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Hi All,

  My intentions for this blog were to write about those pesky issues we run in to and to provide easy to follow solutions.  Hopefully this blog has done just that and has assisted you in some way.  I'm going to continue to write helpful articles, but have moved on to a new web address.  It will basically be more or less the same, but in a prettier package.  I'll be slowly moving most of the posts from this blog over to the new one.  So if you want to check click on the image below.

Hope to continue to help those in need to solve to most annoying issues we run in to.

Apple Watch Bands: 3rd Party Milanese Loop in Silver and Space Gray

If you are in the market for a new band for your Apple Watch and  are looking to get the Milanese Loop then you should take a look at the offerings from Moko.  With a starting price of $24.99, it is a great deal compared to the $149 offering from Apple.  They also offer a variety of colors to to match the Apple Watch you have.

Moko Milanese Loop



The Moko brand is one of the more popular and well reviewed choices for 3rd Party Apple Watch bands on Amazon.  One of the best things about the loops they offer are the variety of colors you can get that Apple does not have.  So if you have the Space Grey Stainless Steel Watch they offer a Milanese Loop in that color to match.

MoKo Milanese Loop Stainless Steel Bracelet for Apple Watch 38mm - Silver

MoKo Milanese Loop Stainless Steel Bracelet for Apple Watch 42mm - Silver

MoKo Milanese Loop Stainless Steel Bracelet for Apple Watch 38mm - Space Gray

MoKo Milanese Loop Stainless Steel Bracelet for Apple Watch 42mm - Space Gray

Actual Images:

Sports Aluminium Apple  Watch w/Silver Milanese Loop

Sports Gray Aluminium Apple Watch w/SG Milanese Loop

Nexus 6p sRGB Mode Comparison

I recently received my Nexus 6p after preordering it and have been putting it through it's paces.  I did notice right out the box that the screen was quite saturated compared to my iPhone 6.  This seems to be due to the AMOLED display, and oversaturation is just a byproduct of AMOLED displays.  But there is a hidden option within the Developer Tools which allows you to set the phone to sRGB mode.  I decided to give this a try and see what the results would look like.  Turning this option on does tend to wash out the colors.  I have included pictures below where you can find a comparison between the sRGB mode being on/off and compared to an iPhone 6.

Best Cases to Show Off Your Rose Gold iPhone

2015, new iPhone, new color, Rose Gold.  Here are some of the best cases that I have come across to display the new Rose Gold iPhone.

Manufacture: Spigen
Model: Neo Hybrid EX
Retail: $34.99
Link: http://www.spigen.com/collections/iphone-6s/products/iphone-6s-case-neo-hybrid-ex?variant=5259966017
Comments: Clear case to really show off the Rose Gold color.

Manufacture: Spigen
Model: Ultra Hybrid
Retail: $24.99
Link: http://www.spigen.com/collections/iphone-6s/products/iphone-6s-case-ultra-hybrid?variant=5259886913
Comments:  Slightly different from the one pictured above, transparent all around.

Manufacture: Spigen
Model: Style Armor
Retail: $29.99
Link: http://www.spigen.com/collections/iphone-6s/products/iphone-6s-case-style-armor?variant=6302247873
Comments: Case matches the Rose Gold color but doesn't truly display the back of the iPhone.

Manufacture: Spigen
Model: Thin Fit
Retail: $14.99
Link: http://www.spigen.com/collections/iphone-6s/products/iphone-6s-case-thin-fit?variant=6352983041
Comments: Similar to the one above except fully Rose Gold.

Manufacture: Spigen
Model: Tough Armor
Retail: $34.99
Link: http://www.spigen.com/collections/iphone-6s/products/iphone-6s-case-tough-armor?variant=5904808705
Comments: Adds protection in exchange for color visibility.  Case does match the Rose Gold color.

Manufacture: Ringke
Model: FUSION

Retail: $10.99

Link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B010QYKIBK?tag=macrumors-20&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00

Comments: Clear TPU case with port covers.

How to Determine Which A9 Chip Is In Your iPhone

*UPDATE*  Apple has given a statement to TechCrunch saying that the actual difference is around 2-3% based on internal testing.  This difference can vary between all iPhones, with the same parts, regardless of chip.  Also worth noting, the app listed below has apparently been removed from the AppStore.

If you haven't heard by now there is some drama building up regarding which A9 chip in the new iPhones is better.  This year it was dual sourced from both TSMC and Samsung.  Early reports suggested that the Samsung chip would be the superior chip due to the smaller size and, well, Samsung.

