Dan Kessler is the owner of MacMaven Consulting.
One of the key differences between MacMaven Consulting and run-of-the-mill Mac tech support is that we regularly implement enterprise technologies. Here are some examples: Linux and Windows are used without hesitation. While macOS is fantastic for most of our clients’ needs, some applications and services are best run on other operating systems. An in-house certificate…
Judging by the offices and homes that I visit, wireless charging is used by a small fraction of iPhone owners. Qi charging pads have plummeted in price, so there’s no reason not to start using one if you have an iPhone 8 or newer. AT&T is currently offering a basic, but functional 10W charging pad…
It’s commonplace for IT service providers to charge more for work on servers than regular workstations. It’s not so common for vendors to explain why this is the case. Allow me to take the mystery out of servers. Server software is typically more complicated to configure than desktop software. It can involve countless options to…
The safest way to visit a website is to type the address of the website (e.g., apple.com) into your browser’s address bar. If it’s a site that you visit frequently, bookmark it. Here are two common ways that attacks are initiated: A deceitful email contains a link to a phishing web page. The email is…
One of my pet peeves is when someone writes about MAC computers. Mac is not an acronym. It’s short for Macintosh.* So why do so many people write MAC? My best guess is that these folks are familiar with PCs, so they apply the capitalization to Macs too. MAC is a technical acronym that you…
If you’re a DoD contractor, you might have tried to use the Windows “FIPS mode” with QuickBooks Desktop. Unfortunately, QuickBooks does not run when Microsoft’s FIPS-compliant encryption libraries are enabled. This creates a potential problem for contractors who need to be compliant with NIST 800-171 requirements. Data-at-rest doesn’t necessarily need to be encrypted (see 3.13.16),…
If you’re a Department of Defense contractor in New York City, MacMaven Consulting can help your company attain CMMC certification. For those companies using Macs and still searching for security expertise, here is some advice from the trenches: Hire a consultancy that has extensive experience in information security, ideally at large businesses. If a firm’s…
On April 20, Apple announced the completely redesigned 24-inch iMac, replacing the 21.5-inch models. Overall, it’s a very impressive machine. It has an incredibly thin design and offers high-end features, such as spacial audio and a 1080p FaceTime camera. There are two slightly disappointing deviations from my predictions. First, the new iMac still includes the…
Business owners who run Mac-based offices, take heed. This blog post contains information that can potentially save you thousands and possibly tens of thousands off of your annual IT budget. There are hundreds of managed service providers serving small and medium-sized businesses in New York City. Typically for a per-user or per-device monthly fee, you…
Update 6/18/23: My MX Keys for Mac has developed the dreaded backlight looping problem, wherein the backlight automatically cycles on and off without touching it. Additionally, there is a loose screw floating around the case. These types of problems should not occur with an expensive flagship keyboard. I had an online chat with a Logitech…