by Mike | Jun 22, 2019 | Macstock News
Five years ago today we gathered for the very first time at Macstock 2015…
…and 5 weeks from today we’ll be gathering once again for Macstock 2019 which is, without a doubt, one of the most exciting Macstock weekends ever!
Bringing together Apple fanatics just like you from over 8 countries around the globe, this year’s Macstock features two days of amazing talks by many of your favorite personalities from throughout the Apple community who will be sharing innovative new ways to accomplish tasks, save time, and express yourself creatively while getting the most from your Apple devices and apps.
But your 2-Day Weekend Pass brings you so much more than that, including:
> Tim & Guy’s MyMac Game Show brought to you exclusively by Macstock’s home town sponsor OWC!
> A recording of Mac Power Users episode 500 live from Macstock’s stage!
> 3 bonus sessions brought to you by Macstock’s Platinum Sponsor, OWC!
> The first ever Macstock Film Festival hosted by Wally Cherwinski!
> Looking to trade (or discover) “new” Apple hardware? Visit the Macstock Swap Trading Zone to see if you can find that Mac you’ve always wanted…like I did last year! >>>>>>
> Nerd Yoga sessions each morning to help you make it through two long days of Macstock!
> And don’t forget Barry’s Midwest Mac Mingle evening activities Saturday night including the return of Game Night!
There’s only ONE place you can find all that plus that fantastic community spirit that makes being an Apple user so special, and that’s at Macstock 2019!
See you there!
Mike
by Mike | May 30, 2019 | Macstock News, Sponsor Spotlight
Other World Computing is back, and they are back in a big way this year as Macstock 2019’s Platinum Sponsor!
Always ready to show off the latest add-ons and upgrades for your Mac when you stop by their booth space to say “hi” — OWC said they wanted to do something a little extra this year to help celebrate 5 years of Macstock, so they’re putting together 3 of their own training sessions that I’m happy to include in this year’s afternoon schedule alongside our regular Main Stage Deeper Dive sessions.
So if you’re looking for something a little more “hands on” to sink your teeth into at this year’s Macstock, check out OWC’s sessions taking place during the afternoon in Macstock’s Breakout Room!
Session Details Coming Soon!
by Mike | May 30, 2019 | Macstock News
Sitting down for long stretches — at a conference or at your Mac — can be a little hard on the body, so why not learn a few new techniques for taking care of your arms, neck, and shoulders while at Macstock!
Led each morning by Macstock attendee and professional yoga instructor, Elle Newman, you’ll have two FUN opportunities to learn simple “body hacks” to help you through a long conference weekend (or the work day)!
Saturday 8-8:45am — Body Hacks
Perfect for coders, writers, and Macstock attendees! Learn techniques to strengthen your postural muscles and take care of your wrists, arms, shoulders, and neck. This yoga-inspired session will focus on exercises you can do right at your desk.
Sunday 8-8:45am — Yoga for Nerds
No yoga experience or special clothing required for this fun session. Focusing on poses that take care of your back, neck, and shoulders, this practice is a great way to begin your day at Macstock. Mats and props provided.
Have Questions? Elle Newman brings 11 years of experience teaching yoga to her classes, as well as a sense of humor and an ability to work with a variety of students’ needs. Her trainings include 200 hours of Vinyasa Yoga training and Forrest Yoga Advanced Teacher Training, as well as specialty trainings in: Yoga for Back Care, Pre-natal Yoga, and Yoga for Seniors. Elle currently teaches and manages at Infinity Wellness Center and Yoga Studio.
You may contact Elle directly with your questions at ellenewman11@gmail.com
by Mike | Apr 10, 2019 | Macstock News
Macstock Conference has a great mix of new and returning presenters to share with you to this year and I’m excited to introduce you to our fourth and final round of speakers who will be presenting their talks at Macstock 2019 this July 27 & 28! If you missed any of our other speaker announcements, you can find them here: Round One, Round Two, and Round Three.