Recently stories have been circulating that the TSMC A9 chip is actually the superior chip.  Although bigger in size, it is apparently more efficient and has the potential to increase battery life by up to 20% (still being tested).  But if you are curious as to which A9 chip is in your iPhone you can head over to the AppStore and download Lirum Device Info Lite.  Once downloaded, open the app and compare the Model number to the ones listed below:

N66AP (6s plus) or N71AP (6s) - Samsung chip
N66MAP (6s plus) or N71MAP (6s) - TSMC chip

It has been reported that if you have a 6s you have a higher chance of having the TSMC while the 6s+ has a higher chance of having the Samsung chip.

iPhone 6s/6s+ Insurance Options

You just picked up the latest tech from Apple and now you want to add some insurance just in case an accident occurs.  The devices are costly themselves and can be costly to repair or replace so let's talk about some of the options you have when it comes to getting insurance for your new iPhone.

Applecare+ Insurance
-----------------------------------
Apple offers it's own insurance that covers your phone for 2 accidental incidents and extends your mechanical warranty by an additional year.  The bad news is that this year the price jumped from $99 to $129 for the insurance plan and the deductible jumped from $79 to $99.  They do not cover loss and theft, but they probably provide one of the better services since you are dealing with the source.

If you decide to use Apple's Upgrade Program which they introduced this year then Applecare+ is already included in the monthly cost of the device.

Initial Cost: $129 (2 years)
Deductible: $99 per claim (max 2)

Pros:
+ Great support w/Apple
+ Cheaper than carrier insurance

Cons:
- Price increase this year on the warranty and deductible, $129 and $99 respectively.
- Covers only up to 2 accidental incidents
- Theft/Loss not included

Carrier Insurance
-----------------------------------
Let's be honest here, the insurance plans offered by the carrier's are quite expensive compared to other options that are available.  The benefit they offer over the competition is that they cover theft and loss.  But if you don't plan on losing your phone or if theft is not an issue (knock on wood) I would look elsewhere.  The image at the end of the article doesn't include T-Mobile.  T-Mobile costs $8 per month ($192/year) for the insurance, limited to 2 accidental incidents per 12 months, with a $175 deductible.

Initial Cost: $192+ (over 24 months and depends on carrier)
Deductible: $175+ per claim (depends on carrier)

Pros:
+ Theft/Loss included

Cons:
- Most expensive option
- High deductible
- Carrier repair limitations

Squaretrade Insurance
-----------------------------------
Squaretrade is very popular and has been around for quite a while.  They are by far one of the most well known insurance providers and are quite affordable.  A 2 year plan starts at $99 and a 3 year starts at $129, both one time payments.  They also offer a monthly plan which is $8 a month.  The great news is that the deductible is only $75 per claim.

Initial Cost: $99 (2 years)
Deductible: $75 per claim

Pros:
+ Affordable
+ Cheapest option listed

Cons:
- Theft/Loss not included

ProtectYourBubble Insurance
-----------------------------------
I recently came across a new insurance provider which is similar to Squaretrade.  It is the same provider that is used by T-Mobile.  The cost to insure the first device is $5.99, second device is $4.99, and then it is $3.99 for every device after that.  So if you want to insure more than one device then this might be a better option.  The deductible is also $75 per claim for smartphones.

Initial Cost: $144 (1 device/2 years)
Deductible: $75 per claim (unlimited claims)

Pros:
+ Affordable
+ More devices insured, cost per item decreases.

Cons:
- Theft/Loss not included

*T-Mobile is $8 per month ($192/year), 2 accidental incidents per 12 months, with a $175 deductible and covers Loss & Theft protection.

Plex Media Server "You do not have permission to access this server" Fix Ubuntu

So I recently changed my password as suggested by Plex after their forums were hacked.  While I was able to successfully change it, when I went to go watch something on my Roku I encountered the following message:

"You do not have permission to access this server"

Well obviously that is annoying, because even with the correct password I was still encountering this message.  Well apparently in order to fix it you have to edit a preferences.xml file on the server.  As I am running my Plex server on a Ubuntu machine the steps below are how I was able to resolve the issue.

First go ahead SSH to your server and stop the Plex service:

sudo service plexmediaserver stop

Next navigate to the preferences.xml file which should be located here:

cd /var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application\ Support/Plex\ Media\ Server/

It's best to make a backup of the file just incase something goes haywire.

sudo cp preferences.xml.backup

You'll then want to edit the preferences.xml file with your preferred editor:

sudo nano preferences.xml

Now we want to look for the following and delete it:

allowedNetworks="127.0.0.1/255.255.255.255"

Once this segment is deleted save the changes.  Now it's time to start your Plex server again:

sudo service plexmediaserver start

Once it is finished loading you should be able to connect to your Plex Media Server through your Roku device.