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Air Canada to offer WiFi across many of its North American flights
If you've flown to or from Canada in recent years using one of its airlines, you've probably noticed the lack of in-flight WiFi; apart from a couple of aircraft, you're incommunicado until you reach the ground. You won't be stuck reading books and taking naps for much longer, though. Air Canada has announced that it's rolling out Gogo-based WiFi on many of its continental North American flights, keeping you connected even if the US is on the itinerary. The company will outfit 29 aircraft with internet access between May and the end of 2014, and 130 narrow-body models should get online by December 2015. The initial service will stick with Gogo's regular (that is, fairly slow) cellular-based technology, but Air Canada will be testing advanced satellite broadband from both Gogo and Inmarsat next year.
Gogo planning 70 Mbps WiFi on transatlantic flights
If low-speed airline WiFi has you stuck playing Words with Friends, streaming Netflix on an international flight might seem a distant dream. Gogo is aiming to make it happen soon, though, with its new 2Ku technology that promises 70 Mbps peak internet speeds -- seven times what it can do now. It works via a system of Ku-band and satellite antennas, similar to the GTO tech that'll soon be used for North American flights. On top of the improved WiFi speeds, that'll also bring better access in remote areas and airline fuel savings thanks to lower drag. Trials begin soon on international launch partner Japan Airlines, with a full-scale launch starting in mid-2015.
Make 'business connections' with Virgin America's new in-flight social network ;)
Haven't had much luck buying alluring strangers a drink on your last few Virgin America flights? What you need, my friend, is a service to expand your circle of potential prospects and make the in-flight connection you deserve. At least that's what the airline must be thinking with its announcement of the "first-ever" in-flight social network, developed with Gogo Wifi and the Here on Biz geo-location app. Once you've downloaded Here on Biz from the App Store (sorry, no Android types need apply) and connect through Gogo, the service lets you register via Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter to contact fellow travelers at the gate, on your plane and even on other Virgin America flights. But don't think the social network is all about helping you get lucky at 35,000 feet (the sexy skies are the furthest thing from Richard Branson's mind, after all); Virgin America says the service is targeted at business travelers who want to "take advantage of downtime in-flight to build or renew their professional connections." It's unclear, though, whether Virgin will claim rights to any startup ideas hatched on board.
Gogo's in-flight WiFi network is now available in Canada
Clue's in the headline, really.
Join us at Engadget Live in San Francisco this Thursday!
While December brings no shortage of events to attend in the City by the Bay, we're hosting one of our own, minus the mistletoe. This Thursday, we're bringing Engadget Live to Temple Nightclub in the heart of San Francisco. Engadget Live is a casual gathering that brings gadget lovers and tech brands together under one roof. We'll have some of the biggest names in technology on hand for you to interact with, including Nokia, Slingbox, TiVo, Gogo and many more. Western Digital is even bringing its Creative Masters, Mikel Paris, to perform throughout the night. Since we'll be at a nightclub, we're setting up a few themed lounges for you to explore. In one, our friends from the CEA (who put on that little shindig in Vegas called CES) will show off the latest in UHD TVs. In another, Chevrolet will help you #FindNewRoads. And in yet another, Sony will be on hand and letting you go hands-on with the PS4. The best part about Engadget Live is the cover charge: $0. Temple is close to BART and Caltrain, so getting there from any part of the Bay Area should be simple. Grab your ticket here and we'll see you there on Thursday night beginning at 7:00 PM.
Gogo Text & Talk lets you send texts and make calls in-flight, using your own phone number (hands-on)
It's not as if in-flight calling is a novel idea: Numerous airlines have given it a shot, and the US government has emphatically put the kibosh on it. Until now, however, making voice calls from 30,000 feet has often required that airlines retrofit their aircraft with additional equipment -- a costly investment that invariably gets passed down to passengers. In the case of Gogo's forthcoming Text & Talk service, though, customers will be able to make voice calls and send text messages using the same in-flight WiFi service they already use for web surfing. Additionally, Gogo has inked agreements with 200-plus carriers worldwide, which means you'll be able to use your own phone number in the air and simply "roam" onto Gogo's WiFi network. Unfortunately, it's still unclear when the service will roll out, how much it will cost or which airlines will offer it. One thing's for sure, though: Gogo doesn't expect any US airlines to support voice calls. In fact, says a company rep, the service might be called "Gogo Text" here in the states, with nary a mention of "talking." The only catch -- if you can call it that -- is that to use the service, you'll need to download Gogo's free Text & Talk app (available for iOS and Android) before you take off. Additionally, you'll need to register your phone number while you're on the ground and still have access to your regular service provider -- basically, Gogo and your carrier need to do a virtual handshake and confirm that you are, in fact, a customer on that network. It's a quick and easy setup process, as the screenshots below can attest; it's just not something you can do impulsively mid-flight.
