Earlier this month, Apple acknowledged an issue referred to as “Error 53” that causes iPhone 6 units with home buttons repaired by a third-party to potentially be bricked with software updates. Shortly after Apple acknowledged the issue, a Seattle-based law firm announce that it was considering filing a class action lawsuit against Apple for forcing people to use the company’s own repair outlet, which is often more expensive. Now, the law firm PCVA has officially filed the case with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

In a press release announcing the lawsuit, PCVA stated that the first goal of the suit is to get all affected customers “re-outfitted” with working phones “without the overwhelming costs” that they are facing right now.

The lawyer behind the case, Darrell Cochran, states in the release that while Apple claims the Error 53 is put in place as a security measure, that logic doesn’t add up due to it being implemented following software updates. Cochran argues that Apple needs to inform users of the risks associated with installing a software update, which is ultimately how Error 53 has come to affect users.

“If security was the primary concern, then why did the phones work just fine, sometimes for several months, without the software update,” Cochran asked. “Error 53 only rears its ugly head when downloading a newer version of Apple’s operating system.”

Finally, Cochran notes of how lax Apple has been in its response to the Error 53 issue. The company issued a statement last week saying that Error 53 is put in place as a security measure, but not offering a specific why for people to fix their bricked devices.

It’s not out of the ordinary for class action suits to be filed against Apple. Recently the company has been hit with suits relating to iOS 9 performance on older devices and two different ones relating to mobile data charges.

The full press release from PCVA can be seen below:

Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: Error 53, iPhone 6, Touch ID

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Apple’s TestFlight iOS app has received an updated today with support for watchOS 2.2 and iOS 9.3, as well as the standard “stability and performance improvements.” Upon first glance, users who were having trouble installing beta apps from TestFlight onto the latest watchOS 2.2 betas won’t see much more success with today’s TestFlight update.

What’s New in Version 1.3.2

Includes support for watchOS 2.2 and iOS 9.3, as well as minor stability and performance improvements

The original TestFlight platform was acquired by Apple nearly two years ago, and just recently saw a doubling in the number of allowed external testers and beta’s expiration days.

TestFlight is available for free in the App Store and compatible with all devices running iOS 8.0 or higher.

Filed under: Apps, General, iOS, iOS Devices Tagged: betas, iOS 9.3, TestFlight, TestFlightApp, watchOS 2.2

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Earlier this year at CES, I got the chance to stop by Bluelounge’s booth and discovered a product announced late last year that I hadn’t seen before, the Kosta Apple Watch Charging Coaster. What caught my attention is that it’s designed similarly to Apple’s Magnetic Charging Dock, but comes in three non-white colors including dark grey and costs $15 instead of $80. There are a few key differences to consider with Kosta compared to other Apple Watch docks …

Bluelounge offers Kosta in three different colors: dark grey (pictured above), light grey (which looks a bit beige to me), and green (on the lime side).

The dark grey option really appeals to me and looks nice next to Apple’s charcoal gray iPad Pro Smart Cover and space gray Lightning Dock which I also keep on my bedside table. My primary dislike for Apple’s Magnetic Charging Stand is that it’s only available in white, which would stand out too much for my preferences and not fit in with my other gear. Both look similar, which a reader pointed out when Apple’s was introduced not longer after Bluelounge’s.

Kosta’s also reasonably priced at $14.95 versus Apple’s $79 Magnetic Charging Stand. Kosta is flexible silicone disc that resembles a cross between a cup coaster and a Tumbler lid while Apple’s looks a bit more like a pillow.

The biggest justification for the price difference is that Kosta requires you to bring your own Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Cable (the one Apple Watch comes with works) like most other third-party docks; Apple’s much pricier Magnetic Charging Stand features an integrated connector that powers over a Lightning cable, but spare Apple Watch chargers are only $30.

Setting up Kosta is super easy. Just pull the magnetic end of the charging cable through a slit on the bottom of the dock, then place it either flat or standing upright near the center which is magnetized to hold it in place. Underneath Kosta is a section to hide the cable underneath and cleanly run it away from the dock.

Similar to Apple’s official dock, Kosta docks Apple Watches with both open and closed bands so it’s not limited to supporting just certain models. It’s a mostly flat dock, however, so keep it mind that open straps will make contact with the surface under Kosta if that’s a concern.

Kosta’s centered magnet supports standing up the magnetic end of the charging cable in a way that lets you dock your Apple Watch with the strap closed as well. This is my preferred way to use it as it supports Apple Watch’s Nightstand mode that turns it into a mini-alarm clock. Kosta’s silicone material is soft, too, so there’s no concern about scuffing the watch’s side when clanking it down on a hard material.

