Here’s an Idea: The iPad Sombrero Program–Get an iPad Sombrero or Parasol at No Charge

“Operate iPad in a place where the temperature is between 0° and 35° C (32° to 95° F). Low- or high-temperature conditions might temporarily shorten battery life or cause iPad to temporarily stop working properly.”

That’s the warning given to new iPad owners in the device’s user manual and Apple’s support forums as well–a warning that evidently went unheeded by a trio of early adopters who are now suing the company, claiming the iPad doesn’t operate properly at high temperatures.

The suit, which seeks class action status, alleges that the iPad does not live up to a “reasonable consumer’s expectations.” From the complaint, which is embedded in full below:

“The iPad overheats so quickly under common weather conditions that it does not function for prolonged use either indoors, or in many other warm conditions, for a variety of common uses such as, but not necessarily limited to, an e-reader, e-mail tool, Web browser and/or game/entertainment unit….Nowhere in any of Apple’s press releases and nowhere in any of Apple’s advertising materials which market the iPad to consumers does Apple mention that the iPad is virtually unusable when sitting in particular environmental conditions (e.g., in direct sunlight in connection with virtually any ambient air temperature) since it turns off, sometimes after just a few minutes of use.”

In other words, the iPad gets hot in the sun.

And if its temperature exceeds its operational threshold it overheats, just as a candy bar left on a car dashboard melts when it exceeds its operational threshold. Because of this, the plaintiffs claim Apple is guilty of fraud, negligent misrepresentation, deceptive advertising practices, intentional misrepresentation, breach of warranty, and unfair business practices under the Unfair Competition Act.

Now, reports of iPads overheating are not new.

But then neither is the concept that “things get hot in the sun.”

Or RTFM.

Baltazar –

[Image credit: Sombrero used in graphic above courtesy Infrogmation]