News Summary: $1.36 to charge iPad for a year

ENERGY COST: It costs $1.36 a year to charge an iPad, according to the Electric Power Research Institute, a group funded by electric utilities.

PERSPECTIVE: A 60-watt compact fluorescent bulb costs $1.61, a desktop PC adds up to $28.21 and a refrigerator runs you $65.72.

WHAT THIS MEANS: If people are using iPads instead of televisions to play video games, or ditching their desktop computers for iPads, the shift to tablets could mean lower overall power consumption.