In testing, I did find that Kosta and Nightstand mode requires a bit more effort than other solutions. For instance, I needed to adjust the connector, which does a pretty good job of staying fixed as long as it’s near the magnetic center, when I changed straps. Sport band worked well when centered, but Classic Buckle needed the connector to be moved forward a bit.

I also noticed that the connector needed to be raised just a tad on certain bands. Sport worked best, but Classic Buckle needed a little lift. I tested Kosta with the 42mm Apple Watch only, so the 38mm Apple Watch may have a slightly different experience, although there are no major issues that would rule out compatibility with any model or band.

Kosta does a great job of doing what Bluelounge does best: enhancing the cable management experience (I also use Bluelounge’s CableBox under my desk and CableDrops around the house). I prefer the color and price to Apple’s solution and find that it fits in nicely with my other bedside table accessories.

The Nightstand mode use isn’t quiet as convenient as Spigen’s similarly priced Night Stand Apple Watch dock, but Bluelounge’s Kosta looks more at home on a table which makes it a worthy contender for a low-cost solution that’s both functional and discreet. Highly recommended for $14.95 if Kosta fits your taste like it does mine.

Filed under: Apple Watch, Reviews Tagged: Apple watch, Apple Watch dock, BlueLounge, dock, Kosta, Nightstand mode

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Apple’s streaming web TV service has been rumored for nearly a year now, with reports originating last March claiming that Apple was planning to announce a service at $30-$40 per month. The service was said to feature upwards of 25 channels and be available on the fourth-gen Apple TV. Recently, however, reports have claimed that Apple’s talks with major networks have stalled. Now, speaking to CNN, CBS CEO Les Moonves has confirmed that talks between Apple and CBS have stopped recently.

“We had conversations awhile back, and we haven’t had recent conversations with them,” Moonves said regarding CBS’ talks with Apple regarding a streaming TV service. Regarding current talks about streaming TV, Moonves said that “the phone is always ringing,” but it appears none of those calls are from Apple anymore.

In the past, Moonves commented that Apple was “having conversations with everyone about doing their own streaming service,” even going as far as to say CBS was “very excited” about reaching a deal for the service.

Recent reports have echoed Moonves’ comments. In December, it was reported that Apple had suspended its plans for a web TV service due to the struggles it was facing in negotiating with networks, something that has plagued Apple since it began its mission to launch streaming TV. ESPN’s president delivered a similar message last month.

In an interview last November, Eddy Cue bounced around the idea of Apple launching a streaming service, explaining that with the tvOS App Store, networks are free to release their own subscription services at their own prices.

Filed under: Apple TV Tagged: Apple TV, Apple TV service, CBS, Les Moonves, streaming, web tv

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Popular accessory maker Kanex today announced a new lineup of Bluetooth keyboards for Mac and iOS users that allow easy switching between up to four wirelessly connected devices, as well as two products aimed specifically at iPad users.

There are four new keyboards in the lineup including the full-sized keyboard in black and aluminum pictured below, and a smaller miniature version (above) that is a lot like Apple’s own wireless keyboard in form factor (minus the questionable arrow key size).

Additionally, you’ll find two new iPad keyboards with stand covers, one for the iPad mini and one for either the iPad Air or iPad Pro:

• MultiSync Aluminum Keyboard $99.95
• MultiSync Mini Keyboard $49.95
• EasySync iPad Keyboard with Stand Cover $49.95
• EasySync iPad Mini Keyboard with Stand Cover $39.95

The company notes the stand on the iPad keyboards can support a smartphone in case you want to use the keyboard with an iPhone or other device.

Perhaps my favorite feature of the new keyboards at first glance is the design of the two black and aluminum keyboards that will fit in nicely for Mac users where the all-white and aluminumm Apple keyboard feels a bit out of place these days (like with my MacBook or Mac Pro desktop setup and mostly black monitors and gear).

The larger of the two aluminum keyboards unfortunately takes two AAA batteries, while the compact version and the two iPad keyboards include the expected charging cable and built-in batteries.

All of the new keyboards are available alongside specs and more info on Kanex’s website now. Keep an eye out for a full review in the near future.

Filed under: iOS, Mac Tagged: Air, Aluminium, Bluetooth, iPad Pro, iPhone, Kanex, Keyboards, multisync, stand cover

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An interesting bug relating to the date and time system in iOS has emerged recently. Several users have discovered that if you change your iOS device’s date to January 1st, 1970, your device will be permanently bricked. You can see the process in the video below, and while I don’t have any desire to try it out to confirm, it’s pretty apparent based on separate reports that it’s a legitimate issue.

