In mid-January 2017 Patently Apple posted a report titled "A Weak Circumstantial Theory by French Investigators Points to Fiery Apple Device Bringing Down Air Egypt." We noted back then that "A report this week out of Europe noted that French investigators theorize that the batteries in a co-pilot's iPad mini 4 or iPhone 6s may have caused the mysterious crash of EgyptAir flight MS804, which went down on May 19th of last year. All 66 people onboard were killed." We ended our report stating that "Unless the French investigative team can produce the very Apple product and confirm a direct connection to the crash, putting out a theory such as this to the public is incomprehensibly irresponsible. You have to wonder what political motivation there could possibly be for such reckless behavior."

Today we're learning from various European reports that a new lawsuit has been filed against Apple for the crash of the EgyptAir Flight 804. TMZ reports that The families of several of the victims of the May 19, 2016 crash claim the tragedy was due to the co-pilot's iPhone 6S or iPad mini overheating in the cockpit and catching fire.

According to the docs ... an investigation revealed the device ignited and led to a bigger fire in the cockpit, which ultimately took the plane down.

It should be noted, however -- some industry experts have questioned this phone theory ... and believe the fire on the plane started beneath the cockpit in the avionics bay due to a short circuit or some kind of explosion.

Still, the families believe there's enough evidence to hold Apple responsible for the deaths of their loved ones."

Until there's an official government report definitively pointing to an Apple device being the cause of the crash, the action of the relatives is simply anger looking for a party to blame and nothing more.

In 2016 the BBC reported that "Egyptian investigators" announced that traces of explosives had been found on the victims. The Guardian reported at the same time that "French investigators were reported to have found trace levels of the explosive TNT on recovered debris but claimed they were prevented from further examining it. Egyptian officials denied the claim.

About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Those using abusive language or negative behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus.</s>Apple currently sells four iPad models: the iPad Mini 4, the iPad, and two versions of the iPad Pro.

Unless you’re into the “mini” form factor, though, most people will probably choose between the normal 9.7-inch iPad with the two iPad Pro models.

Here are 8 reasons you should buy the most basic iPad instead of an iPad Pro:

1. Price is the most important consideration for many people — and the basic iPad looks highly appealing here

The most basic iPad starts at roughly half the price of the most basic iPad Pro.

The higher-end iPad Pro models start getting into laptop territory, at least from a price perspective.

With that in mind, you’ll need to consider whether or not the advantages of the iPad Pro make sense for you personally.

2. The iPad Pro has new display technology, but the standard iPad display is still incredibly high quality.

One of the biggest difference between the basic iPad and iPad Pro is the display.

The iPad Pro models have Apple’s ProMotion technology, which is basically a 120Hz refresh rate that makes everything generally look smoother, from scrolling webpages to watching videos. When you’re using the Apple Pencil, it also makes it feel like you’re really writing on paper, thanks to that enhanced refresh rate.

That said, the new 9.7-inch iPad still has the same Apple Pencil support, and everything – from watching videos to browsing the web – looks great on that Retina display, too. You might notice a difference if you’re holding the two different iPads side by side, but you’re not missing much if your iPad doesn’t have ProMotion.

3. The only accessory the 9.7-inch iPad can’t connect with is Apple’s Smart Keyboard, but you’re not missing anything special there.

From an accessories standpoint, the most basic iPad can connect to almost everything the iPad Pro models can, thanks to the same Bluetooth and WiFi tech. It even supports Apple Pencil.

The only notable accessory that only works with the iPad Pro models, and not the basic iPad, is Apple’s Smart Keyboard.

The iPad Pro’s built-in Smart Connectors let the tablets pair to the Smart Keyboard automatically, which allows for seamless data and power transfer between the devices. Still, the Smart Keyboard costs a whopping $160 to start (it’s $170 for the 12.9-inch iPad), and there are plenty of other more affordable keyboard covers for iPad that perform similarly. Personally, I highly recommend Logitech’s Slim Folio for iPad.

