8 Gadgets and Technologies Which are Banned by Government for Strange Reasons | banned technologies

Israel Bans iPad

iPad users can expect to have their new Apple tablets confiscated on arrival by Israeli customs. The ban by the Ministry of Communications has left users fuming and techies baffled. Dozens of confiscated Apple tablets are now being stored at Ben-Gurion until their owners can collect them on their way out of the country. The ministry says the iPad's wi-fi system is configured for the U.S. and does not conform to European standards, which are used in Israel, so it operates at higher power levels and is liable to cause interference on the wireless frequency. "A consumer who imports a British car designed to drive on the left knows that in Israel we drive on the right and the car is not suitable for use in Israel," says ministry spokesman Yechiel Shavi. Israeli experts say they cannot find any technical reason for the ministry's decision. "I can't understand why they are banning the iPad. I really don't know. It doesn't make sense, and it disturbs me as a technology freak," says Dor Zakai, operating systems and hardware team leader at John Bryce Training in Israel. "Now it's the iPad. What's next?" link