In order to change your date and time settings, you have to go to the Settings app, tap the General menu, choose Date & Time, and turn off the Set Automatically option. From there, you’ll have to scroll through the menu until it reaches as far back as it goes. After that, go back to the General menu then go back into the Date & Time settings and scroll backwards again. You’ll have to repeat this process until you reach 1970. The video below shows specifically how to do it.

After you successfully set your iOS device’s date to January 1st, 1970, you’ll then want to reboot your phone and book a trip to the Apple Store. Once you reboot, your device will reportedly not come back on. You can put it into DFU and even get iTunes to recognize it to perform a restore, but even after that, it will remain stuck on the boot up screen.

This bug affects any iOS device that uses a 64-bit processor and is running iOS 8 or newer, including iPhones, iPads, and iPod touches. For those unsure, 64 bit processors are the A7, A8, A8X, A9, and A9X (iPhone 5s or later, for instance). If you use a 32 bit device, you’re in the clear.

A Reddit thread offers a handful of possible causes of the issue. The most reasonable appears to be that it all comes down to time zones and that setting the date to January 1st, 1970 causes the internal clock to be set to less than zero, which confuses the device and crashes it.

Another user claims that he inadvertently suffered this bug when he changed the time zone on his iPhone from Bejing back to New York, experiencing the same issue.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen odd bugs causing iOS devices to crash. Last year, sending a text message with a certain string of Arabic code caused the Messages app to crash and the iPhone to reboot, sometimes continuously. This year, a website emerged that crashes Safari every tiem you visit it. This date and time bug, however, is unique in that it permanently bricks your device.

One Twitter user says that the device could come back on after 5 hours, while another notes that changing the SIM card could fix the issue, as well. Other users, however, say that it has been longer than 5 hours, some upwards of a day, without the device coming back on.

We haven’t tested this issue first-hand and we don’t recommend that you do either, as it will likely result in you having to make a trip to the Apple Store to get a new phone. Nevertheless, the video below demonstrates the process:

Thanks Zach!

Filed under: iOS, iOS Devices Tagged: Brick, bug, crash, DFU, iOS, iPhone

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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Best Buy, Target and Radio Shack are all discounting 4th Gen. Apple TV, 32GB from $117 & 64GB from $162 shipped

Pad & Quill’s high-quality leather Lowry Cuff Apple Watch band offers Hermès style for just $104 shipped (Reg. $130)

Fitbit Charge Wireless Activity & Sleep Band w/ OLED display: $80 shipped (Reg. $130)

Many Apple Watch models now $100 off at Target and Best Buy: 38mm Sport $249 w/ free shipping (Reg. $349), more

Apple Watch 42mm Stainless Steel with Black Classic Buckle: $589.99 shipped (Orig. $699) wp.me/p1xTlR-NkJ https://t.co/DjqCtWp0Vx

—
9to5Toys (@9to5toys) February 11, 2016

Download Lara Croft Go, Apple’s Game of the Year 2015, for just $2 (Reg. $5)

Heroes Reborn: Enigma for iOS goes free for the first time as IGN’s Game of the Month (Reg. $5)

Final Fantasy IX is now available for download on iOS/Android

The Martian official iOS/Apple Watch game goes free (up to $3 value)

Apple offering popular iOS video editing app ‘Videoshop’ for free ($2 value)

App Store Free App of the Week: Over graphic design & photo editing app ($4 value)

Final Fantasy II on iOS available free inside the FF Portal app ($8 value)

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Daily Deals: Nest 2nd Gen Learning Thermostat $170, Cable Modem $50, more

• RAVPower USB-C/A Charger $38 (Reg. $56), uNu w/ Lightning Cable $12 (Reg. $20)
• Amazon’s Gold Box all time lows on Electric razors, BT sous vide cookers and clothing
• QNAP 4-Bay NAS w/ AirPlay: $354 shipped (Orig. $480)
• Games/Apps: Fallout 4 $39, Table Tennis Touch $1, freebies, more
• Free MP3 downloads from hit artists like Adele, Ed Sheeran, 1D, more
• Microsoft’s new Quantum Break Cirrus White Xbox One Bundle, pre-order now

Samsung 850 EVO 500GB 2.5" SATA III Internal Solid State Drive: $140 shipped (Reg. $160) wp.me/p1xTlR-Nu7 https://t.co/cZYqaZFrs0

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9to5Toys (@9to5toys) February 11, 2016

