Class Action Lawsuit Filed Over Overheating iPads

[Vermil]

[citation][nom]Petey1013[/nom]They're just using it wrong.[/citation]
I see you're making a joke here. But actually: yes. They are using it "wrong". Everything has limitations. If we allow frivolous lawsuits to stop everybody from making things that "can be used wrong", we won't have anything at all. Think about that for awhile. Having only passive cooling in the iPad is a vulnerability. If the heatsink is heated by sunlight it cannot cool anything. But seriously, isn't that entirely reasonable? If you want a cheap, simple, lightweight appliance, with few moving parts and 10h battery time? I think it is. I also shudder for the world where lawsuits don't allow items which can be "used wrong" by anyone.

 

[Guest]

Someone's having an affair with apple

passive cooling? yes but pretty much everything else except computers use passive cooling, you don't see cameras dying, or cell phones dying just because the users used them in the sun. Oh, and the ipad does use the same proc as the iphone, but clocked higher, so it therefor uses more energy, producing more heat, and causing all electronics and batteries in it to displace more heat. Its the basics, faster = non linear increase of energy used and heat output.

But if you really want to stick to your case, do iphones die when people use it outside?

 

[silverblue]

The iPad also has a much greater surface area for the sun to warm up nicely.

 

[Dkz]

Oh oh! I can hear it coming! the big fat nosy "I TOLD YOU SOOOOOO!" ha.. ha.. ha.. Tablets won't work in this world just yet, much less if they've made by Apple.

 

[twu]

[citation][nom]silverblue[/nom]There's a lot of downvoting for sensible comments... I'm a little disappointed.Did Apple ever say you could take this outside and use it in direct sunlight? Ignoring the fact for a moment that you would barely be able to read it in such conditions, there IS an operating temperature range and it WILL be printed in the iPad's manual and probably even on the box.The following is taken from http/www.apple.com/ipad/specs/...I think it's quite clear that you shouldn't use this outside on a hot day in direct sunlight. What's more, the Kindle has the exact same operating temperature. I'm not sure why people are expecting miracles from a thin device with no cooling.(I feel dirty defending Apple, but still...)[/citation]

The lawsuit was filed in the North District of California. How often CA weather hits above 95°F with high humidity. Sour Apple!

 

[animehair]

I'm not an apple fan at all (I've never owned any of their products)...but seriously...you wouldn't want to run ANY computer (or most electronics at that) in direct sunlight...I'm not saying there isn't any design flaws, maybe there is...but lets put our expectations within perspective...with a laptop you at least have cooling fans...i can just see it now...chill pads for the IPAD

 

[Vermil]

Well, actually, you do see cameras and cellphones die if they're heated too much. Question is how much do you really see iPads "die"? (they shut down). And under what circumstances precisely? This is an Apple thread on Toms hardware, after all, so it's not like we really know how big the "problem" is in reality.
But it's beside the point and you're correct that it's a question of more energy. Only, I think it's more about duration than clocking. You only load the processor in the iphone to the same degree, if you're using it in a similar manner. Which is usually not for long periods. You also tend to shade the phone or camera, when not in use, so the heatsink is moderately hot and can soak up the generated energy without temperatures accumulating. I find it doubtful that iphones or cameras have more capable heatsinks in relation to heat generation, than the iPad. The entire case is the heatsink, after all. I think the issue lies elsewhere.
The thing really is that a hot heatsink cannot cool anything. That's just physics. It doesn't really matter if you clock it lower if you can't get rid of the heat at all. It also doesn't matter much how big the heatsink is either. You could design it differently. You could have the heatsink internally and cool it with a fan, so you work with the ambient air temperature instead. Or you could use some kind of heat-pump. But it would be one h* of a contraption. I maintain that the passive cooling is the right design. Simple and neat. I'd rather live with the limitations.
It would never enter my mind to use it in sunlight on a summer day. Let those who would, buy the "contraption". Me, I'd take a paperback.
The lawsuit is also about wording details in Apple advertising, not about the iPad, so I'd say this is definitely scums out to make a buck on frivolous lawsuits. As usual.