If you haven’t already, be sure to purchase your 2-Day Weekend Pass to Macstock Conference 2019 and share this with your friends to encourage them to join you! This is the best time to get your pass because Macstock 2019 Early Bird Tickets are now on sale for $70 OFF! But our Early Bird sale ends April 30th, so if you’re planning to join us July 27 & 28, be sure to get your tickets and book your room today!
If you’d like to learn even more about our presenters as we get closer to July, check out Chuck Joiner’s annual Road to Macstock series on MacVoices! Every year Chuck sits down with Macstock’s presenters and dives deeper into their backgrounds and offers a quick sneak peek at their talks. Subscribe to Chuck’s show here: http://www.macvoices.com/
And now, our final round of speakers!
Chuck Joiner
A staple of Macstock’s stage since Macstock #1 and inventor of the Road to Macstock series on MacVoices, Chuck has been crafting original Apple, Macintosh, and tech-oriented audio and video content since 2000. MacVoices, delivered in both audio and video versions, includes one-on-one discussions with authors, developers, pundits, panel conversations on current trends in tech, and real-world hardware and software reviews. With interviewing skills honed by a career in insurance investigation, negotiation and litigation management, and a passion for technology, Chuck delivers content that is curiosity-driven and designed to both inform and entertain.
Stephen Hackett
Joining us for the first time with a celebration of 500 episodes of Mac Power Users, Stephen is the co-founder of the Relay FM podcast network, where he hosts numerous nerdy shows, including Connected, Liftoff and Mac Power Users. He lives in Memphis, TN, with his wife, their three children and ever-growing collection of old Macs.
Wally Cherwinski
Building on the success of his Video to Go series of talks at Macstock, Wally created the idea of hosting the first ever Macstock Short Film Fest this year. Wally is a Videographer based in Ottawa, Canada and a Mac user since the original 128K. Starting with 16mm film, he has written and directed numerous documentaries and television features, including projects with Canada’s National Film Board. More recently, he has combined his passion for video with his love of travel. Wally is the author of a multimedia ebook, Video To Go, A Home Movie Primer (Apple Books Link). The book contains a wealth of simple tips, hands-on techniques, and advice to help anyone capture lasting video memories and share them with family and friends.
Guy Serle & Tim Robertson
Every year Macstock’s attendees look forward to the MyMac Game Show and Tim & Guy will be back this year with their prize-filled interactive quiz!
Guy is one half of the world famous — in his own mind — MyMac Podcast along with the equally famous Gary “GazMaz” Malpas. He’s been doing the podcast since 2005 in various roles and teamed up with GazMaz (who should have known better) in 2009, when through a serious breach of wisdom was handed the keys to the podcast. In hindsight, people should have known better.
Tim founded MyMac.com in 1995, the MyMac Podcast in 2004, and TechFan Podcast in 2010. An early pioneer in online content publishing, he enjoys old video games, history of technology, and making people laugh while on stage.
by Mike | Apr 2, 2019 | Macstock News
Macstock Conference has a great mix of new and returning presenters to share with you to this year! Along with our first round and second round of speakers, this next group of speakers will also be presenting their talks at Macstock 2019 this July 27 & 28!
If you haven’t already, be sure to purchase your 2-Day Weekend Pass to Macstock Conference 2019 and share this with your friends to encourage them to join you! This is the best time to get your pass because Macstock 2019 Early Bird Tickets are now on sale for $70 OFF! But our Early Bird sale ends April 30th, so if you’re planning to join us July 27 & 28, be sure to get your tickets and book your room today!
If you’d like to learn even more about our presenters as we get closer to July, check out Chuck Joiner’s annual Road to Macstock series on MacVoices! Every year Chuck sits down with Macstock’s presenters and dives deeper into their backgrounds and offers a quick sneak peek at their talks. If you don’t already subscribe to Chuck’s show, be sure to do so here: http://www.macvoices.com/
We have a couple more rounds to go until I’ve introduced you to all 14 Speakers who’ll be taking the stage at Macstock 2019, so be sure to check back next time for another round. In the mean time, let’s go ahead and meet our next round of speakers!
