Apple Authorised vs. Independent Repair Centres: What’s the difference?

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At eStorm, we understand how much you rely on your device everyday – whether it’s to check your emails, converse with friends, take important business calls, or binge that new show you’re obsessed with. Understandably, when your device faces an accident that renders it unusable, it’s imperative that you get it fixed as quickly and affordably as possible.

Oftentimes, people resort to shopping centre kiosks that promise cheap and fast service. While this sounds great in theory, what most people don’t realise is that these independent repairers (who are not affiliated or authorised by Apple) are able to provide services that are heavily discounted because of the low-quality materials they use to repair your device.

 

What is an independent repair centre?

An independent repair centre is a business that is in no way affiliated with Apple. They are not authorised to purchase genuine Apple parts and therefore cannot access high-quality materials and genuine parts from Apple’s own manufacturers.

Instead, they purchase very cheap bulk parts from China, most of which do not stick to strict quality control guidelines and certainly do not meet the requirements of Apple’s manufacturers. If you believe you are getting a bargain on your iPhone or iPad screen replacement, it’s more than likely because they are us using cheap imitation parts or second-hand materials.

On top of using counterfeit parts, most phone technicians are not trained by Apple to follow the best practices in repairing your device. Untrained technicians coupled with inferior parts can result in further issues with your device in the future and may even result in losing your Apple Warranty if considerable damage has occurred.

 

Apple Authorised Service Providers

An Apple Authorised Service Provider such as eStorm is a repair centre that has been approved by Apple. AASPs have access to genuine Apple materials and high-quality Apple diagnostic tools. Technicians at AASPs are also trained and certified by Apple to deliver outstanding repairs that will last and will not void your Apple Warranty.

Apple Authorised Service Providers Independent Repair Centres
  ✓ Trained and certified by Apple ✕ Inferior imitation parts
 ✓ Genuine Apple parts ✕ Untrained and unqualified technicians

 ✓ Apple diagnostic tools

 ✕ Possible loss of Apple Warranty

 

Why Choose eStorm over an Apple Repair Centre?

 

Retail Apple Repair Centres, run by Apple employees, are a much better alternative than independent repair centres. However, the benefits of having your phone repaired by an Apple-affiliated Service Centre like eStorm means you are able to have personalised service with technicians that are passionate about what they do!

Apple’s repair centres sometimes have inexperienced technicians, leading to repeat services, further time without your device, and dissatisfaction with the repairs. At the eStorm Service Centre, we have tenured technicians who have been repairing Apple products for nearly two decades. That vast experiences leads to first time fixes and quick turnaround times.

Furthermore, choosing eStorm for your repairs means you can avoid queues and shopping centres with no obligation to book in advance. We also have a stronger knowledge of older products and are certified Apple Solution Experts (meaning we have multiple suppliers with access to the best prices for new products).

Lastly, in most Apple retail stores they will not take into account intermittent issues. If you have issues with your phone happening  at random, we promise to look into it and will replace components if we feel it’s necessary.

authorised_apple_service_provider_estorm_service_centre

Got any questions? The friendly professionals at the eStorm Service Centre are always happy to help! Call us on (07) 3180 4228 or email [email protected]

Best Practices for Backing Up Your Data

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Cyber-crime and data loss are ever increasing in today’s technology-reliant society. The loss of important company data and client records can be damaging for businesses. If you are yet to experience some level of data loss, you may be considered one of the lucky ones.

There is always the risk of an accident or malicious behaviour impacting your business’ data. To avoid this happening to your business, we explain how you can protect your data through backup methods, and set yourself up for a secure future.

Identify the important files you need to backup

Firstly, you will need to identify which data or files are most important to your business. Most commonly, this is customer billing history, client details and work history, contracts and so forth. For these essential documents, it is often best to consider multiple backup solutions. Depending on the documents sizes and importance, you may wish to store copies on at least two of the following methods.

