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📰 News and Opinion
On the Undesign of Apple Intelligence Features
it is so baffling to me to use features in the Apple Intelligence suite and feel like they are half-baked
⚙️ Apple Updates
macOS
- macOS Sequoia 15.3, 24D60: What's new, Developer Release Notes, Security, Enterprise, App Store, IPSW, PKG installer
- macOS Sonoma 14.7.3 (23H417): What's new ("important security fixes"), Security, Enterprise (no new notes), PKG installer
- macOS Ventura 13.7.3 (22H417): What's new ("important security fixes"), Security, Enterprise (no new notes), PKG installer
- Safari 18.3: WebKit Features, Developer Release Notes, Security
iOS and iPadOS
- iOS 18.3: About, Enterprise
- iPadOS 18.3: About, Enterprise
- iOS and iPadOS 18.3: Developer Release Notes, Security
- iPadOS 17.7.4: About ("important security fixes"), Security
Other Platforms
- watchOS 11.3: About ("improvements and bug fixes"), Developer Release Notes, Security
- tvOS 18.3: About, Developer Release Notes (no new notes), Security
- visionOS 2.3: About ("bug fixes and security updates"), Developer Release Notes, Security, Enterprise (no new notes)
- HomePod Software 18.3: About ("performance and stability improvements")
- AirPods: Firmware updates ("Bug fixes and other improvements")
- Apple Business Manager: Release notes, User Guide, Revision history
- Apple School Manager: Release notes, User Guide, Revision history
- Apple Business Essentials: Release notes, User Guide, Revision history
Deployment Guides
- Apple Platform Deployment: Welcome, What's new, Revision history
Applications
- GarageBand: Mac 10.4.12
- Swift Playground 4.6: macOS, iPadOS, User Guide: Mac, iPadOS
Support
Managing Apple Intelligence features on macOS Sequoia 15.3 | Der Flounder
Apple has added a couple of new management options for Apple Intelligence as part of the release of macOS Sequoia 15.3
Skipping additional setup screens for Apple Intelligence with Jamf Pro on macOS 15.3 and iOS 18.3
For organizations aiming to limit Apple Intelligence use where possible, they may find this automatic prompt to enable the functionality in Siri (independent of an Apple Account, waitlist, or ability to skip the prompt) less than desirable.
🔐 Security and Privacy
New Apple CPU side-channel attacks steal data from browsers
The FLOP and SLAP side-channel attacks target features aimed at speeding up processing by guessing future instructions instead of waiting for them can leave traces in memory to extract sensitive information.
Almost one in 10 people use the same four-digit PIN
No real surprises, but the article has a nice visualization
🔨 Support and Tutorials
The Case of the Malformed Chain
Sometimes, a bug is obvious. Sometimes, it takes years to figure out the cause. In the last week, I finally discovered the root cause of an issue that has frustrated us and our customers for years.
Apple Automated Device Enrollment for Jamf School Made Easy
With Automated Device Enrollment (ADE) Packages and Profiles, admins can choose apps and profiles to install on the device before its released from the Remote Management screen.
Empowering Enterprises with Shared iPads: A Game-Changer for Business Efficiency
Samstar777 on Jamf Tech Thoughts
While iPads are often the device of choice for many organization, a one-to-one deployment may not always be feasible.
Blocking Dialpad automatic updates
After digging around in the contained app.asar file, I found that setting an environment variable named DIALPAD_DISABLE_UPDATES will disable the automatic update mechanism
🤖 Scripting and Automation
Grabbing system_profiler data in PowerShell
John C. Welch on Bynkiidotcom
being able to directly address JSON elements is significantly nicer and more reliable than relying on array index numbers never changing
How to create shell scripts in macOS
Nice basic intro to shell scripting. I have one quibble:
To enhance portability, you can dynamically locate the interpreter’s path using:
#!/usr/bin/env zsh
They obviously didn't read my rant post on env shebangs
♻️ Updates and Releases
Extending Jamf Connect ZTNA with Apple’s Network Relay and Device Attestation
Peter Siman on Jamf Engineering
When Apple introduced its concept of Network Relays, we immediately recognised this as an opportunity to deliver our state of the art ZTNA capabilities on Apple devices without the need for installation of any client application
🎧 Listen
Software Bill of Materials with Workbrew
The team at Workbrew [are] with us today to talk about SBOMs – Software Bill of Materials – and security in your work environments.
Tech Tantrums: When Siri and Bluehost Team Up to Test Your Patience
Joe dives into various tech frustrations, starting with longstanding complaints about Siri's inefficiencies that even die-hard Apple fans acknowledge.
Should Apple's certifications be free?
Apple admin Alan West about a host of topics, including the cost of Apple's IT certifications, his history as a Mac admin, what's next for Apple and IT, and much more.
CrashPlan's Andrew Orrison talks Backup
Andrew Orrison from CrashPlan joins the pod to talk about a couple topics
🎈Just for Fun
Screen Saver History: Why Boring Black Screens Won Out
Pondering the screen saver, a cultural artifact which can mean one of two things: Fun animated graphics and screens that automatically go dark. The difference matters.
🦣 Social Media
Søren Theilgaard
mastodon.socialWilliam Smith on Mastodon
mastodon.social