Responding to numerous customer complaints that the new iPad seemed to get too hot, Consumer Reports investigated the device and determined Apple Inc.'s AAPL +0.81% new iPad runs hotter than its predecessor but that it was 'not especially uncomfortable.'

The product-quality watchdog said the new iPad can get as hot as 116 degrees Fahrenheit while performing processor-intensive tasks such as playing videogames for an extended period while plugged in. That temperature is 12 degrees more than the iPad 2, Consumer Reports said.

The back of the device reached as high as 113 degrees when it wasn't plugged in, Consumer Reports said. The highest areas were concentrated near one corner of the display.

'During our tests, I held the new iPad in my hands,' said Donna Tapellini, a senior editor at the magazine. 'When it was at its hottest, it felt very warm but not especially uncomfortable if held for a brief period.'

Consumer Reports stopped short of saying whether or not the publication would recommend the device, saying it would wait until its full review was finished.

Apple has sold more than three million of its new iPad since it launched the product in the U.S. and 9 other countries on Friday. The new iPad packs a larger battery than the iPad 2, and also includes a more powerful chip and a higher-resolution screen.

Natalie Harrison, a spokeswoman for Apple, said the new iPad operated 'well within our thermal specifications.' She added that if customers have concerns, they should contact the company's technical support service, AppleCare.

Customers have flocked to various blogs and even Apple's own message boards to complain that the new iPad was getting unusually hot after prolonged use.

'My new iPad (Verizon 64GB) definitely got significantly warm, almost too warm to hold warm, when running on LTE,' said one forum poster, referring to the new high-speed wireless technology Apple included in the device. 'It's not very comfortable,' says another.

This isn't the first time consumers have complained about the temperature of certain Apple products. The company's laptops were, for many years, lampooned by consumers who considered them to run far too warm during normal operation.

Apple faced particular scrutiny after it released the iPhone 4 in the summer of 2010 when complaints soon arose about reception problems. One of its unique design features other than being the first Apple product with a 'retina' high-resolution display, was a redesigned antenna that wrapped around the outside of the device to increase call quality.

But after consumers complained about dropped calls, Consumer Reports conducted tests and said a hardwaredefect was causing the iPhone to lose reception when held a certain way. It determined it couldn't recommend the smartphone.

Apple later called together a press conference in which the company's co-founder, Steve Jobs, said the iPhone 4 suffered from the same problems as its peers. 'This has been blown so out of proportion that it's incredible,' he said. The company added that return rates at the time for the iPhone 4 were significantly lower than they were for its predecessor.

Apple didn't recall the iPhone 4 but offered free rubber cases to reduce the problems. The iPhone 4 went on to become one of Apple's best selling devices.

Ian Sherr

• customer [´kʌstəmə]   n.顾客，买主，主顾   (初中英语单词)
• device [di´vais]   n.装置；器具；策略   (初中英语单词)
• recommend [,rekə´mend]   vt.推荐；使受欢迎   (初中英语单词)
• review [ri´vju:]   v.&n.复习；回顾；检查   (初中英语单词)
• contact [´kɔntækt]   n.接触；联系 v.联络   (初中英语单词)
• complain [kəm´plein]   vi.抱怨，叫屈；控诉   (初中英语单词)
• definitely [´definitli]   ad.明确地；绝对   (初中英语单词)
• running [´rʌniŋ]   a.奔跑的；流动的   (初中英语单词)
• normal [´nɔ:məl]   a.正规的 n.正常状态   (初中英语单词)
• conference [´kɔnfərəns]   n.讨论(会)；会谈   (初中英语单词)
• proportion [prə´pɔ:ʃən]   n.比率 vt.使成比例   (初中英语单词)
• rubber [´rʌbə]   n.(摩)擦的人；橡皮   (初中英语单词)
• consumer [kən´sju:mə]   n.消费者；用户   (高中英语单词)
• senior [´si:niə]   a.年长的 n.前辈   (高中英语单词)
• uncomfortable [ʌn´kʌmftəbəl]   a.不舒服的，不自在的   (高中英语单词)
• saying [´seiŋ, ´sei-iŋ]   n.言语；言论；格言   (高中英语单词)
• publication [,pʌbli´keiʃən]   n.发表；公布；发行   (高中英语单词)
• battery [´bætəri]   n.炮兵连；炮台；电池   (高中英语单词)
• technical [´teknikəl]   a.技术的；专门性的   (高中英语单词)
• reception [ri´sepʃən]   n.接待；欢迎；招待会   (高中英语单词)
• unique [ju:´ni:k]   a.唯一的 n.独一无二   (高中英语单词)
• defect [di´fekt, ´di:fekt]   n.缺点，不足   (高中英语单词)
• predecessor [´pri:disesə]   n.前任；前辈   (英语四级单词)
• unusually [ʌn´ju:ʒuəli]   ad.异常地；非常   (英语四级单词)
• hardware [´hɑ:dweə]   n.五金器皿   (英语四级单词)
• extended [iks´tendid]   a.伸长的；广大的   (英语六级单词)
• poster [´pəustə]   n.招贴；贴标语的人   (英语六级单词)
• antenna [æn´tenə]   n.触角；天线   (英语六级单词)