USBs, Flash Drives or External Hard Drives  

Every business has a random drawer filled with these small, portable storage devices. USBs are useful for storing and transferring files from one device to another. However, the amount of storage is restrictive, and they are often easily misplaced or damaged due to their size.

External hard drives are probably the most popular backup method used by small businesses. Unfortunately, similar to a USB, hard drives have a reputation for failing at any time without notice or warning.

Using Remote Storage

To ensure your backup efforts are not in vain, you should store your backup data off-site or at least off-sever. This means that your backups will remain viable and recoverable even if your central server is compromised. Remote storage can be done using a physical dedicated server or a cloud-based server.

Cloud Backup 

Investing in and implementing a cloud backup truly is the most viable and trusted solution. To transfer and store your data on the cloud, you can individually select the files or sync your entire device. Cloud data is stored in a secure location with a form of encryption, ensuring your data is always protected.

How often should you be backing up your data?

To effectively backup your data, you will need to ensure you are backing up your data frequently and regularly. The frequency of how often you backup your data will depend on how often your data is updated. For example, if critical data is continuously updated your business will need a more frequent backup schedule.

How long do you need to store your old backups?

Once you have determined the frequency of your backups, you will need to consider how long each backup should be retained. Storing every backup simply is not feasible and it can limit the amount of storage space available to your business.

Depending on industry standards, there may also be legal requirements imposed upon your business to retain certain data for a set period. Most commonly, businesses will retain their monthly or bi-annual data backups for as long as possibly allowed by their servers.

Encrypting and Protecting Your Backups 

Depending on the data contained in your backups, you may need to secure the data in an off-site location. Physical data centres provide several security features to physically protect your data. However, it is always best to encrypt your files to ensure your data is protected if a breach was to occur.

It is best to stay updated on your security hardware and software. Doing this will ensure that it is working at its highest performance capability. Staying up-to-date with new updates will keep your system working with the most current anti-malware and antivirus protection.

Website and Database backup 

No business is ever exempt or safe from hackers. Many say small businesses are ‘too small to be hacked’; however, this makes them a perfect target. Here are a two methods to implement a secure backup for your site:

  • Request a copy of your website and database files from your developers and secure these in a nearby location.
  • Often the best and most secure solution is to implement a cloud backup of your entire site. Doing this, allows you to restore the previous version of your site before it was hacked.

The Apple Silicon M1 Chip – Everything You Need To Know!

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Whether it be on the radio, the news, or from your co-workers and friends, you’ve probably heard whispers of excitement over the new Apple Silicon processor for Macs, officially announced on November 11. Or if you haven’t, you’re now probably wondering – what is the new Apple Silicon chip?

For over a decade, Apple’s world class design and development team has been building and refining Apple silicon for iPads and iPhones, while they have simultaneously relied solely on Intel to provide processors for their Macs. The transition to their own homegrown processor represents the biggest and boldest leap ever for the Mac, but it will take up to two years to complete the shift from Intel. Nevertheless, Apple has already unveiled three Macs powered by Apple Silicon; available for orders as of 11 November 2020: the MacBook Air, the MacBook Mini, and the MacBook Pro. 

The Apple Silicon M1 Chip

“With industry-leading performance, powerful features, and incredible efficiency, M1 is Apple’s first chip designed specifically for the Mac”

The seismic and daring shift from Intel to Apple M1 enables Apple to create an experience on Macs that is more consistent with that of iPads and iPhones, and allows Apple to have more control and flexibility over the launch cycles and features for its notebooks and desktops.  Combined with macOS Big Sur, M1 delivers extraordinary battery life, maximum performance capabilities, and access to more software and apps than ever before.

The Apple M1 is a 5nm 8 core System-on-Chip (SoC) with 16 billion transistors and an integrated 8 core graphics processor (GPU).

 

What This Means for Future Apple Macs

The best CPU performance per Watt: The 8-core CPU (consisting of 4 high performance cores and 4 high efficiency cores) provides industry-leading performance while running as efficiently as possible. This means photographers are able to edit high-resolution photos at lightning speed and developers can build apps nearly 3x faster than before!

