Bradley C

If someone asked why I prefer HomeKit over smart home platforms, it would be for the ease of creating automations in the Home app that can then be used with Siri over the HomePod. The second favorite reason would be to create automations that happen based on the use of sensors. This week, I want to look at Eve Door/Window sensor with thread support.

Apple is introducing a new business offering called Apple Business Essentials that combines device management, 24/7 phone support for IT and end-users, business iCloud storage, and an option for onsite repairs for businesses of up to 500 employees. The free beta period launches today with the full service coming in the spring of 2022.

In this episode of the Apple @ Work podcast, Alcyr Araujo from Mosyle joins the show to discuss their recent announcements around DNS filtering.

Sponsored by Direct Mail: Bring the power of email marketing to your internal communications, with Direct Mail for Mac. Create, track, and securely send right from your desktop. Request a free trial today!

Apple @ Work is brought to you by Mosyle, the leader in modern mobile device management (MDM) and security for Apple enterprise and education customers. Over 22,000 organizations leverage Mosyle solutions to automate the management and security of millions of Apple devices daily. Request a FREE account today and discover how you can put your Apple fleet on auto-pilot at a price point that is hard to believe.

I became a Mac user in 2004 thanks to a recommendation by a coworker at the time. My first Mac was the 12″ PowerBook running OS X Panther. One of the first apps I used was Mail.app running my .Mac email address (which still works as it transitioned to MobileMe and eventually iCloud). Email is one of the most-used apps on people’s computers as it’s still the primary business communication device. However, the problem with the Mail app in 2021 is that it’s not that much different than it was 16 years ago. So, similar to how Microsoft has Outlook and Windows Mail, is it time for Apple to create Apple Mail Pro and Apple Mail Lite for macOS and iOS?

My Kids have become quite used to using HomeKit in our home as the years have gone by. A HomeKit smart plug controls their white noise machines, we run HomeKit compatible air filters in their rooms, and we’ve recently been experimenting with fun lighting options for “night lights.” I’ve discovered one of the best HomeKit night light options, and it’s the Cololight Hexagon Light Works.

Apple @ Work is brought to you by Mosyle, the leader in modern mobile device management (MDM) and security for Apple enterprise and education customers. Over 22,000 organizations leverage Mosyle solutions to automate the management and security of millions of Apple devices daily. Request a FREE account today and discover how you can put your Apple fleet on auto-pilot at a price point that is hard to believe.

In macOS Monterey, Apple is adding some much-needed upgrades to FaceTime, and it’s making it a clear competitor to Zoom for small businesses. This week, I want to go in-depth on what’s new with FaceTime in macOS Monterey and examine what Apple could do next to continue to make it a viable video conferencing alternative for businesses.

Camo, the popular app that allows you to use your iPhone as a Mac webcam, has released a new update that integrates the Snap API to add augmented reality to your video meetings. Snap’s AR capabilities, along with Camo’s functionality like zoom, pan, and other features, allow people to personalize how they appear and interact while in a meeting or chatting with long-distance friends.

Today, Kandji has unveiled Kandji Passport, an authentication product that creates a seamless, one-password sign-in experience for enterprise users using Macs. Kandji Passport verifies the user’s credentials during the macOS login sequence against an organization’s cloud-based identity provider (IdP), so end-users only have to remember their SSO login to access their Mac as well as company resources. Kandji Passport uses a native Mac login experience while streamlining device configuration, management, and security tasks for IT teams.

Aqara, one of the best ways to build a HomeKit powered smart home for low cost has a new way to get started for even less upfront expense. The new Aqara E1 hub features a compact design with high installation flexibility and can be bridged to HomeKit.

In this episode of the Apple @ Work podcast, Jason Dettbarn from Addigy returns to the show to look at how managed service providers are helping manage and secure Apple devices in the enterprise.

Sponsored by Direct Mail: Bring the power of email marketing to your internal communications, with Direct Mail for Mac. Create, track, and securely send right from your desktop. Request a free trial today!

Sponsored by Mosyle: Managing Apple devices at work shouldn’t be difficult. Mosyle makes it easy.

Apple @ Work is brought to you by Kandji, a modern, cloud-based platform to manage and secure your Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV devices. Kandji saves IT teams hours of manual work with features like one-click compliance templates and 150+ pre-built automations, apps, and workflows. Request access.

Last week, I looked at the key features that I believe will impact the workplace with macOS Monterey. This week, I want to look at some other aspects of Apple’s new version of macOS and see how they’ll be used at work.

There is no shortage of HomeKit lamps on the market, and they’ve been a big hit at my house with my family. My kids love the multi-colored lights, I love the ability to turn them off from Siri using HomePods, and they are fairly inexpensive. My new favorite lamp is the YEELight HomeKit Lamp, which is the perfect size and shape for a bedside table.

At its 2021 JNUC conference, Jamf has unveiled multiple new ways to help IT teams provide a better experience at work when using and managing Apple devices.

Apple @ Work is brought to you by Kandji, a modern, cloud-based platform to manage and secure your Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV devices. Kandji saves IT teams hours of manual work with features like one-click compliance templates and 150+ pre-built automations, apps, and workflows. Request access.

With macOS Monterey on the horizon soon, businesses will quickly begin looking at their rollout strategy. I know many IT professionals miss the old 18-month macOS upgrade window, but Apple has done a fantastic job of making a macOS upgrade break less over time. Sure there are bugs, but app developers and hardware manufacturers are doing a great job quickly updating their apps. For the past few years, we’ve all gotten into the fall upgrade cycle with all of our devices.

Over the next two weeks, I will take a look at the features in Apple’s upcoming macOS upgrade that will be impactful at work.

My wife and I have recently finalized the plans for our new home, so I am now able to think through how the HomeKit setup will work thoroughly. I plan to completely rebuild the “Home” to eliminate any software “crud” accumulated over the years. The first aspect I’ve been thinking through is what kind of cameras I want to use. I’ve debated using Nest cameras for outdoor use and bridging them to HomeKit using the Starling Home Hub. For indoor use, I am having a hard look at the ONVIS HomeKit Security Indoor Camera in my current home to see how it will work in my new home.

In this episode of the Apple @ Work podcast, Nilay Patel from Backblaze discusses its new integration with Vultr, and why businesses should be considering a multi-cloud life.

Sponsored by Direct Mail: Bring the power of email marketing to your internal communications, with Direct Mail for Mac. Create, track, and securely send right from your desktop. Request a free trial today!

Sponsored by Kandji: A modern, cloud-based platform to manage and secure your Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV devices. Kandji saves IT teams hours of manual work with features like one-click compliance templates and 150+ pre-built automations, apps, and workflows. Request access.

Apple @ Work is brought to you by Mosyle, the leader in modern mobile device management (MDM) and security for Apple enterprise and education customers. Over 22,000 organizations leverage Mosyle solutions to automate the management and security of millions of Apple devices daily. Request a FREE account today and discover how you can put your Apple fleet on auto-pilot at a price point that is hard to believe.

Let’s face it – being in IT is hard work. Being in IT with remote employees is incredibly hard. You’re supporting countless pieces of software along with SaaS backends, potentially hundreds of combinations of internet providers, RF environments, Wi-Fi routers, and other demands on the home environment. All of this when people are reliant on their devices to do 100% of their job. If you’re in IT supporting remote organizations, here are some actionable steps to help improve your work from home Wi-Fi environments for your team.