They'd have been using them already if it was that critical. I get it. It's a commercial deal, but the less tech in sport the better.
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Apple Will Provide MLB Teams With iPad Pros for Dugout Use
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They'd have been using them already if it was that critical. I get it. It's a commercial deal, but the less tech in sport the better.
It's not "critical". It's just an easier way to do the same things....
And it's not even adding tech into sport, since the athletes are unaffected. It's just a tool for managers.
Yes, but before that, humans got along without baseball for 100,000+ years. Why is baseball needed now? Just get rid of baseball, and the whole question of whether the MLB needs iPads goes away.
Logic.
OK dad.
Music/literature/mathematics/science/design/education/medicine/xyz in its various guises has been around for 600+ years. They've coped for that long without daft gadgets and meaningless data on the sidelines, so why is it needed now?
Anything to speed up the Slowest Game On Earth.
Doesn't make sense for baseball, perhaps recording pitch counts and what not, but there's really no need for such technology. I think baseball saw what the NFL did, and was wanting to copy them - Apple gave them a better deal then Microsoft.
I am not sure how much you follow baseball but baseball is wayyy more stat driven than football so if anything it makes more sense.
I actually create stat tracking apps for both sports and baseball outsells football 5:1.
This is the winning comment of this whole thread!!
You're obviously not aware of MLBs strong embrace of tech, big data, and real time statistical analysis and display, platforms they've developed and are actually selling to other sports.
Providing a means for even more direct data acquisition is a logical extension. This goes beyond mere product placement and I'm certain will be likely to find it's way to fans, too.
MLB's Advanced Media is huge. Works with ESPN, worked with HBO on the launch of HBO Now service.
http://www.theverge.com/2015/8/4/9090897/mlb-bam-live-streaming-internet-tv-nhl-hbo-now-espn
And I'll bet we don't see Apple logos and iPad plastered all over dugouts and commentary boxes. According to the Verge this deal doesn't require the iPads to be shown off during TV broadcasts. I always have to laugh when I see the Surface on the desk during the NFL pre-game shows or in the commentary booth during PGA golf events. It's so obviously a prop that's not being used.
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*Cough cough* The fans already have their devices with them. Now with the dugout equipped with giant tablets everyone in the stadium will be looking at their screens. May as well stay home and stream it.
It will certainly be interesting to see how the iPads will overcome malfunctioning when the private MLB network goes down. Will be fun to watch the peanut gallery reaction.
Who needs keys? We were perfectly fine tying our doors shut with rope before. And now that I think about it, who really needs doors...?
It was not a glitch...the network bandwidth was taken up as the New England Patriots were hacking into other teams' Surfaces in an attempt to gather data.
I still haven't experienced an iBeacon. Weren't those supposed to be everywhere, helping us find our way around stores and stuff? Like indoor GPS that can also show us deals? Forgot about iBeacons completely until the bottom of this article mentioned it.
I can a lot of coaches not knowing anything about technology and just preferring paper and pencil.
I wish the fans would get iPads. Something to do while the Baseball game is playing.
I really hope "provide" means "supply", as in the MLB will be paying for these devices. Otherwise, hooray! A happy ending for the rich people!
But in all seriousness...the MLB doesn't need anything given to them "free" any more than Apple does. Instead, I challenge you, Tim Cook, to "provide" schools/etc. with some free technology or other forms of support.
But in all seriousness...the MLB doesn't need anything given to them "free" any more than Apple does. Instead, I challenge you, Tim Cook, to "provide" schools/etc. with some free technology or other forms of support.