Faster Integrated Graphics: The M1 includes Apple’s most advanced GPU. Featuring up to 8 powerful cores capable of running nearly 25,000 threads simultaneously, the GPU can handle extremely demanding tasks with ease. This includes smooth playback of multiple 4k streams and rendering complex 3D scenes.

Blazing-fast On-Device Machine Learning: The Neural Engine in M1 enables up to 15x faster machine learning performance, so tasks like video analysis, voice recognition and image processing will have a level of performance never before seen on the Mac.

MacOs Big Sur Optimised for M1: Apple’s latest macOs is engineered to take full advantage of the capability and power of M1. It delivers a massive boost in performance, incredible battery life and the strongest security protections on the market. Macs will instantly wake from sleep, and iPhone/iPad apps can now run directly on the Mac.

The Next Generation of Mac

 

MacBook Air: A Thin and Light Powerhouse

Boasting the title of one of the world’s best-selling 13-inch notebooks, the M1 chip will take the MacBook air to extraordinary new heights.

The powerful 8 core CPU and GPU allows it to perform 3.5x faster than its predecessors and run immersive graphics-intensive games up to 5x faster. It’s fanless design means no matter what users are doing, it remains silent at all times. It also features astonishing battery life, with up to 15 hours of wireless web browsing and up to 18 hours of video playback (compared to approx. 11 hours on previous generations).

From November 11, it will no longer be possible to buy MacBook Airs with an Intel CPU.

 

13-inch MacBook Pro: More Powerful, More Pro

The 13-inch MacBook Pro is Apple’s most popular pro notebook and combines high performance with a portable design. The introduction of M1 to the MacBook Pro will allow professionals to channel their creativity and provide the tools students need to succeed. Enjoy a system that is 2.8x faster than its predecessor thanks to its 8 core CPU, and take advantage of remarkably smooth graphics performance due to its 8 core GPU. Other new features include studio-quality mics and Apple’s latest camera ISP, which enables sharper images on video calls.

Apple claims the 13-inch MacBook Pro is up to 3x faster than the best-selling Windows laptop in its class, and now boasts up to 17 hours of wireless web browsing and 20 hours of video playback – up to twice the battery life of the previous generation and the longest battery life ever on a Mac.

Unlike the MacBook Air, you can still purchase a 13-inch MacBook Pro with an Intel CPU, but you’ll be paying a considerably higher price for them compared to their M1 counterparts.

 

Mac mini: Staggering Performance, Ultra-Compact Design

The Mac mini is by far Apple’s most versatile computer, and with M1 it combines incredible performance and new features with the compact design many users have come to love. M1’s 8 core CPU and GPU make for a faster desktop that delivers a massive 6x increase in graphics performance, allowing users to play graphics-intensive games like “Shadow of the Tomb Raider” with 4x higher frame rates.

Mac mini also features an advanced thermal design to remain cool and quiet throughout heavy usage and supports up to two displays (including Apple Pro’s Display XDR in 6K resolution).

The Mac mini will also continue to offer options with Intel CPUs, but like the MacBook Pro, these will be priced higher than M1 minis.

 

Watch Apple’s ‘One More Thing’ event for a complete overview on their latest announcements and products!

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What happens to my Intel Mac after Apple completes the switch to M1?

Considering Apple is still releasing products with Intel CPU’s and it will take 2 years to complete the switch to M1, it should be expected that Apple will continue to provide support and updates for Intel Macs for years to come. This is backed by the fact that Big Sur, Apple’s newest macOS update, will be compatible with MacBook Pros from 7 years ago!

What are the major benefits of M1? 

Longer battery life, faster performance, and enhanced graphics on the new Macs are the major benefits of Apple’s M1 chip. Combining those with the cost-effectiveness, and the ability to access all of your apps across all your Apple devices, makes it hard to deny this is a major upgrade for Mac products.

Intel vs M1: Which Mac is right for me? 

