I'm living in Las Vegas, Nv, where the temperature tops 100 degrees nearly every day in the summer, and I'm afraid to leave my ipad in my car for long periods of time, because the heat could damage it. I was wondering if anyone knows of anything I could store it in my car in, for an 8 hour period without it overheating. I don't think a cooler would work since the ice would melt too fast in the kind of heat experienced here in Vegas.

I use a Styrofoam cooler and one of those sealed cooler paks that you freeze in your freezer.... cheap and it works...

I also considered how best to keep it cool. In Australia we have some fiercely hot summers, I concluded it was best not to leave it in the and so it travels with me where ever I go....joined at the hip I'm afraid

With everything I know about batteries I would warn you about over heating your iPad even if it is off. The iPad battery life can be severely reduced with temps above 100. Batteries are a electrical chemical process and when the substrates are stressed they become unstable allowing leakage and a reduced life. Here is the official Apple response:

Operate iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch (4th generation) in a place where the temperature is between 0º and 35º C (32º to 95º F). Low- or high-temperature conditions might temporarily shorten battery life or cause the device to temporarily stop working properly.

Store the device in a place where the temperature is between -20º and 45º C (-4º to 113º F). Don’t leave the device in your car, because temperatures in parked cars can exceed this range.

Sent from my iPad 32/3G using iPF

I had the same problem and after using a min/max tracking thermometer I learned the temp UNDER my seat never exceeded 100 degrees in the July Florida sun. Not sure I can explain that but may be worth a test on your end.

If it matters I have a 4 door sedan with carpeted floor and cloth seats. Only thing I could think of was maybe that was forming some insulation.

YMMV

Bob

Maybe a good rule of thumb is... If you wouldn't leave your dog in the car, don't leave your iPod.

I have done some more reading and when using your IPad a warning message will display telling you if it is to hot. The example is for an iPhone.

Sent from my iPad 32/3G using iPF

Anybody use a thermoelectric cooler like this one?
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Coleman-Po...r&ssm=0&sspt=1

Originally Posted by akaroads

I have done some more reading and when using your IPad a warning message will display telling you if it is to hot. The example is for an iPhone.

Sent from my iPad 32/3G using iPF

I just got this screen the other day on my iPhone. I was at a car meet and I left my phone on the seat of the car with the top down. I came back about an hour later and saw the big "!".

As mentioned previously under the front seat is generally the coolest place in a car, it's low (hot air rises as we all know), it's shaded and it's underneath some fairly substantial insulation (the seat base) from the sun.
A Styrofoam box or one of those cooler bags they use for groceries would also help. No need for any form of ice inside that will only cause issues with condensation and moisture. If the iPad is placed in a container of this sort then it should be fully turned off so it is not generating any heat which will cause condensation in an enclosed space plus the batteries are less susceptible to damage when they are not being used.
The best answer of course is not to leave something like and iPad in a situation like this but that of course is not always possible.