More and more we are seeing Apple"s iPad replace paper notebooks at a number of businesses. Now it looks like the iPad has started to find its way into professional sports. The Saint Petersburg Times web site reports that the pro football team the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be giving each of its players an iPad 2. No, its not to play the iPad version of Madden (at least its not supposed to be used for that purpose). Rather, the team"s players will use it as a replacement for their paper playbooks.
The team"s coach Raheem Morris came up with the idea to replace the playbooks which can be bulky and hard to transport. Having the playbooks on the iPad not only eliminates a lot of hassle it can also be better for security. If a player loses an iPad, Morris states, "You"ve got a way to wipe (everything) off with the push of a button." The iPads will also be used by players to check out game video.
This is of course not the first time we have seen Apple"s tablet device take the place of physical items. Alaska Airlines has now replaced its pilots" big flight manuals with iPads. American Airlines is also testing this concept with its own pilots. This week yet another major airline, United, announced it was doing the same for its 11,000 pilots, according to the New York Times. Replacing the paper manuals saves money on paper printing and even saves money on jet fuel because the iPads weigh much less than the paper flight manuals.