While the M1 boasts myriad new features, we understand it can be difficult to say goodbye to what we’re used to, especially considering Intel has been the trusted leader of CPU’s for over 15 years. While Apple is still offering a range of Macs available with Intel processors, it is predicted most versions of Macs will be transferring over to M1 by late 2021. It is therefore recommended that you purchase the M1 Macs if you are currently in the market for a new device, HOWEVER please check with eStorm before doing so as your current software may not be compatible with Big Sur or the M1 chip. Big Sur, Apple’s latest macOs update, is also expected to run marvellously on M1’s, as it was specifically engineered to accommodate the new chip.

What’s Big Sur?

Big Sur (or MacOs 11) is Apple’s newest desktop and laptop operating system, released on November 12 2020. It is full of new and redesigned features that make for a better user experience, and is compatible with Apple’s new M1 devices along with its older Intel-based machines. It features a revamped Safari browser, improved privacy features, and the option to have widgets on your home screen. More info on the Big Sur update can be found here: https://www.apple.com/macos/big-sur/

An update on our Apple Education Solution Partnership

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Here at eStorm, we have been working closely with Apple to provide the best solutions for our education partners. Recently, Apple refined the criteria to become an Apple Education Solution Specialist. We are excited to announce that we have continued to qualify as specialists in this field.

Why do we partner with Apple?

For over 40 years, Apple has been assisting educators to unlock student’s creative potential. Not only does Apple achieve this through powerful technology, but tools and curriculum that inspires and engages students. There is something unique about taking a device out of a box, plugging it in and being able to start using it straight away.

The Apple Education Solution Specialist criteria requires us to demonstrate an ability to assist schools from the inception of their Apple device initiative, all the way through to roll out. This also includes supporting IT departments and teachers, as well as school management along the way.

As an Apple Education Partner, we have been recognised for our work with educational institutions to provide tailored solutions for students and schools across Australia.

Specialised For You

Our team undertakes continual training to ensure our macOS and iOS technology knowledge is up-to-date. Under the Device Enrolment Program, we have access to tools to assist your school in implementing automate device enrolment through Apple School Manager. Such tools allow us to:
Assist Schools to automate device enrolment with Apple School Enrolment,
Manage student and staff devices with Mobile Device Management, and
Deploy devices to staff and students complete with Apple education tools such as Classroom and Classwork.

Understanding Your Needs

After working closely with schools in the past, we now understand that the needs of the schools are beyond just the device. We know the key to developing great programs is liaising closely with the leadership team, teachers and the community. To create a positive impact on teaching and learning, the eStorm team provides professional learning opportunities to incorporate content into the classroom. These include Apple Teacher, Everyone Can Code and Everyone Can Create.

Apple Authorised Service Provider Bonus

As an Authorised Service Provider, we can connect your school with the right devices that best enables your students to achieve their academic goals. By partnering with eStorm, we can offer education discounts for:

  • Faculty or staff members of public and private higher education institutions in Australia
  • Employees of public or private K–12 institutions in Australia
  • School board members who are currently serving as elected or appointed members in Australia
  • Parents and citizens/friends (P&C/P&F) executives currently serving as elected or appointed members in Australia
  • Qualifying homeschools in Australia
  • Employees of a public or private, profit or non-profit preschool in Australia.

Find out more about how partnering with eStorm as Apple Solution Experts can benefit your school today.

 

The newest technologies to introduce into your classroom

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New and advancing technologies are shaping almost every aspect of our lives. It is no surprise then that the typical classrooms are starting to shift to incorporate new educational opportunities. As access to technology increases, so does the technical literacy and savviness of our students. Teachers are now leveraging all kinds of technology to engage students and provide immersive learning experiences.

Creating personalised learning experiences

Introducing technology into the classroom isn’t about replacing teachers; it is about supporting the delivery of a lesson while also providing a personalised experience for the students. In the past, there has been a stronger push for the education system to shift standardised testing and start making allowances for each child’s unique learning style.