4. The 9.7-inch iPad display is a classic for a reason: Bigger screens aren’t always better when it comes to tablets.

The very first iPad design from 2010 had a 9.7-inch display.

Since then, Apple has kept that same form factor and display size, even though it’s added plenty of other-sized alternatives since then like the iPad Mini and iPad Pro.

Still, the 9.7-inch iPad seems to be the right iPad size for most people. Based on all the reviews I’ve seen, including this one from my colleague Avery, I truly believe Apple got it right the first time with the 9.7-inch display, for both its size and portability. Having tried both iPad Pro models, I do like the 10.5-inch iPad Pro, but found ther 12.9-inch iPad Pro too massive.

5. The iPad Pro models have better cameras — you can shoot videos in 4K, and record in super-slow motion in 240 frames per second — but how often are you going to be filming videos with an iPad?

You don’t need 4K quality for your home movies, and hopefully you’re not using your iPad to shoot videos in public. If you do that, please don’t. It’s embarrassing. Please just use your phone instead.

6. The iPad Pro models have better FaceTime cameras, but you’re still getting HD quality on the most basic iPad.

The iPad Pro models can record video in 1080p HD; the most basic iPad can record in 720p HD. Unless you’re filming yourself talking, or recording your FaceTime chats, 720p HD will be perfectly fine.

7. The basic 9.7-inch iPad and 10.5-inch iPad Pro actually weigh the same, but the 12.9-inch iPad is heavier than both of them.

If you’re worried about missing out on the bigger screen size, consider this: The iPad is meant to be held, and bigger displays tend to be heavier.

Indeed, the 9.7-inch iPad and 10.5-inch iPad Pro are actually the same weight (around 1 pound), but the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is considerably heavier at around 1.5 pounds. It may not seem like much, but the iPad is meant to be carried and held often, so the extra weight adds up.

8. No matter what you buy, you’re getting the same experience — iOS — with the iPad Pros having no notable exclusive software features over the basic iPad.

The iPad and iPad Pro both run iOS, which means no matter what you buy, you’re getting the same ecosystem, the same App Store, and the same updates straight from Apple.

Interestingly enough, there are no real notable iOS features that are exclusive to the iPad Pro, especially now that the basic iPad supports Apple Pencil. The only notable difference: The iPad Pro models can support multitasking for three apps simultaneously; trying to multitask with three apps on the basic iPad will cause the two split-screen apps to grey out.</s>Overheating Apple devices caused an EgyptAir plane to crash into the Mediterranean, the families of those who died claim in a lawsuit against the technology giant and the airline.

EgyptAir flight 804 flight went down in the Mediterranean while en route from Paris to Cairo in May 2016, killing 40 Egyptians, 15 French citizens, and one Briton.

Now it has been reported several of the victims claim the crash was down to the co-pilot's iPhone 6S or iPad mini overheating in the cockpit and catching fire.

According to court documents seen by TMZ, the families claim an investigation has revealed the device ignited and led to a bigger fire in the cockpit, which ultimately took the plane down.

The families are suing for damages and both the airline and Apple are listed in the case.

Egyptian authorities have now concluded their inquiry and a file has been passed to the country's Attorney General in Cairo.

But a separate investigation by the French has stalled due to the Egyptians' apparent refusal to hand over debris and raw data from the aircraft's black box recorders.

It is understood that French investigators are exploring three possible causes: terrorism, a fire caused by the co-pilot's mobile devices overheating after being plugged into an incorrect socket in the cockpit or a mechanical fault.

It emerged earlier this year that the widow of a British man, father-of-two Richard Osman, 40, who died on the flight is suing the airline for damages.

His widow Aurelie is seeking compensation from EgyptAir through the High Court.

The family had recently bought a house on Jersey.

The geologist flew regularly with his job at the Australian gold mining firm Centamin Ltd and was en route to Egypt at the time of the crash.

The operator is citing the fact that the plane did not crash in British territory and that Jersey - where Mr Osman booked his flight through a travel agent - is not part of the UK.