David Sparks
Taking Macstock’s stage for the first time with both a feature presentation and a celebration of 500 episodes of Mac Power Users, David (MacSparky.com) writes and produces the MacSparky Field Guides, and co-hosts several podcasts including Mac Power Users, Automators, and Focused. David speaks and writes often about Apple technology and productivity. When not falling down fiddly geek rabbit holes, David is a business lawyer and (very) amateur jazz saxophonist.
Rosemary Orchard
A first time Macstock attendee AND presenter, Rosemary describes herself as a nerd, automator, and chocoholic. When she’s not making Shortcuts or podcasting about them, you’ll frequently find her discussing her love of iPads and other Apple technology on Automators, The Sweet Setup, and MacStories. Originally from the UK, she now calls Vienna, Austria, home.
Mike Schmitz
Marking his fourth appearance as a presenter at Macstock, Mike is a productivity coach and the creator of Faith-Based Productivity where he helps individuals connect to their calling, discover their destiny, and live the life they were created for. He also co-hosts the Focused and Bookworm podcasts, produces screencasts for ScreenCastsOnline, and writes for The Sweet Setup. Links to all of Mike’s projects can be found at mikeschmitz.me.
by Mike | Mar 29, 2019 | Macstock News
Macstock has a great mix of new and returning presenters to share with you to this year and I’m excited to introduce our second round of speakers! You’ll find these three fantastic speakers along with our first round all presenting their talks at Macstock 2019 this July 27 & 28!
We have a few more rounds to go until I’ve had a chance to introduce you to all 14 Speakers who’ll be taking the stage at Macstock 2019, so be sure to check back next time for another round of announcements AND don’t forget Macstock 2019 Early Bird Tickets are now on sale for $70 OFF your 2-Day Weekend Pass! But our Early Bird sale ends April 30th, so if you’re planning to join us July 27 & 28, be sure to get your tickets and book your room today!
Let’s go ahead and meet our next round of speakers:
Allison Sheridan
A regular on our stage and favorite among Macstock attendees (esp. the Nosilla Castaways!), Allison started podcasting in May of 2005, just 7 months after podcasting was invented, and her primary show, the NosillaCast has come out every week without missing an episode since late 2005. From the NosillaCast she spun off an interview show called Chit Chat Across the Pond and from that with her co-host Bart Busschots another show called Programming By Stealth. She’s a frequent guest on Daily Tech News Show, Clockwise and the SMR Podcast, with appearances on MacBreak Weekly, Cordkillers, Tech’s Message, and The Productive Woman Podcast. She and her husband Steve produce video interviews from trade shows CES, NAB and CSUN’s Assistive Tech conference.
Josh Rensch
A first time Macstock presenter, Josh is an engineer, gamer, and cook. So is his wife. And they share a small, 120 square feet kitchen. This lack of space can make creating healthy fun meals a challenge when only one drawer exists in the kitchen! Efficiency with their space and time is vital. Armed with various Apple products and apps, together they plan and create great meals and dishes. Including custom bacon and marshmallows! Mmm, marshmallows…. (you thought I was going to say “bacon” didn’t you?)
Dave Ginsburg
When not presenting, you can count on Dave to be wandering the halls of Macstock sharing his in-depth knowledge of iOS with other attendees. As host of the podcast, In Touch With iOS, Dave talks about all things related to iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch and is frequently joined by guests from the Apple Community including many past and present Macstock speakers. An early adopter of many Apple products including the iPhone, Dave brings real world experiences and his passion of technology to every episode as he teaches and entertains his listeners. He loves podcasting so much he hosts another show which is a non-tech podcast talking about all things horse racing called Off The Charts Horse racing.
