Command Control Power: Apple Tech Support & Business Talk

Hosted by Jerry Zigmont, Joe Saponare, Sam Valencia

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Episodes

100

Latest episode

Oct 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

October 13, 2026Episode 6901 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.

October 6, 2026Episode 68951 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, 202656 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.

September 22, 2026Episode 68757 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

September 15, 2026Episode 68657 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

September 8, 2026Episode 58552 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

September 1, 2026Episode 68456 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, 20261 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

August 18, 2026Episode 6821 hr 0 min

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, 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.