Authors from the Take Control eBook series
Joe Kissel explores Tahoe’s hands-on upgrades: a customizable Control Center and menu bar, easier access to Reduce Transparency, the Phone app on Mac with call screening and hold assist, and live translation. He assesses Spotlight’s redesign—actions and clipboard history included—and highlights new system apps like Apps, Games, Journal, and Magnifier.
Joe Kissel joins Chuck to discuss Take Control of Tahoe and the newly updated Mac Basics. They explore Apple’s sweeping design overhaul with Liquid Glass, debate its real-world impact on usability, and explain how Apple’s expanding app ecosystem demands frequent book updates. Joe shares insight into balancing depth, clarity, and adaptation to ever-changing macOS updates.
Jeff Carlson returns to share insights from his updated digital storage guide, exploring NAS, SSDs, direct-connect solutions, and memory cards. He explains practical pros and cons, touches on backup strategies, and highlights security issues. Jeff also discusses his new role at CNET, where he covers mobile technology and photography, including testing the Pixel 10 Pro XL’s AI-powered zoom.
Jeff Carlson breaks down modern storage: SSD vs HDD and NVMe, when Thunderbolt 5 is worth it, APFS essentials, cable pitfalls, and smarter backup plans. Plus iOS/iPadOS support for external drives, NAS pros and cons, and why SD cards aren’t a universal fix. Practical tips to protect your data and your budget.
In the second part of our conversation with Joe Kissell about Take Control of DEVONthink 4, Joe focuses on its updated inspector system, subtle interface improvements, and a powerful suite of new AI features. He discusses how large language model integration—from ChatGPT to Claude—enhances document sorting, summarizing, and research. Joe also shares concerns about AI, how DevonThink addresses them, and how the app balances automation with control.
Authors from the Take Control eBook series
In the first part of a wide-ranging conversation with author Glenn Fleishman, we touch on his participation in the Shift Happens book project, his latest project, How Comics Were Made, and his Take Control of Your Apple Account. Along the way we looked back at the surprising origins of a peripheral we all use, the challenges of the early printing industry, and got some thoughts on what you can and can’t do in your account interactions with Apple.
Our conversation with Jason Snell about the 4th edition of Take Control of Photos for Take Control Books wraps up with a look at the power of the Photos app for users of all skill levels. Enhancements such as Photographic styles change the game by providing more post-capture options than ever before. Jason also covers getting more out of our photos by printing or making custom books and projects, and how that has become more of a focus in the latest version of Photos. (Part 2)
Jason Snell has released the 4th edition of Take Control of Photos for Take Control Books to cover the most recent updates to the Photos app on all of Apple’s operating systems. Jason explains why Photos has undergone more of a redesign than an upgrade, utilizing machine learning to help you do more than ever before with your photos. Also more unified than ever is the interface across Mac, iPhone, and iPad which helps in overcoming the resistance to adopting new features. Jason touches on how the improved search capabilities and customizable collections enhance the user experience and utilization of photos.
The second part of our conversation with Joe Kissell, who’s newest book is Take Control of Sequoia, shifts to his assessments of Apple Intelligence in the upcoming macOS, as well as some thoughts on the general state of large language models and their uses. Joe draws on some personal examples as he analyzes what Apple Intelligence may mean for all of us.
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Our conversation with Joe Kissell about his new title, Take Control of Solving Mac Problems, continues with his thoughts on recovery mode, the importance of RAM capacity, and more insights from the book. Joe also provides valuable guidance for effectively tackling Mac-related challenges in performance and speed. (Part 2)
Joe Kissell discusses his new book on Mac problem-solving, Take Control of Solving Mac Problelms. He merges and updates elements from tis previous works into a comprehensive guide, emphasizing the importance of techniques like running Disk Utility and more. The evolution of Mac technology, impacts of SSDs and M-series processors, and tips for upgrading older Macs are highlighted. Joe offers some practical advice that anyone can do, even if they aren’t technically oriented. (Part 1)
https://youtu.be/jynZbnwxvmw Our conversation with Joe Kissell about the 5th edition of his Take Control of Your Online Privacy continues with a focus on smart devices and the data they are collecting. Joe advises against oversharing on social media and implementing...
Joe Kissell shares insights on online privacy in his book, Take Control of Your Online Privacy, 5th Edition, stressing the importance of staying informed on privacy issues amidst evolving technology threats. He focuses on practical high and medium priority privacy concerns for everyday individuals, advising prioritization based on individual risk profiles. Emphasizing the impact of advertisers collecting extensive personal data, Joe provides tips on data sharing. He cautions against oversharing personal information online and offers steps to enhance online privacy highlighting the need to be proactive in understanding and addressing online privacy risks. (Part 1)
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