Yankee Stadium's iPad ban: Fair or foul?

Apple might want to edit its commercial bragging that "iPad goes anywhere" — the popular new tablet computers can't go inside the New York Yankees' new ballpark. The baseball team has instituted a ban on portable computers at the facility over fears that distracted fans might get hit by a foul ball, among other security concerns. Major League Baseball says teams can set their own policies on the iPad, and some clubs, including the New York Mets, the Los Angeles Angels, and the Seattle Mariners, permit the devices. Do iPads belong at baseball games? (Watch a CNBC report about how the iPad differs from laptops)

The Yankees are being ridiculous: The Yankees think iPads are a security threat? How lame, says Craig Calcaterra at NBC Sports. "Not even the freakin' TSA has a problem with these things." Airport screeners treat iPads "just like phones" and let you waltz through security with them. The Yankees should do the same.

"iPads not allowed in Yankee Stadium"

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Watch the ballgame, iPad addicts: The only thing more "absurd" than the Yankees' iPad ban, says Kevin Kaduk at Yahoo! Sports, is the "MacNerd protest" of the policy. "Yeah, there's a cool scorebook app, but the old stubby pencil on the paper version works just as well — maybe even better — and you don't have to worry about spilling a Coke on it." Besides, "you're at a ballpark. Watch the game."

"Don't even think about bringing your iPad to a Yankee game"

The Yankees are fighting a losing battle: Policies like this are pointless in the age of cloud computing and smartphones, says Maxwell Cooter at Tech World. The Yankees ban laptops and video cameras — yet fans can "shoot a perfectly serviceable video" and call up websites just fine with a smartphone, which is wholly welcome in the stadium. Sorry, Yankees — you're "pushing against the tide" on this one.

"What's a computer?"