The airline, which has no office in Jersey, says that means the English courts simply have 'no jurisdiction' to consider the family's claim.

Mr Osman was the only Brit onboard the doomed flight and died just three weeks after celebrating the birth of his second daughter.

MailOnline has contacted both EgyptAir and Apple for comment.</s>Apple currently sells four iPad models: the iPad Mini 4, the iPad, and two versions of the iPad Pro.

Unless you're into the "mini" form factor, though, most people will probably choose between the normal 9.7-inch iPad with the two iPad Pro models.

Here are 8 reasons you should buy the most basic iPad instead of an iPad Pro:</s>The best new feature of the new 9.7-inch iPad is its support for Apple Pencil (which was formerly only possible with an iPad Pro), and if you’re a Costco member, today you can get both the Apple Pencil and the new 32GB iPad with Wi-Fi for just $354.98 shipped.

To see the deal, you need to add both items to your cart. (And, of course, you need to be a Costco member.) The iPad itself normally retails for $329 and the Apple Pencil sells for $99, which means this bundle deal nets you a full $73.02 in savings.

And I’d say it’s more than worth it. Since writing my review of the new iPad, I’ve switched over to using the 9.7-inch iPad almost exclusively. It’s that good.

I also have a 12.9-inch iPad Pro, but lately it strikes me as gargantuan, heavy, and unwieldy. As for the new 9.7-inch iPad? It’s so light that I don’t even notice it in my backpack.

You’re still better off getting an iPad Pro if you have your heart set on advanced artwork, heavy-duty iMovie video creation, or the iPad’s few performance-demanding games, but the 2018 iPad does almost everything else just as well for a fraction of the price. It’s packed with an impressive A10 processor and it consistently delivers around 10 hours of battery life, and it comes with other perks such as decent front and rear cameras and Touch ID support. For additional information, check out the video above.

“For a general-purpose tablet for school, business, or pleasure,” I said in my review, “it currently doesn’t get any better than this.”

And if you’re looking for savings, it currently doesn’t get any better than this bundled deal.</s>ZUGU CASE, maker of Amazon’s highest rated case for iPad, has now officially confirmed support for Apple’s latest 9.7-inch iPad released just last month.

The Prodigy Case– also available for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro and iPad Pro 10.5– has become one of the most popular iPad cases on Amazon for a reason, with over 90% 5 star ratings it has quickly become a favorite among iPad users because of its very functional magnetic kickstand, while also being rugged and lightweight.

Based out of California, you can tell ZUGU puts a lot of care and attention to detail in its case lineup.

The Prodigy Case manages to be one of the highest-rated cases on Amazon at a price point that beats out much of the competition for comparable durable cases.

Even with the relatively low price tag, it doesn’t skimp on functionality or materials with a super rugged case that still remains sleek and lightweight. You’ll also find a soft microfiber interior to prevent scratches and a high-quality matte synthetic leather on the exterior.

The cover stays attached securely when not in use thanks to multiple magnets inside the cover, and a strong inner rubber and polycarbonate bumper/shell combo provides 5ft drop protection without adding thickness. It does so thanks to its super protective bumper and fiberglass internal structure while still managing to be the thinnest in the industry with its 2mm polycarbonate back shell.

Of note, the case includes a built-in magnetic kickstand that can easily adjust to eight different viewing angles while the built-in magnets also mean you can securely attach it to a fridge or other magnetic surface (as shown in the images above).

Lastly, the Prodigy also includes a built-in Apple Pencil slot located on the back of the case (Also check out ZUGU’s Apple Pencil holder, an $11 ‘Peel N Stick’ Elastic Stylus Pocket that attaches to existing cases).

You can get Prodigy Case on Amazon for Apple’s 9.7-inch iPad (5th/6th gen), iPad Pro 10.5 (2017), and iPad Pro 12.9 (2017/2015). In addition to the black color pictured, it’s also available in navy blue and purple options.
Relatives of the 66 people killed in the crash sue Apple alleging that an overheating iPad caused the disaster.