OCD For All Things Tech
It has arrived! macOS Big Sur is ready for download and installation on your supported device. Being the first macOS to natively run on Apple’s own Silicon, it will be interesting to see what type of performance discrepancies users will experience when compared to the vast majority of Macs still running Intel based CPUs.
For more on the latest macOS, check out the latest reads (good, bad, and ugly!)
So no one’s suprise, Apple will now use their own processors in Macs. This completes their much anticipated transition away from Intel CPUs for all their computing devices. It doesn’t seem long ago when Apple’s Steve Jobs presented Intel’s then-CEO with a “partnership” award championing the fruitfulness of their relationship. I guess the only thing guaranteed in tech is that nothing is guaranteed.
Check out Apple’s announcement in full here.
You may recall my post from last year detailing the steps on how to create a bootable USB drive for macOS Mojave. Thank goodness Apple still allows for end users to do this; there’s something about possessing physical media that makes things so much easier from a technical perspective.
Despite the fact that you will now need to use a USB drive with a minimum capacity of 16GB as opposed an 8GB one that was standard with past versions, the steps haven’t changed much…check out AppleInsider’s summary on how to perform this task here.
Another year, another new macOS! As of today, macOS Catalina has been released to the masses and for you early adopters, time to upgrade!
For an easy read detailing its new features, check out Askwoody.com and check out Nathan Parker’s assessment of the new macOS here.
When you’re pressed for time for whatever reasons, sometimes you can appreciate someone who has a unique talent of being able to break down and analyze an event while only giving you the info you need…
Shout out to Nathaniel Parker (via Askwoody.com) for his quick, yet detailed breakdown of Apple’s event…
https://www.askwoody.com/2019/parker-apple-announcements-the-bottom-line/
ZDNet.com has a great rundowns of all the announcements that were made by Apple today.
Lots of new additions to the lineup include brand new OSs (MacOS, iOS, WatchOS, iPadOS, etc.), a brand new monster of a Mac Pro, and an awesome display to go with it.
Also of note, iTunes will cease to exist on the latest MacOS however it will still have life on Windows based PCs.
Check out the full scoop at ZDNet here for further details!
Henry Casey from LaptopMag.com is reporting here that Apple is aware that their new keyboards being used on various MacBook models is experiencing issues that have affected “a small number of users” and has apologized for this.
My takeaway from this…another year, another keyboard issue that Apple can’t seem to rid itself of. I was listening to a SiriusXM interview discussing all things finance and Apple came up. The guest, Barry Ritholtz, cut to the chase and said that the innovation when it comes to their laptops is severely lacking and part of that is due to these strange keyboard issues. I don’t know what the answer is since I’m clueless as to what the hell goes on in their HQ but it’s been four years running that they have been dealing with this.
I also agree with Barry that it may be time to admit that Apple’s creativity and “out of the box” thinking may have died with Steve Jobs. As an occasional Apple end user and avid repair tech, I remember the days where there was genuine excitement at the unveiling of any new Apple products; it is safe to say that the enthusiasm has waned and may even be getting worse.
Here’s to hoping that Apple pulls it together somehow, someway…
On the security front, Microsoft has announced a few changes including enhancements and renaming of a key product. Formerly known as “Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection”, it will now be referred to as “Microsoft Defender ATP”.
The main reason for this leads back to the title of this post; this new product will have the ability to support Mac clients along with Windows PCs. As you may recall, the formerly known as “System Center Endpoint Protection” for Macs was decommissioned effective December 31, 2018 leaving users without a Microsoft supported antivirus solution.
In a perfect world for SCCM admins like myself, having an endpoint solution supporting Windows and macOS all while being managed from within the console would be ideal. I know they are in the testing stages of the software but if they wanted to pay it smart, they should work hard towards achieving this. Read more about it here.
Update 04/01/2019: Although I stated in the original post that SCEP for Mac has been decommissioned, you can still install the program (assuming you still have the download .dmg file) and receive the latest definitions but remember that Microsoft can halt this without warning at any time.
Yes, the headline is correct! See Paul Wagenseil’s article here in LaptopMag for the full scoop…
In summarizing the developments…
The Windows malware comes hidden in pirated copies of popular Mac shareware programs found on torrent sites. It uses a widely available software-compatibility framework to run on Macs, then gathers system information and tries to install more Mac malware and adware. The Windows malware has already infected Macs in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and other countries.
I have to say I didn’t envision this one happening but the more I think about it, I shouldn’t be surprised!
There has been consensus for some time that macOS Server has taken a back seat in the grand scheme of things and since then Apple released a guide at the beginning of summer designed to assist those to move key roles off of it as its only a matter of time before it is discontinued. I remember days when there was an actual Apple Server OS which then turned into a Server app that can be installed on top of a macOS client OS and now that will be going away. Here’s a link to the guide…check it out!