A Tale of Troubleshooting: Macstock’s Speakers & Schedule

by Mike | Apr 27, 2025 | Macstock IX, Macstock News

It turns out that diagnosing why your car won’t start is very much like troubleshooting your Mac.

How do I know? We’ve been down a vehicle in the Potter household for just over a week now as I struggled to figure out where things were going wrong between the time I turned the key and the moment I heard nothing but a loud (and scary) single click coming from somewhere deep within the recesses of my engine compartment.

Dammit Jim! I’m a tech guy, not an auto mechanic!

And, yet, the desire to avoid a tow charge, let alone the cost of diagnosing and repairing what could be a minor problem (or, admittedly, a major one), was strong within me. (Hey, two paragraphs, two nerd references!)

There were things that I knew I could attempt on my own, and those things were high on my list of “stuff to try” before cracking open my wallet at the service center: Battery? Starter solenoid? A simple fuse? How about a new grounding wire? I know what a bad starter sounds like, but I couldn’t rule it out…yet.

Those were all suggestions made by others that I’d uncovered in my investigations into the car’s “Click of Doom”.

As I turned to the online forums of owners who’d experienced similar symptoms (anyone else remember the pre-Internet Chilton repair manuals?), I realized there’s a ton of knowledge out there just waiting to be tapped … by me … when my car decided that it wouldn’t start.

Just like Macstock!

The depth of knowledge found within the walls of Macstock Weekend each year seems endless! I may organize the weekend, but I walk away each year with tons of new skills, ideas, and simple tips & tricks, and often find myself wondering how I got along without them.

And this year will be the biggest Macstock yet, because Macstock 9 is three days of awesome talks, super useful workshops, and a chance to hang out with some of the nicest (and knowledgeable) Apple fanatics on the planet WHILE taking in some amazing talks from the likes of Brittany Smith, Kelly Guimont, Doc Rock, Mike Schmitz, Kirschen Seah, Dave Ginsburg, Allison Sheridan, Brett Terpstra, Jeff Gamet, Marty & Will Jencius, Jill McKinley, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs PLUS two new voices to Macstock’s stage in 2025, Chris Cooke and Mike Burke (just to name them all 😎) — all of whom you can learn more about on the Macstock website right now!

In case you were wondering, my car repair story above does have a successful ending. As of this morning (literally, Sunday, April 27th), my car happily started once again. Turns out that despite my best diagnostic attempts to eliminate it (and when it comes to cars, my skills aren’t quite where they are with operating systems), it WAS the battery after all! I suppose it was a bad cell within the battery and I simply didn’t have the right tools to figure that out.

Macstock gives you the tools you need to be a better Mac user. (iPhone, iPad, and other Apple gear too!)

So while you’re reading up on this year’s presenters, be sure to also check out this year’s schedule for some fantastic sessions covering anything and everything Apple like getting the most from Photos, Apple’s new AI features, tech tools for Travel, Apple Health features, Accessibility, creating Shortcuts to boost your productivity, and even security focused talks like staying safe online, and those new Passkeys you’ve been hearing about (but maybe aren’t using yet)!

And that’s just scratching the surface of what will almost certainly be the best Macstock yet.

See you at Macstock 9!

Early Bird Sale Ends March 29th

by Mike | Mar 29, 2025 | Macstock IX, Macstock News

Just a reminder that the Early Bird Sale pricing of $50 OFF the 3-Day Weekend Pass ends at midnight on March 29th (Central Time)!

Macstock Weekend is going to be packed!

At the moment, we’ve got FIVE 90-minute workshops and up to Twelve 45-minute sessions, all within a single track, and all from presenters eager to SHARE ways for you to get the most of your Apple hardware and expand your knowledge with new tools and techniques that you can put to practical use right away.

Macstock isn’t just about the talks, though, it’s also about the people and the experience that comes from simply being around and connecting with so many folks just like you, all wanting to SHARE advice, tips, and have in-depth conversations that propel you forward, ignite new ideas, and build personal connections that will last long after the weekend ends.

I also promised a sneak peek at who’ll be presenting! Just a few of the speakers taking the stage in July that I can share with you today include Brett Terpstra, Kirschen Seah, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, and Allison Sheridan! More are on the way and I’ll share them with you in the weeks ahead too.

One Final Reminder: If you’re not already signed up to join us this July 11, 12, & 13 for Macstock 9 you can still Save $50 on your Weekend Pass by visiting our Register page by the end of day, Saturday, March 29th, 2025, and purchase your ticket by 11:59PM Central Time.

Macstock’s Early Bird Sale Continues!

by Mike | Mar 19, 2025 | Macstock IX, Macstock News

Spring has been teasing us here at Macstock HQ, but spring in Northern Illinois never arrives without a fight. This past week we’ve hit highs in the 70s followed by over an 1″ of snow and lows in the 20s. All…in…the…same…week. Rest assured, by the time Macstock gets here in Summer … well, at least I can promise we won’t have any snow. But that’s about as far as I’ll go with my predictions.

Speaking of Macstock, did you get your Weekend Pass to Macstock yet? If not, don’t miss your chance to save during Macstock 9’s Early Bird Sale!

If you would like to join in the fun and community spirit of Macstock, then don’t miss your chance to pick up your Macstock 3-Day Weekend Pass during our Early Bird Sale that’s running the entire month of March and save yourself $50 OFF the regular price!

Don’t wait too long though, because the Early Bird sale only runs through March 29th, so if you’re planning to join us this July, be sure to get your tickets today!