Yesterday it was reported that Apple sold in excess of three million 3rd generation iPads in the four days since launch. There is no doubt that this is one of the most sought after gadgets ever.

If you’re looking to upgrade or are buying an iPad for the first time don’t overlook the thousands of credit card points you may have accumulated over the years! Many people are surprised to find out they can get redeem their points for the latest Apple gadgets. However not all rewards programs were created equal and today we are going to compare the various programs.

We’ll assume that you are looking for the 16GB with Wi-Fi and 4G version of the new iPad, which is listed at $629 at the Apple Store. Most credit card points are valued at $0.01 so we will use that number for our comparison as well.

Let’s take a look at how many points you’ll have to use with each issuer to get the a 3rd generation iPad (when they become available through the respective programs).

Earn rebates of 5 percent on gas!

Have you ever seen this or similar offers out there on gas cards? They sound great, but then you read the fine print. The offer is only good if you purchase at least 45 gallons per month and purchase at XYZ station on the third Tuesday of the month between 3 and 4AM during a thunderstorm. Also, the offer is only good for 1 purchase per month, meaning that you better drive a tank to cash in on it.

While the above example is a bit extreme, you may get the feeling that you’ll have to jump through hoops to get anything back with most gas cards out there. What are the worst caps and gimmicks on gas rebate cards? Let’s find out!

Credit is a popular topic where I work. Here at Credit Karma, everyone knows their credit score and is making a conscious effort to improve it. We have the tools at our fingertips, like the Credit Report Card and Credit Simulator, and we know them in and out.

Considering all of this, it seems like I would be pretty on top of things credit-wise, right? Wrong.

My credit is great now, but when I first arrived at Credit Karma, it wasn’t. And I hadn’t a clue how to fix it. Now I know the mistakes I’ve made and how to reverse their credit score-dropping effects. Here’s hoping you can learn from a few rookie mistakes I’ve made.

Do you automatically choose BP gas stations because of the sweet rewards that you get with your BP Card? If so, you may want to think twice.

BP will be slashing it’s rewards as of March 1, 2012. The new “Pump Rewards” program will take effect with reduced rewards. This is really sad because the BP Visa was one of the, if not the best gas rewards credit cards on the market assuming you filled up at BP.

Let’s take a look at the updated rewards system and how it compares to the previous system (hint hint, it’s not good!). Also, let’s explore some alternatives to the BP Card.

Under the previous rewards program, BP customers earned great rewards during the first 60 days. They earned a 10 percent rebate on up to $500 in gasoline purchases – a value of $50.

Travel and Dining purchases were good for a 4 percent rebate. All other purchases qualified for a 2 percent rebate.

Chances are that you’ve received plenty of credit card offers in the mail. When it comes to earning bonus points you may find a gem here or there, but you probably just consider most of it junk mail.

So, why do you get such offers in the first place? What does the lingo on such offers mean? Are you guaranteed to get such cards? How will your credit score be affected? Most importantly (for some of you) – how can you stop getting these offers?

Generally the credit card issuer will obtain your information in one of the following three ways:

1. Through charities, clubs and organizations, credit card companies, magazines, manufacturers and retailers that rent customer (or member) lists to them
2. Through credit reporting agencies that provide lists of creditworthy consumers
3. This one will probably strike a nerve in most people - Through “List compilers”, which are companies that purchase information from various private and public sources to compile lists of consumers for specific marketing purposes.

After obtaining your name from one of the above lists, the issuer then decides whether or not to send you an offer in the mail. If you receive an offer, you are eligible under the initial standards that the issuer has set.

We recently reported on Bank of America’s $5 debit card fee. In the brief time since then, their customers have given them an earful about it.

Bank of America, which has received taxpayer bailouts in recent years, decided to slap the fee on some of their accounts beginning in January of 2012. This is due to the swipe-fee regulations that have recently taken effect. They and other companies are seeking ways to gain revenues, as they are anticipating lost revenues from the new regulations – and this is 1 such method.

In response, customers have taken to the Internet to voice their frustration with the company. Via social media sites and comments on articles, customers have unleashed a fury that has drawn national media attention. While we’re on the subject, various major media entities, such as the Philadelphia Inquirer and Chicago Tribune, have also condemned the company. Basically, there aren’t many happy campers on Bank of America’s side these days.

Fifth Third Bank has become the first US credit card issuer to launch a debit card/credit card hybrid. Users of the Duo MasterCard will have the option to pay with credit or through their checking account via debit.

But what about when the cashier asks you whether you want to pay with credit or debit? Doesn’t this mean you already have this functionality?

If this happens with your current debit card, the cashier is basically asking you if you’d rather punch in a pin number or sign for your purchase. If you select debit, you’ll punch in a pin and if you select credit, you’ll sign for it. Either way, the money comes from your checking account.

It is not officially certain, but Google Wallet may launch this week. Several sources have indicated that Radio Shack and Google have partnered for the launch. Select Radio Shack locations may be used to launch the widely-anticipated service on September 1st, 2011.

Here at Creditshout we have been following the development of Google Wallet for awhile now. Customers that have Near Field Communication (NFC) technology-enabled phones or credit cards will be able to use the service in the future. This technology enables the phone or card to transmit credit card information over a range of approximately 1.6 inches. The information will be transmitted to a NFC reader to process each payment.

Capital One has announced the launch of the Capital One Cash card. The card offers 1 percent cash back from day one and a 50 percent anniversary bonus (to be explained below). Let’s explore some of the features of this card.

The Capital One Cash card offers cash back on all purchases. Most purchases will effectively earn 1.5 percent cash back when all is said and done. Let’s take a look at some of the cash back features of this card:

• 1 percent cash back on all purchases effective the first day
• 50 percent anniversary bonus. This is a 50 percent bonus on cash earned from purchases during the previous year
• Cash rewards do not expire and there is no limit to the amount of cash customers may get back
• $100 bonus if you spend $500 in the first 3 months
• No spending minimums
• No reward tiers
• Cash back is redeemable for account credit, gift cards and/or checks

US retail credit card asset-backed securities (ABS) continue to improve. This is according to the latest Credit Card Index statistics from Fitch Ratings. This is all largely due to increasingly positive payment patterns by consumers.

Credit card defaults in June of 2011 saw the second largest monthly decline since 2005, which is when the Bankruptcy Reform Act was passed. Also, improvements were made in late-stage delinquencies and prime card monthly payment rates (MPR). In fact, late-stage delinquencies are now near a 4 year low. Additionally, early-stage delinquencies continued to decline during this period. Current delinquencies are now approximately 28 percent lower than the historical average.