Bradley C

When I moved into my house almost seven years ago, HomeKit hadn’t even been announced yet. What was available at the time was a Nest Thermostat. A friend of mine had one, and he was raving out their energy savings. I had one pre-installed when our main HVAC unit was installed. I eventually added another one to our upstairs unit, and have been very happy with them.

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When I first got started in education in October of 2009, the school I went to work for was still running Exchange 2003 for their email. Users who were using iPhones were using IMAP since native ActiveSync required Exchange 2007. One of the first things I planned to do was migrate everyone to “Google Apps for Your Domain” (what G Suite was previously known as) sooner than later.

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So much of Apple’s history is tied up between two periods: Pre-iPod and Post-iPod. The iPod took Apple from a computer company, and it set them up to become a consumer electronics company that would go on to become one of the most valuable companies in the world. What most people forget is that the iPod didn’t become the iPod until the iPod mini was released. The original iPod was $399, where the iPod mini had a lower price of $249.

Despite holding including 4GB of storage compared to the 20GB model that the “Classic” introduced that year, the iPod mini is what caused the iPod line to take off. The HomePod is at that exact point in its timeline. The HomePod needs its iPod mini moment. 
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Last week, I wrote about wanting to see a ‘Kids’ Mode‘ in Apple Music in 2020. Since I’ve been a subscriber to Apple Music since day one, I started thinking about ways I’d want to change the service going forward. Apple Music is a fantastic service, and it provides the best bang for the buck of any of the subscriptions I have personally used. These are just some minor tweaks I’d want to see. Here’s my Apple Music wishlist for 2020.
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2020 is an important year for Apple. It marks ten years since the introduction of the iPad. Even though it’s just a part of Apple’s device lineup, its impact can be felt on macOS, tvOS, and watchOS. In K–12, it ushered in a new era of mobility. Schools went from cart-based computing to 1:1. With every student having a device, Wi-Fi networks went from something that was in conference rooms to needing to extend to every corner of the building. Overnight, IT departments had to become RF experts and figure out how to manage and deploy devices that couldn’t be connected to Active Directory and had minimal management tools. For my Making the Grade column this week, I want to consider the impact of ten years of iPad in K–12.
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HomeKit is my chosen platform for my smart home, but there are still ways that Apple could expand its platform to grow with its users as their home grows, and as their families change. While Apple allows you to invite people in your family to have access to your home as well as invite guests. My current issue is that I want to give my kid’s selective access to specific devices, but not them all. Selective device sharing is something Apple should add to HomeKit.
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I’ve been an Apple Music subscriber since day one when it launched in 2015. Despite times of flirting with Spotify, the easy access with all my Apple devices, a familiar interface, and iCloud Music Library (for my custom live music), Apple Music has always been home for my family. If you’d told me in 2005 that we’d be paying $14.99 per month for my entire family to access virtually all the music in the world, I would have thought you were crazy. Apple Music’s family plan is one of the best deals of any service around. As we look ahead to iOS 14 and 2020, I do have a straightforward feature request. I want Apple to build an Apple Music ‘Kids’ Mode’ to preserve For You and Replay results.
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One of the biggest disappointments of the 2010s for me in education was the K-12 digital book market never evolved into much of anything with Apple, Amazon, or Google. They have little leverage with textbook publishers, and in reality, there is very little money to be made for the big technology publishers without making a few acquisitions. When Apple announced digital textbook support back in 2012, they had high hopes, but sadly, not much came of it. Even beyond textbooks, Apple and Amazon, have done little to reinvent the library experience in schools. Amazon would be an ideal partner for schools, but their education offering is weak. Sora looks to be the perfect solution for K–12 libraries wanting to make a digital transformation.
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Today is an important day for IT managers across the world. January 14th, 2020 is when Microsoft is ending support for Windows 7. I’ve seen much less angst about this transition than I saw for Windows XP. Windows 7 was an important OS as it helped Microsoft rebound form the disaster that was Windows Vista. It was initially released in 2009, so it’s had a long run even as Microsoft has transitioned to Windows 10. What does this mean for IT departments? It means change, and for Apple, change is an opportunity.
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Last week, I took a look at my 2020 iCloud wishlist. I got several kind words from readers with other things they wanted to see, so I am back this week with another wishlist. This week, it’s my 2020 Apple wishlist across the rest of its software and hardware. Apple was firing on all cylinders in 2019, so I am hoping that 2020 is another excellent year. From new hardware, iOS 14, to the continued expansion of iPadOS, here’s what I am hoping to see from Apple this year.
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The Mac Pro was recently released to much fanfare after years of speculation about features, price, and design. While the pricing of the machine and its upgrade options have caused somewhat of an uproar, it certainly has its place in the IT world. After looking over all the information about the machine, watching reviews, and pondering its place in the enterprise, here’s a look at the Mac Pro from an enterprise perspective.
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My first Mac was a 12″ Powerbook running OS X Panther that I purchased in 2004. To this day, it remains one of my favorite computers that I’ve ever owned. A few months after I purchased it, OS X Tiger was released. I remember the joy of waiting on UPS to deliver the DVD so I could upgrade. I say all that to make the point that I’m neither a new Mac user nor someone who’s been around since Apple was “doomed”. I do know one thing, I’ve discovered a new app that makes me wish I had. Front and Center’ by John Siracusa and Lee Fyock is one of those apps you’ll never live without once you get it installed.

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iCloud is a vital aspect of the Apple experience. When you get a new iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV, signing into iCloud is one of the first steps. iCloud is now a crucial part of managing documents, photos, and videos as well. iCloud isn’t perfect, though. Last year, we saw the announcement and delay of iCloud folder sharing. This feature is something Google Drive and Dropbox have had for years. There are still random bugs with contact syncing if the person’s picture is too large. I’ve been thinking about how I want to see iCloud evolve, so I’ve come up with my iCloud 2020 wishlist.
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After the announcements last year, I wrote about how AirPlay 2 being built into TVs had changed my future A/V plans at my school. After a year of watching software updates, I was ready to test a TV with AirPlay 2 in the classroom. For my testing, I used a Vizio V-Series 55-inch. Read on to learn more about my experience using a TV from Vizio with AirPlay 2 in the classroom.
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It’s a new year, the beginning of a new decade, and many of us are resolving to make 2020 the year we lose that extra weight, finish that project, get that promotion, improve our spiritual lives, and focus on our relationships. I don’t like to call them resolutions, but rather goals. I always take the week between Christmas and the New Year to examine what happened the past year, what I want to change for the next year, what I want to do more of, and how I want it to be different. While our devices can be a hindrance to our goals (time wasters), they can also be a way to stay on track. I’ve always valued the maxim, “what gets measured, gets managed”, and our Apple devices can assist with measuring. Here are some apps for a new you in 2020.
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On Sunday, I published a list of my favorite podcasts of the decade. Podcasts are a huge part of my entertainment “diet,” but another one that has become just as big is reading. In 2019, I read 69 books. In a noisy world, reading has become my go-to activity to quiet my brain. For my last post of the decade, I wanted to give you my favorite books of the year. Whether you read on Apple Books, Kindle, Audible, or even paperback, I think you’ll enjoy these books.
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Did you get an Apple Music subscription over the holidays? Apple Music is a fantastic streaming service for folks in the Apple ecosystem. It offers access on iPhones, iPads, Apple Watch (something Spotify doesn’t have), Apple TV, Android, Amazon Alexa, and even the web. I’ve had the service since 2015, so I wanted to offer a quick list of Apple Music tips and tricks to help you get the most out of the service.
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