These new technologies introduce students to the concept of blended learning, where they become their own directors of when, where, and how fast they move through an activity. Additionally, many new technologies are built-in with the ability to analyse student behaviours and can adapt the lesson in real-time depending on the student’s strengths and weaknesses.

Let’s take a look at how these new forms of technology are being used today.

Augmented, virtual and mixed reality

The lesson plan ideas are endless with the introduction of augmented, virtual and mixed reality technologies in the classroom! These forms of transformative technologies are supporting the instructions given by teachers as well as creating immersive lessons to be fun and engaging for students of all levels.

These adapted lesson plans can include a way for students to experience:

  • A virtual reality roller coaster during a physics lesson,
  • Going on a virtual field trip to ancient Greece during a history class,
  • Providing a way for students to deep-dive into molecular structures, or
  • Compare the real size of dinosaurs to nearby trees or buildings in the schoolyard.

Devices

We have already seen the huge impact one-to-one devices have made on the education industry. However, there is still a clear divide and disadvantage for students of lower socio-economic background whose parents cannot afford a device for each of their children. The effects of this were further seen during the remote-learning period at the start of this year due to COVID-19.

Students who leave school unfamiliar with technology or with the risks and responsibilities associated with it will lag behind their peers when it comes to further education, jobs and general life skills.

Artificial intelligence

Having access to virtual assistants in the classroom can assist students who may be struggling to comprehend tricky concepts. This allows teachers to spend their spare time on students who may have higher needs. The use of AI in the classroom can also create a personalised learning experience tailored to their strengths, weaknesses and needs.

Gamification

Children have always learned through play, with lessons revolving around hands-on experiences and creativity. The shift in our educational system has seen an increase in classrooms being more ‘sit still, listen and learn the facts.’ We are potentially reaching an enlightened age in education, whereby play is re-introduced to the classroom, and students are experiencing a more immersive and engaging learning experience.

3D Printing

3D printing has slowly been introduced into Australian classrooms for some time now and is being used to assist students coming to grips with complex concepts. Furthermore, students are now able to bring their designs to life or assist in providing visual representations of what they can interact with.

We are seeing an increase in 3D printing being used in subjects such as Chemistry where students can print molecules in 3D. History students are also able to print out models of historical artefacts.

Robots and Coding

Robots have made an incredible impact on today’s classrooms by assisting in the teaching of coding. Robots are not just reserved for older students; small and simple bots can help very young students to understand sequencing, estimation and problem-solving concepts.

It is often said that coding will be the next universal language as well as an essential skill for many new jobs. Using robots to teach this topic in a fun and engaging way will hopefully support students who wish to explore new and advancing industries when they finish school. Students get instant feedback since the robot either behaves according to their intentions or doesn’t, exposing a bug in the code that students must then fix themselves.

Drones

A key element of today’s education pedagogy is encouraging students to view information from a variety of perspectives. Drones can assist in doing that in a literal way, by leveraging their interest and love of technology to show them different ways of looking at the world or viewing a physical problem.

Drones can be used in several ways, such as:

  • Using footage to stimulate writing exercises,
  • Mapping the path of the drone to learn about distance and time,
  • Flying a drone to help improve hand and eye coordination, and
  • Encouraging physical activity and education by filming their movements and discussing them later.

Is this the end of iTunes?

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Apple’s recent announcement that the TV app is coming to the Mac has led to the confirmation that, within the next major version of macOS, the system will also include standalone Music, Podcasts and TV apps, a long with a major redesign of the Books app.

The upcoming release of standalone media apps has sparked discussion around whether or not the next major macOS version will still include the iTunes app at all. Currently it would appear as though Apple will still include the iTunes app, mainly because there has been no news of a new solution for manually syncing devices, particularly older iPods and iPhones. However, with the recent trend of siloing media (Disney and other networks creating their own standalone Netflix-like platforms) it could definitely be on the cards for removal.