 

[silverblue]

[citation][nom]twu[/nom]The lawsuit was filed in the North District of California. How often CA weather hits above 95°F with high humidity. Sour Apple![/citation]
Amusing considering Cupertino is in Northern California.

I just did a check on Cupertino's weather for the next 5 days and we're talking about 27 degrees in the shade. I admit that having a thermal limit of 35 degrees is rather low but there's very little they can do with such a thin form factor and passive cooling. It'd run fine in the shade at that temperature. The thing is backlit - surely it'd make more sense to read it in the shade anyway?

 

[cookoy]

next up: class-action lawsuit against ice cream makers.
complaint: ice cream should not melt outdoor under the sun while people are enjoying it.

 

[tokenz]

[citation][nom]doive1231[/nom]^ +1. Try just being unhappy and having a good moan at things that don't work like we do here in Europe.Jake Humphrey will look even more stupid with an overheating iPad.[/citation]

Yeah but at least in Europe you have laws that protect the consumer. Over here its buy it, it sucks, too bad. Our only coarse of action is to sue.

 

[Guest]

You didn't hold it in front of a fan

 

[jacney]

Lawsuits are ridiculous unless they do some type of harm to the user. If you don't like the way the product behaves tough, return it. What would happen if the outcome of the lawsuit is to return your iPad for a refund. My guess is that that most users will accept this shortcoming. Doh!

 

[San Pedro]

I couldn't use the ipad in my apartment if it shuts off at ~95° F. It's been hotter than that everyday here for the last two weeks (except for today).






I need to get an air conditioner!

 

[gammaraptor]

Well, this adds another use for the iPad.... frying eggs! Meh, Apple usually has crap cooling.

 

[jimmysmitty]

[citation][nom]blasterth[/nom]People should read operating temperatures before buying a product.For the iPad those are 0º and 35º C (32º to 95º F). Is easy to understand that it's not a good product to bring for winter outdoors activities or to be used under the sun in hot seasons.Yes this is a bad design for an eReader (or in general outdoor mobile device), but apple shouldn't be blamed for customers that can't read the specs of a product.[/citation]


Its more of the fact that they are claiming it can be used as a eReader, in which most cases have no problem being taken out in hot areas and working because I saw a person using one in Tuczon, AZ when it was 115F out and no problems, which in that case is just plain false advertising.

If you claim it can be used like another product but is limited, thats false advertising. Hence the lawsuit.

 

[feraldiablo]

Operating temperature: 32° to 95° F (0° to 35° C)
Nonoperating temperature: -4° to 113° F (-20° to 45° C)

have you noticed that the operating temperature range is within the nonoperating temperature range?

 

[CptTripps]

[citation][nom]silverblue[/nom]There's a lot of downvoting for sensible comments... I'm a little disappointed.Did Apple ever say you could take this outside and use it in direct sunlight?[/citation]

Seriously? I would think in this case they should have said "you can't take this outside in direct sunlight". It's a mobile device WITH 3g, what are you supposed to do with it, sit inside on the couch all day?

 

[CptTripps]

[citation][nom]Vermil[/nom]And most people without a brain would tend to agree, I'm sure. This is another of those non-issues that are built into a mountain by the usual self-brainwashing, Apple-hating morons on Toms hardware. Just like the iPhone4. There is no "problem". It works just fine.[/citation]

Fixed that for you. Also, if there is no problem why is Jobs giving everyone free bumpers to help resolve the "problem"?

 

[lauxenburg]

LOL. Apple thinks they are excluded from certain scientific laws and that theyre products are incapable of heating up and/or they are too cool for using any sort of heatsink or cooling device.

 

[chrisv815]

These people are simply holding them wrong. Apple will be updating the manual to clearly state "for Ipad to work correctly as a reader or electronic device hold horizontally in freezer while operating"
" Additional device features: cooking surface. To use ipad as cooking surface turn device on, place upside down outdoors in direct sunlight and cook away."
Problem solved.