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

Save on Apple’s monster 12.9-inch iPad Pro: 128GB Wi-Fi $850 (Reg. $949), 128GB Wi-Fi + Cellular $950 (Reg. $1,079)

Best Buy just cut prices for Apple’s iPad mini 4 and iPad Air 2 by $100, deals start at $300 w/ free shipping

Apple iPad Air Wi-Fi 16GB $299 or 64GB $349 shipped (Reg. $399/$449)

iPhone 6/s/Plus Cases from $3 Prime shipped: Dual-Layer w/ Screen Protector $8 (Reg. $16), 3,000mAh Battery Case $20, more

Amazon offers rare 25% discount on Kindle Unlimited subscriptions: 6-months $45 (Reg. $60), more

• Luminid Touch light-up charging cable: $10 (Orig. $20, CA Tax only)
• A .edu email can get you the Sharp 32-inch 1080p HDTV for $150 shipped (Reg. $170)
• Add 2TB of portable storage w/ WD USB 3.0 Hard Drive for $73 (Reg. $90)
• JBL Headphones: J22 In-Ears $15 (Reg. $40) + 3 more deeply discounted pairs
• Multi/Single year magazine subs from $3/yr: Motor Trend, more
• Internal 2.5-inch SSDs: Samsung 850 EVO 1TB $280 (Reg. $300+)
• Samson Meteorite USB Mic for Mac/PC: $30 Prime shipped (Reg. $40)
• Get your engines ready: Rocket League is coming to Xbox One next week
• Moto X Pure Edition 32GB Unlocked Smartphone: $375 shipped (Reg. $400+)
• Amazon’s 7-inch Fire tablet is on sale for $40 shipped (Reg. $50)
• Watch ‘Southpaw’ starring Jake Gyllenhaal & Forest Whitaker for just $0.99 (Reg. $5)
• SizeUp for Mac offers instant window control via keyboard shortcuts: $5 (Orig. $13)
• Sam’s Club Membership + $20 gift card + $21 food credits for $45 ($180 value)
• Free TV HD Digital Downloads at Google Play & iTunes
• Fitbit’s Aria Wi-Fi Scale tracks body fat percentage (open-box): $80 (Orig. $130)
• AmazonBasics 35-Mile HDTV Antenna $20 (Reg. $25)
• Aukey 15,000mAh Dual-USB Power Bank: $18.50 Prime shipped (Reg. $30)
• Xbox One 1TB Elite Bundle + $75 Microsoft Gift Card & game $499 ($600+ value)
• Bowers & Wilkins P3 Headphones (recertified) in multiple colors: $90 (Orig. $200)
• Media: $5 Blu-ray Sale – A Beautiful Mind, Seabiscuit, Knocked Up, more
• $100 worth of Xbox gift cards for $81 shipped
• Aukey’s Bluetooth 4.1 Sport Earbuds + Armband for $16 Prime shipped ($28 value)
• LG Google Nexus 5 32GB Unlocked 4G LTE (Refurb) $140 shipped
• ASUS Transformer Touch Laptop 1.6GHz/2GB/32GB: $179 shipped (Reg. $219)
• Kinda Deal – microUSB Flash Drives: Samsung 32GB $12 (Reg. $15)
• Beats by Dr. Dre Solo2 Wireless Headphones Active Collection: $230 (Reg. $300)
• Bluetooth Headphones: JayBird BlueBuds X $58 (Orig. $170), more
• Twelve South HiRise Apple Watch Dock $43 shipped (Reg. $50)
• 5 great video, 3D and music apps from Leawo, $8 (and rising! Orig. $150)
• Panasonic eneloop 4-pack Rechargeable AA Batteries w/ Charger $16 (Reg. $18)
• TechMatte’s approved USB-C cables are on sale right now: 1-ft $5 (Reg. $8), more
• Drive safely with these iPhone or Android device car mounts from $5 (Reg. up to $20)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

OMBEE’s modular standing desk turns any table into a upright workstation

The new Andy Warhol Where’s Waldo book is perfect for any Pop Art connoisseur

• 3Doodler Start reimagines the popular Kickstarter project with a focus on children
• BearTek’s new Smart Gloves offer iPhone/Android controls + GoPro support
• Review: Incase and surfer Kelly Slater team up for the ultimate GoPro-focused backpack
• Review: $13 GRDE Explorer Rugged 10,000mAh Solar dual USB Battery w/ 2 USB lamps
• LEGO strikes gold again w/ its latest Ghostbusters set based on the upcoming film
• Be a hero this Valentine’s Day w/ these best-selling Adult Coloring Books from $6
• Ubuntu’s first tablet offers a converged desktop PC experience as well

