High-Wired Act
The latest technology promises to beat the boredom of your next flight.
Live television. Internet access. Dozens of movies and video
games on demand. Sound like a good home-entertainment system? Think
again. Those are just a few of the latest innovations in in-flight
entertainment, and they're coming soon to an aircraft cabin
near you. "It's getting to the point now where you can do
everything in an aircraft that you would in the office," says
Terry Wiseman, publisher of in-flight entertainment industry
newsletter Airfax.com. "The changes are happening quickly-and
they're going to be good for the business traveler." Already, Legend Airlines and JetBlue Airways passengers can
access DirecTV programming on personal, flat-screen Live-TV
monitors installed in the back of each seat. New, onboard
"intranets," such as the Airsoft Travel Kit, offer
passengers access to a variety of digital information, including
destination info and foreign-language guides. And to date, you can
even play Nintendo in approximately 47,000 aircraft seats
worldwide. Content Continues Below
But the in-flight innovations are just getting started. Plans
are underway to offer Net and laptop connections from aircraft
seats. Companies such as Primex Aerospace Co. have rolled out
technology that would make a steady power supply and 12Mbps
connection in-flight standards. And best of all, many airlines
aren't charging passengers for these amenities-whether
they're logging on to check e-mail or just playing Tetris.
Don't expect every aircraft to be wired within the year,
however, or for that matter, every section of the plane. Warns
Wiseman: "For now, it's first class and business class
that are going to get the improvements. It may take some time for
them to make it to coach."
Christopher Elliot is a writer in Annapolis, Maryland.
Contact him at www.elliot.org.
Contact Sources
|
What makes a good client gift?
What guidelines do you follow when buying gifts for your clients? Have you ever received an unusual or inappropriate gift?
|