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Own the new iPad? Tell us what you think

Lend us your views and experience, dear readers -- we want to find out exactly what the new iPad means to you.

Katie Collins Senior European Correspondent
Katie a UK-based news reporter and features writer. Officially, she is CNET's European correspondent, covering tech policy and Big Tech in the EU and UK. Unofficially, she serves as CNET's Taylor Swift correspondent. You can also find her writing about tech for good, ethics and human rights, the climate crisis, robots, travel and digital culture. She was once described a "living synth" by London's Evening Standard for having a microchip injected into her hand.
Katie Collins
3 min read

You write awesomely detailed reviews on CNET UK in our comments section on a daily basis. You spot software glitches, identify long-term hardware issues and diss the heck out of stuff that repeatedly lets you down. And we just cannot get enough. Which is why we want to hear more of what you think about the new iPad.

Thus far your user reviews for Apple's latest tablet have averaged out at four stars -- exactly the same number of gold sparkly thumbs-up that we awarded it. The new iPad has deservedly had much praise fired in its direction, with criticism mainly reserved for the lack of difference between it and its top-notch predecessor.

"How times change -- Android owner and fan here defending the new iPad," said Jono70.

"The iPad is still the best tablet out there, so if you haven't yet jumped on the bandwagon, then this is your perfect opportunity," added b3media.

As with all new tech these days, however, once the initial shiny newness of the new iPad started to wear off, niggles with software and hardware became apparent. First came the rumours of overheating. I'd suspected that the new iPad would be one of the hottest new products of the year, but not singe-your-fingertips hot.

Our buddies across the Atlantic at CNET.com tested the new iPad extensively for overheating problems, but found the rumours to be, for the most part, hugely exaggerated. If, however, your beloved new tech toy has been causing you any burning issues, please do run your hand under a cold tap for a while and then tell me all about it.

Some new owners expressed concerns about weak Wi-Fi signals, and reports also surfaced that the new iPad actually took a devious two hours extra to charge after it appeared to be fully juiced. We're still not sure what's going on with the Wi-Fi, but when we looked into the charging problem, we discovered that this was actually no glitch -- it was in fact part of Apple's masterplan. A top-up-and-drain strategy had been put in place to protect the lithium-ion battery, which doesn't respond well to over-charging.

That's all very well, but it doesn't mean it wouldn't cause difficulties to you as a user. Let me know if it's getting your back up, or if you have any more clues about this mysterious Wi-Fi problem.

Finally, fingers were wagged at Apple by the Australian courts, who got justifiably antsy about the marketing of the iPad. The tablet was advertised as 4G, even in countries like the UK, where we don't have 4G network capabilities yet, and nations such as Australia, which do have 4G, but a kind that's not supported by the new iPad. Apple is now offering refunds to anyone who bought the new iPad mistakenly thinking it would offer 4G speeds.

In the comments section, you were fairly divided between thinking that Apple wasn't really playing fair with its misleading branding and reckoning that it should be up to consumers to thoroughly research the product they're buying, rather than just rely on the label on the box.

"I decided to cancel my order of an iPad 4G after hearing it only works on the LTE networks in North America. Why market a product as 4G when it won't work on LTE in the whole of Europe?" wrote James1973.

Perhaps, like a phoenix, your new iPad spontaneously combusts, before reconstructing its retina display from its own ashes? Or maybe you think your new tablet is tech perfection?

Whatever your iPad does that you love or hate, I want you to extol its virtues or vitriolically disparage it until the cows come home. I'm fine with indifference too, but do try and put some passion into not caring. It makes for a more thrilling read.