> Looking to trade (or discover) “new” Apple hardware? Visit the Macstock Swap Trading Zone to see if you can find that Mac you’ve always wanted…like I did last year! >>>>>>
Other World Computing is back, and they are back in a big way this year as Macstock 2019’s Platinum Sponsor!
Sitting down for long stretches — at a conference or at your Mac — can be a little hard on the body, so why not learn a few new techniques for taking care of your arms, neck, and shoulders while at Macstock!
Have Questions? Elle Newman brings 11 years of experience teaching yoga to her classes, as well as a sense of humor and an ability to work with a variety of students’ needs. Her trainings include 200 hours of Vinyasa Yoga training and Forrest Yoga Advanced Teacher Training, as well as specialty trainings in: Yoga for Back Care, Pre-natal Yoga, and Yoga for Seniors. Elle currently teaches and manages at Infinity Wellness Center and Yoga Studio.
A staple of Macstock’s stage since Macstock #1 and inventor of the Road to Macstock series on MacVoices, Chuck has been crafting original Apple, Macintosh, and tech-oriented audio and video content since 2000. 
Joining us for the first time with a celebration of 500 episodes of Mac Power Users, Stephen is the co-founder of the 
Building on the success of his Video to Go series of talks at Macstock, Wally created the idea of hosting the first ever 
Every year Macstock’s attendees look forward to the MyMac Game Show and Tim & Guy will be back this year with their prize-filled interactive quiz!
Taking Macstock’s stage for the first time with both a feature presentation and a celebration of 500 episodes of Mac Power Users, David (
A first time Macstock attendee AND presenter, Rosemary describes herself as a nerd, automator, and chocoholic. When she’s not making Shortcuts or podcasting about them, you’ll frequently find her discussing her love of iPads and other Apple technology on Automators, The Sweet Setup, and MacStories. Originally from the UK, she now calls Vienna, Austria, home.
Marking his fourth appearance as a presenter at Macstock, Mike is a productivity coach and the creator of Faith-Based Productivity where he helps individuals connect to their calling, discover their destiny, and live the life they were created for. He also co-hosts the Focused and Bookworm podcasts, produces screencasts for ScreenCastsOnline, and writes for The Sweet Setup. Links to all of Mike’s projects can be found at 
A regular on our stage and favorite among Macstock attendees (esp. the Nosilla Castaways!), Allison started podcasting in May of 2005, just 7 months after podcasting was invented, and her primary show, the NosillaCast has come out every week without missing an episode since late 2005. From the NosillaCast she spun off an interview show called Chit Chat Across the Pond and from that with her co-host Bart Busschots another show called Programming By Stealth. She’s a frequent guest on Daily Tech News Show, Clockwise and the SMR Podcast, with appearances on MacBreak Weekly, Cordkillers, Tech’s Message, and The Productive Woman Podcast. She and her husband Steve produce video interviews from trade shows CES, NAB and CSUN’s Assistive Tech conference.
A first time Macstock presenter, Josh is an engineer, gamer, and cook. So is his wife. And they share a small, 120 square feet kitchen. This lack of space can make creating healthy fun meals a challenge when only one drawer exists in the kitchen! Efficiency with their space and time is vital. Armed with various Apple products and apps, together they plan and create great meals and dishes. Including custom bacon and marshmallows! Mmm, marshmallows…. (you thought I was going to say “bacon” didn’t you?)
When not presenting, you can count on Dave to be wandering the halls of Macstock sharing his in-depth knowledge of iOS with other attendees. As host of the podcast, In Touch With iOS, Dave talks about all things related to iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch and is frequently joined by guests from the Apple Community including many past and present Macstock speakers. An early adopter of many Apple products including the iPhone, Dave brings real world experiences and his passion of technology to every episode as he teaches and entertains his listeners. He loves podcasting so much he hosts another show which is a non-tech podcast talking about all things horse racing called Off The Charts Horse racing.