One of the best things about portable devices, such as the Nintendo Switch and the iPad, is that they can be carried around almost anywhere. However, this same feature is going to be hindered by the United States government. Moreover, the United Kingdom might follow suit as well.
According to GameSpot, the US government has recently approved a ban on the user of large electronic devices in flights from eight Middle Eastern countries that are heading to the US. The ban is applicable to any device that is "larger than a cellphone," so this includes anything from Kindles, iPads, Nintendo Switch units and laptops. All these electronics are to be stowed away in the hold while in flight.
The ban will be enforced on flights from as much as 10different airports that are spread across Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, Turkey, Morocco, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. The motion was decided upon because, as President Donald Trump's administration officials told the press, "evaluated intelligence" indicated that terrorists preferred to smuggle explosives in common and popular consumer items.
Soon after the US government announced its intentions, a similar ban was launched in the United Kingdom. The UK system is now restricting devices larger than 16cm long, 9.3cm wide and 1.5cm deep into inbound cabins from Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. However, the UK ban does not affect some gaming devices such as the Nintendo Switch.
And while the logic behind the Nintendo Switch and iPad ban might be understandable, various tech experts have voiced out their concern and doubt. "If you assume the attacker is interested in turning a laptop into a bomb," a source told The Guardian. "It would work just as well in the cargo hold." Moreover, it was explained that if hacking is the main issue, that a smartphone is capable of almost as much as a computer.
