Kirk McElhearn
Co-Host of Intego Mac Podcast
Kirk McElhearn writes about Macs, iPods, iTunes, books, music and more on his blog Kirkville. He is a regular contributor to The Mac Security Blog, TidBITS, and several other websites and publications. Kirk has written more than twenty books, including Take Control books about iTunes, LaunchBar, and Scrivener.
Kirk McElhearn has hosted 376 Episodes.
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Episode 312: Top 10 Features of macOS Sonoma
October 5th, 2023 | 29 mins 56 secs
We look at the top 10 new features in macOS Sonoma, then take a closer look at two of the features that we think everyone should check out.
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Episode 311: Getting Ready for macOS Sonoma
September 28th, 2023 | 27 mins 33 secs
Apple has released macOS Sonoma, and we discuss how to prepare your Mac to upgrade to this new operating system. We also talk about the dozens of security fixes included in macOS Sonoma, and how one file format that has been supported on the Mac for decades is going away.
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Episode 310: Welcome to iOS 17!
September 21st, 2023 | 29 mins 32 secs
Apple has released iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, along with new versions of operating systems for the Apple Watch, Apple TV, and HomePod. We discuss some of our favorite new features. We also look at radiation fears in France for the iPhone 12, and we examine why Apple may want to build a stock trading service into its devices. One correction: Standby Mode doesn't require a MagSafe charger, but just needs to be plugged in and on its side.
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Episode 309: The “Wonderlust” Apple Event
September 14th, 2023 | 29 mins 47 secs
This week, Apple introduced new Apple Watch and iPhone models. We look at all the new features, and we discuss recent Apple security updates to older operating systems, new Mac malware, and patches to Chrome and Firefox for serious vulnerabilities.
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Episode 308: Why SMS is Insecure, and 6 Hidden macOS Features
September 7th, 2023 | 29 mins 39 secs
SMS is a popular text messaging system, but it's not secure. We take a deep dive into how SMS works, and how to use it. We also look at six features of macOS that you may never have discovered.
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Episode 307: Fraudulent App Store apps, Spamoflauge, and Will the UK Ban Security Updates?
August 31st, 2023 | 29 mins 22 secs
Apple is a bit slow in deleting fraudulent apps from its App Store, but they are catching up. Meta says it has disrupted Spamoflauge, a major Chinese disinformation network. And the UK wants to end end-to-end encryption for messaging apps; does this mean the government will have to approve security updates?
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Episode 306: Why Do iOS App Update Release Notes Not Mention Security Updates?
August 24th, 2023 | 28 mins 27 secs
Most iOS apps don't mention security updates in their release notes. We look into this, and suggest that Apple may have some work to do. We also discuss a small macOS update, smart ring technology, and the Batterygate class action lawsuit payouts.
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Episode 305: NightOwl, Downfall, and LinkedIn Hacks
August 17th, 2023 | 29 mins 25 secs
A banal Mac app to change from day to night mode was bought out by a shady company, and enlists Macs in a botnet. A new Intel CPU vulnerability affects older Macs. And a lot of accounts have been hacked on LinkedIN; we offer some suggestions on how to protect your account.
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Episode 304: Chrome Security, 95% Accurate Acoustic Attacks, and QR Code Parking Scams
August 10th, 2023 | 29 mins 10 secs
There's a lot of news about Google this week. Chrome will move to weekly security patches, because of the many vulnerabilities in the browser. Google is encrypting RCS chats by default. And a $5 billion lawsuit against Google highlights misunderstandings about private browsing, or incognito mode.
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Episode 303: Apple Updates, VaporMalware, and the Cyber Trust Mark
August 3rd, 2023 | 28 mins 12 secs
Another round of Apple security updates, another instance of vaporMalware, and the UK's drive to remove end-to-end encryption for messaging apps. We also discuss the coming Cyber Trust Mark, which is a way of labelling IoT devices.
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Episode 302: Old Macs, iPhones, and iPads Will Miss Out on These New Features
July 27th, 2023 | 27 mins 44 secs
Macs, iPhones, and iPads can last along time, but if they're more than a few years old, you won't get all the new features in Apple's latest operating systems. In this year's macOS Sonoma, iOS 17, and iPadOS 17, older devices will miss out on some interesting new features. And running older Macs may even be dangerous.
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Episode 301: ShadowVault, WormGPT, and Apple's Re-released Rapid Security Response
July 20th, 2023 | 27 mins 58 secs
There's new malware that's supposedly in the wild, but no one has samples. Is it a threat? We also look at WormGPT, the evil twin of ChatGPT, Apple's re-released Rapid Security Response, and Apple's new ad about security and privacy features.
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Episode 300: Apple's Bungled Rapid Security Response
July 13th, 2023 | 29 mins 10 secs
Apple issued a rapid security response, to patch a vulnerability that has been exploited in the wild, and had to pull it a few hours later. We also discuss Meta's Threads, more Scamazon issues, and, for our 300th episode, we look at how the security and privacy landscape has changed in the six years of this podcast.
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Episode 299: Threads Launches, Amazon Primes Again, and Carmakers Surveil Drivers
July 6th, 2023 | 27 mins 53 secs
Meta's Twitter competitor Threads has launched, and with it comes the same privacy risks as with the company's Facebook and Twitter. Amazon Prime Day is just around the corner, and we explain why that cheap iPhone might not be a good deal. And US carmakers are snarfing up data from Bluetooth connected phones.
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Episode 298: Hallucinating Bots, Unsolicited Smartwatches, and Could this Be the End of End-to-End Encryption?
June 29th, 2023 | 29 mins 22 secs
AI bots make things up, and the web is at risk of becoming overloaded with low-quality articles. Some US military have been receiving unsolicited smartwatches; they have been warned not to turn them on. And a bill in the UK threatens to end end-to-end encryption.
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Episode 297: JokerSpy, Passkeys, Apple Security Updates, and New Private Browsing Features
June 22nd, 2023 | 30 mins 36 secs
JokerSpy malware targets Macs, Apple announces passkey support for Apple IDs, new private browsing features in Safari delete tracking information, and Apple releases a slew of security updates for current and older operating systems for all its devices.