss Jerry installing iOS 27 beta on an iPhone 15 Pro Max and watch, reporting strong stability, snappy performance, and minor reported edge-case crashes, while noting Siri AI requires newer hardware due to RAM constraints and that others find the new Siri improved. Joe shares a fresh issue deploying an MDM configuration profile to disable Siri: users still received "unable to use Siri" prompts because "Listen for 'Hey Siri'" could remain enabled, requiring removing the profile, turning it off locally, and reapplying; Apple Intelligence also wasn't fully disabled. Sam describes improving client offboarding by building a monday.com form that feeds Zendesk tickets, and the group compares running lean teams, using subcontractors and Foundation as pay-as-you-go helpdesk support (including an optional branded phone line). They also cover business uncertainty, tax-law changes affecting S-corps, and handling time-consuming "I've been hacked" client calls. 00:00 Show Kickoff Banter 00:35 iOS 27 Beta First Impressions 01:42 Installing Live and Siri AI Limits 04:40 MDM Glitch Disabling Siri 07:52 Advising Clients on Apple AI 10:16 Offboarding Workflow in Monday 12:25 Solo Juggling Without the Team 15:49 Jerry Business and Tax Updates 19:05 Hacked Device Panic Call 20:51 Explaining Normal iOS Mac Features 22:46 Clean Bill of Health Limits 24:07 Lean Teams and Overhead 28:51 Using Outsourced Helpdesk 29:58 Onboarding Big Client While Away 34:56 Pricing and Custom Phone Line 37:57 How to End Free Calls 41:56 Defining Success and Boundaries 45:23 Wrap Up and Outro

June 16, 2026Episode 67356 min

673: AI for IT Workflows, Solutions and Apple's Slow Siri Rollout

In this episode of Command Control Power, the hosts discuss practical IT uses of AI, including improving client communications, speeding email migration due diligence via AI-generated PowerShell reporting (mailbox size, forwarding rules, aliases, naming pitfalls, licensing limits), and reducing billing friction by summarizing recorded RingCentral calls in Claude to log hours and generate detailed invoices, including for Ubiquiti camera projects. They debate risks such as blindly running AI-suggested commands, clients acting on AI advice, and data leakage when employees paste company information into public AI tools, emphasizing guardrails, policies, and potential local/private AI setups (e.g., Mac mini with Ollama). The conversation broadens to AI's impact on IT business models, automation in ticketing, and Apple's lackluster AI progress, delayed Siri features, privacy positioning, and reliance on partners like Google/Gemini. 00:00 Show Kickoff 00:02 New Studio Tour 00:31 Flag Outage Story 01:35 AI Migration Prep 03:26 PowerShell Due Diligence 05:36 Call Summaries Invoicing 07:31 Automating Call Logs 09:35 AI As Expert Helper 11:51 Safety With Commands 12:58 Clients Using AI 13:54 Data Privacy Guardrails 17:17 Industry Shift Fears 20:07 Auto Reply Ticketing 24:18 Local AI Knowledge Base 26:02 AI Eats Software 27:35 Future Of IT Services 29:04 AI Automation Ethics 30:06 Market Pressure On IT 31:03 Apple Intelligence Doubts 33:10 Privacy And Gemini 35:06 Apple Strategy And Mindshare 37:43 MDM Guardrails Needed 39:39 First Mover Myth 43:32 Ubiquity And AirPods AI 47:21 Beta Plans And Rollout 48:06 AI Policy And Profiles 51:32 Wrap Up And Outro

June 9, 20261 hr 8 min

Best Of CCP - Interview With Dave Hamilton - CEO of BackBeat Media, Mac Geek Gab, Gig Gab, and Business Brain Podcasts

Topics: -This week we welcome Dave Hamilton of Mac Geek Gab! -Dave actually grew up a street away from our very own Joe Saponare. -Dave has some knowledge on the music history in the area. -Dave has known his co-host, John Braun since they were 15 years old. -He remembers the days of NCSA Mosaic. -The Mac Observer and BackBeat Media are just some of Dave's major accomplishments. -Wasn't 2001 just a few years ago? -Dave takes us down memory lane in the early days of The Mac Observer. -His original plan was not to continue hosting Mac Geek Gab. -Being persistent paid off as he reached out to Steve Jobs himself to be included in their new Podcast Directory. -In both Texas and the northeast, Dave has a quite a technical background. -Quick Tip from Joe - If the minimum brightness is too bright on your iPhone, you can Reduce White Point under Accessibility>Display & Text Size. -We talk about listener burnout in the podcast world. -Mac Geek Gab is on episode 941! -A tip that Jerry heard on Dave's show was about Tailscale, which makes a virtual network out of your devices, no matter where you are. -Sam talks about some tips he learned on recent episodes of Mac Geek Gab. -The simple stuff is why you get paid the "big bucks". -Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast is another show Dave co-hosts with Shannon Jean. -The 20 minute rule - keeping clients engaged every 20 minutes along the way. -Besides his podcasts, you can find Dave at https://www.davethenerd.com or on Twitter @davehamilton