This news also came with the announcement that Apple are currently testing a web interface for its podcast directory. Previously, podcasts and episodes were listed on the website, but couldn’t be played without opening iTunes. The new interface not only lists shows and episodes, but also allows users to listen to episodes within the browser itself.

apple podcasts browser version

This move from Apple comes after competition within the podcast space has ramped up in recent months. Spotify have recently increased their focus on podcasts with the acquisition of Gimlet Media, a long with the recent acquisition of Australian made podcast app Pocket Casts by a combined public radio group of WNYC, NPR, WBEZ and This American Life.

eStorm Service Centre Springfield Awarded Apple Premium Service Provider Distinction

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eStorm Service Centre Springfield, 1/145 Sinnathamby Boulevard Springfield Central, has today been awarded the “Premium Service Provider” distinction by Apple.

Apple has recognised the Springfield Service Centre as having “demonstrated its commitment to premium service and technical excellence.”

Only the top performing Apple Authorised Service Providers are given this title, with Apple stating that “Premium Service Providers consistently deliver exceptional repair support and customer experience that meet Apple’s exacting standard for high-quality repair and prompt service.”

It is an honour to receive the Premium Service Provider distinction. The team has worked very hard to offer exceptional service, advice and quality repairs to everyone who comes in contact with the Springfield location.

About eStorm Service Centre

eStorm Service Centre is your dedicated Apple Authorised Service Provider & Reseller. Offering products and services for both PC and Mac users, our goal is to take the hassle out of your computer and phone repair experience, all while delivering you the highest quality service and support with a timely turnaround.

apple premium service providers

Everything you need to know about the new 2018 MacBook Air, iPad Pro and Mac Mini

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Apple’s 2018 October Special Event held in the Brooklyn Academy of Music Howard Gilman Opera House in New York has come and gone, but not without leaving us with the new iPad Pro, MacBook Air and Mac mini.

 

MacBook Air 2018 eStorm Service Centre Apple Repair Brisbane Springfield Toowoomba

 

One of the most loved Macs is back with some exciting new additions.

  • Silver, space grey and gold
  • 13.3″ high-resolution Retina display in razor-sharp clarity and 48% more colours than the previous generation
  • Display glass now goes all the way to the edge of the enclosure, which makes the borders 50% thinner
  • Touch ID, making your fingerprint your password (place your finger on the Touch ID sensor to unlock your Mac, as well as locked documents, notes and system settings)
  • Redesigned keyboard with butterfly mechanism, which provides four times more key stability
  • Force Touch trackpad
  • Up to 12 hours of battery life and 13 hours of nonstop movie play
  • 1.25kg
  • 15.6mm thin
  • Intel Core i5 processor
  • Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C)
  • 25% more volume
  • 2x more bass for fuller sound and greater range
  • 100% recycled aluminiu

 

iPad Pro 30th October 2018 eStorm Service Centre

 

The brand new iPad Pro has been completely redesigned along with the all new magnetised and sleeker Apple Pencil.

  • 11-inch & 12.9-inch
  • New gestures introduced with the removal of the Home button
  • New Liquid Retina display goes from edge to edge
  • Industry-leading colour accuracy
  • Face ID for secure unlocking (works seamlessly in both portrait and landscape)
  • Multitasking allows you to work on a project, message a friend, search the web and make a FaceTime call
  • Apple Pencil redesigned, attaches magnetically for pairing and charging, as well as having touch technology built in for changing tools
  • USB-C for higher performance connection to accessories and external displays
  • Smart HDR 12-megapixel camera, 4K video, document scanning and AR experiences
  • Less than 500 grams

 

New Mac Mini 2018 eStorm Service Centre Apple Repair Centre Brisbane Springfield Toowoomba

 

The new Mac mini powers everything from home automation to live concert sound and render farms.

  • 8th gen quad-core and 6-core processors
  • 2666MHz DDR4 memory
  • Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) – up to 40Gbps data transfer speeds
  • HDMI 2.0
  • 10Gb Ethernet available
  • 2x increased airflow

 

You can learn more about the releases at Apple’s previous Keynote event this year where they announce the new iPhones and Apple Watch.