Filed under: Tips and Tricks Tagged: 9to5Toys, Amazon, app deals, Apple TV, Apple watch, Apple Watch band, Best Buy, Daily Deals, Fitbit Charge, free apps, Gold Box, lara croft go, lowry cuff, Nest, Pad & Quill, video games

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DJs will be well familiar with the name Serato. It’s one of the, if not the leading software products around for DJs that make the hop from vinyl to digital sets (and that’s most of them these days). But the company hasn’t had a huge presence on iOS devices outside of that world— save for its Remote companion app for users of a Serato desktop setup. That’s where Serato’s new Pyro app comes in, but it’s not exactly the scaled back version of the company’s desktop offering you might have been hoping for.

Instead, rather than act as a suite for mostly professional DJs and their mixing and controller hardware like on the desktop, Pyro is aimed at all users and meant to act like the DJ for you, using Serato’s technology to automatically mix songs from one to the next by changing the tempo and doing a real mix like a professional DJ would:

The powerful Serato algorithms inside Pyro allow it to break down each song, finding every beat, then blending them smoothly so it’s hard to tell where one song ends and the next one begins. Serato Pyro actually changes the speed of the incoming song to match the one currently playing for an unbelievably smooth listening experience. If the tempos of the two songs are too far apart, Pyro uses an old DJ trick called the “echo out” to make a smooth transition.

If it works well, that sounds like a feature that would be an excellent and really fun addition to services like Apple Music and competitors. But for now the app lets you use the music in your device’s library and also integrates with Spotify so you can easily bring your playlists in to be mixed. In addition, Serato tapped into some of the DJs that use its products to offer playlists to get you started. You’ll find mixes preloaded in the app from DJ Jazzy Jeff, A-Trak’s Fool’s Gold Records, Diplo’s record label Mad Decent, Steve Aoki’s brand Dim Mak and GRAMMY® Award winners, The Roots.

While the app does everything automatic, you can have some say in the mix by influencing the playlist that the app also helps you intelligently track out:

Pyro doesn’t just play through an existing playlist; rather each music session is created on-the-fly, built from existing playlists and searches on the whim of the user at the time. It is easy to rearrange and edit the upcoming songs while the music is playing, so there is never any need to prepare before the party starts.

And Pyro includes an Apple Watch companion app that lets you view, rearrange, and control currently playing and upcoming tracks in your mixes.

The new Serato Pyro app is available on the App Store now for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.

And the company offered a look at the technology it’s using in the app in the video below:

Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: app, Apple Music, Apple watch, DJ, iPad, iPhone, mixes, pyro, serato, Spotify

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Learning chefs that want to get a start on cooking sous-vide and get restaurant quality results, take a look at Amazon’s Gold Box deal today with the Anova Culinary Bluetooth Precision Cooker currently available at $139 (normally $179). Anova’s precision cooker clamps to the side of any deep pot or tank and continuously circulates the water inside to ensure that food is cooked evenly throughout. Connect the Anova to an iPhone via Bluetooth, and you can then wirelessly control and monitor food easily, even finding new recipes to use.

With sous-vide cooking, preparing foods at a consistent temperature is key. Pairing the Anova Culinary Bluetooth Precision Cooker with the Anova Culinary iOS app allows users to set it and forget, knowing that the food will be cooked perfectly each time. No more worrying about keeping an eye out on the food in the oven, or overcooking food on accident.

The Anova Culinary Bluetooth Precision Cooker is on sale today only at $139 and includes Prime shipping. The Anova Culinary iOS app is available for free from the App Store and is compatible with iPhones and iPads running iOS 7.0 or later.

Filed under: General, iOS Devices Tagged: Amazon Gold Box, Anova, iOS apps, iPad, iPhone, Precision Cooker

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Vevo has today announced a native tvOS app for Apple TV, with a Spotlight section auto-playing a stream of music videos based on your own tastes.

Vevo brings the smooth experience of the new mobile app and customizes it for the best lean-back experience. The Spotlight section autoplays so that a user can put down the remote and instantly enjoy a stream of music videos curated to their individual tastes. 

The audience can also easily navigate through the app to see top videos by genre; search for individual artists and videos; and select new favorite artists …

As you’d expect, playlists and favorite artists sync between mobile, desktop and Apple TV apps, with changes instantly updated across platforms. The remote trackpad can be used to skip forward & back, replay, favorite a video and show the playlist.

The app is a free download from the Apple TV App Store.

Filed under: Apple TV, Apps Tagged: Apple TV, Music video, Music video app, music video channel, music videos, Vevo

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