In the recent fiasco known as “heatgate,” Consumer reports reported that the new iPad reached temperatures as high as 116 degrees when running games. New iPad owners and prospective new iPad owners were understandably worried by these findings.
But now, it seems, Consumer reports have softened. After closer examination, they find that the high temperatures are “not a cause for concern” and have even ranked the new iPad at the very top of their tablet tables. They have recalibrated their scores for other models but continue to give the 2nd generation iPad a very high rating as well. This may (in part) account for the number of gadget fans who still wish to buy a cheap ipad 2, particularly since the 2nd generation iPad is some 13 degrees cooler and therefore perhaps more suitable for users who wish to use their tablet for gaming.
But many are asking why Consumer reports changed their mind over the new iPad. It should be noted that whilst they did originally report a higher temperature on the tablet, they never in fact said that it was a major cause for concern. And now they have made it more than clear that they regard the new iPad as an extremely high-quality tablet. In particular, they praise its Retina display, its 5 megapixel rear-facing camera and its color accuracy.
But what about the “overheating” problem? Well, according to Consumer Reports, the issue arises only in cases when the new iPad is running a demanding graphics-intensive game such as Infinity Blade II. Whilst this may affect some users (namely those who frequently use the new iPad to play games for long periods), it is clear that in the vast majority of cases the new iPad will remain at a tolerable temperature (i.e. it will not be too hot to hold). In addition, Consumer Reports even issued some advice for serious gamers, suggesting that they reduce the screen brightness whenever possible.
This is clearly very good news for Apple and the iPad. Sales of the new tablet have reached an unprecedented level, surpassing those of the previous two generations. In spite of the apparent competition from Samsung, Amazon and Toshiba (all of whom have released their own tablets), Apple are clearly still at the head of the pack. The heating issue has now effectively been put to bed, leaving the 4G LTE connection problem as perhaps the only obstacle to unmitigated success.
With regard to the latter, Apple have agreed to refund customers in Australia, who were under the impression that the new iPad would work on their 4G LTE connection. Unfortunately, however, it appears that the issue may not be confined to Australia. Sweden, Germany and now the UK have also been looking into the matter, since the 4G LTE capability works only in US and Canadian networks. In fairness to Apple, this fact is stated on their website. On the other hand, it is clear that some consumers feel they were misled, and Apple will have to do what they can to appease them. On the other hand, it should also be said that the majority of consumers have described themselves as satisfied with the new iPad and any complaints have been overshadowed by all the praise that has been bestowed on it.
Author Bio: This is a Guest post by Rupert Moore who reports on the latest news in the world of technology and gadgets. He has a particular interest in the fortunes of Apple and blogs about their latest releases.
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