I know that if you leave a flat screen tv out in the cold, like in your camper over winter, the cold will damage your screen. But does anyone know if things like I-pads are left in a car will they also have problems?

Quote - I know that if you leave a flat screen tv out in the cold, like in your camper over winter, the cold will damage your screen. But does anyone know if things like I-pads are left in a car will they also have problems?

It'd be a distinct risk.

There's the issue of condensation, as well as just temperature, if left in a vehicle, I expect...

for an ipad, the environmental requirements are listed as:

• Operating ambient temperature: 32° to 95° F (0° to 35° C)
• Nonoperating temperature: -4° to 113° F (-20° to 45° C)
• Relative humidity: 5% to 95% noncondensing

Up until recently I worked in a retail phone store and I have to say moisture damage was a major problem and very costly unless you had insurance.  I would guess that I saw an iphone returned with moisture damage at least once a week and I only worked part time and there were usually at least eight others in the store.  Not that the iPhone was any worse than any other device I only use that as an example as the iPad was mentioned. As monkeycloud stated the main issue is condensation and, as few phones are sealed, moving from a cold environment to warm one can be enough.  All manufacturers are aware this is an issue otherwise why would they fit moisture detectors in the devices in the first place.  The response from all manufacturers was also the same, with very few exceptions, if the moisture detector is triggered the device is out of warranty.

In the UK there used to be a advert for a supermarket showing a woman using her iPhone to scan the bar code on her shampoo in a steamy bathroom.  I used to cringe everytime I saw it knowing that anyone trying this for real was putting their very expensive device at risk.

My daughter inadvertently left a digital camera in her car over the winter and the screen cracked. 

The cold temperature itself has no effect on electronics. However the moisture in the air freezes and attaches to the electronics as frost. If you try to turn them on immediately, the frost would melt and it would be like dipping the equipment into the bathtub. If you leave electronic gear out in the cold I suggest you bring them inside into room temperature and leave them 24 hours before trying to power them on. 

I wouldn't leave any tablet, smartphone, laptop, or any other electronic gear in the car when the weather dips below 32 F.

Your in-dash electronics, on the other hand, is air-tight and moisture-proof so the cold does not effect those electronics. 

The recommendation for cameras exposed to cold weather, place them in a plastic bag before bringing them indoors.  Condensation will form on the outside of the bag away from the electronics.

The process of freezing and thawing (not sure where you are in the world, but here in Pennsylvania in the winter we bounce between bitter cold and somewhat balmy during the winter ;) can cause cracks in things like plastic and even glass. I wouldn't recommend leaving any electronics where these conditions exist. After all, most computer boards are made of plastic and if it gets cracked it's made useless.

Laurie

Thanks for all the advice. I'll pass it on to my hubby who seems to think his truck is an extension of his office.

LifeProof Systems and Otter Box make tuff cases (waterproof, etc.) for the iPhone and I think the iPad. At CES in January LifeProof had an iPhone in one of their cases frozen inside a block of ice.