Daily Update for November 6, 2013
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Gogo goes international, to provide Japan Airlines domestic in-flight WiFi
Gogo, the company known for providing barely usable internet at exorbitant prices on United States domestic and (some) international flights, is partnering with Japan Airlines to bring its service abroad. A small expansion to be sure, but a notable one: it marks Gogo's first expansion of service to a foreign country. The partnership will provide WiFi to 77 planes in Japan, and Gogo says it'll be the faster Ku-satellite variety. Don't bust out your WiFi-required devices about JAL flights just yet, though, as the service won't go live until some time in Summer 2014. And who even knows what the world will look like by then? Maybe Elon Musk's Hyperloop will be realized and airlines will seem little more than novelty. Probably not, but maybe.
Daily Roundup: McLaren's futuristic P1 'hypercar,' Moto X price drop, Scentee hands-on and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
We have a winner in our Gogo High Above sweepstakes and more tickets to give away
We're excited to crown the winner of our Gogo "High Above" sweepstakes, and his name is David Simkins. He will be heading out to Chicago first, where he'll hop aboard "Gogo One," the private laboratory that Gogo uses to test out the latest inflight wireless technology. We'll be with him on this journey to Engadget Expand in New York City. Bummed out that you didn't win? We're still ready to give out a treasure trove of tickets to Engadget Expand, being held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on November 9th and 10th. We'll be giving away 50 passes to the event (valued at $30). For a chance to be one of those 50 lucky people heading to Expand for free, enter our giveaway using the widget below. a Rafflecopter giveaway
Hitch a ride to Engadget Expand aboard Gogo's private jet
The team at Gogo is flying high lately both in the sky and on the ground thanks to its new hybrid GTO technology, which brings in-air download speeds up to 60 Mbps. To test the future of in-flight WiFi, Gogo uses the "Gogo One," a flying laboratory that comes outfitted with some pretty intense equipment.
Gogo Vision teams up with Magnolia Pictures to offer films in-flight before theatrical release
High speed web browsing and airborne streaming make Gogo an essential element of any tech obsessed traveler's itinerary, but the company thinks it can offer a little more. Today the firm announced a deal with Magnolia Pictures that will put select films on its Gogo Vision VOD service before they hit theaters. Starting next month, passengers will be able to rent The Last Days On Mars and Best Man Down for the usual $3.99 fee, the former of which will be available a full month ahead of its theatrical release. While these inaugural films probably won't break any box office records, the influx of fresh, early access content will certainly be a boon for fliers who forgot to bring a book. So, flying anywhere next month? Skip past the break for a peek at your November viewing options.
Gogo's hybrid GTO technology bringing 60Mbps download capability to airlines in 2014
In a way, in-flight WiFi still seems like the future. It's the internet, in the air, while traveling at 30,000+ feet. Clearly, just having access isn't good enough, as a smattering of opponents have stepped into a segment long dominated by Gogo with snazzier, satellite-based alternatives. Over the past few years, ViaSat has stepped up in an effort to offer flyers something that Gogo's existing services won't: streaming video. While Gogo's air-to-ground network is great for latency, it struggles with bandwidth, as anyone on a crowded flight from JFK to SFO will likely attest. Today, Gogo has taken the wraps off of GTO (Ground to Orbit), described as a hybrid technology that will be "capable of delivering more than 60Mbps to the aircraft." For those keeping score, that's a 20-fold increase from where Gogo started just a few years ago. We spoke to a company representative leading up to the reveal, who confirmed that GTO is a proprietary offering, and will lean on satellites for the downlink while using existing ground-based transceivers for the uplink. For users, that means that latency will remain low, uploads will remain sluggish, and downloads will improve dramatically. Gogo points out that precious little will need to change for airlines to take advantage; there's a new antenna, which is actually half as large as the existing one, but most everything else will remain the same. Virgin America will be the launch partner of the new service, which is expected to be available in the second half of 2014; we asked if any other airlines were onboard beyond that, but were left to make assumptions for ourselves.
Engadget Giveaway: win one of two ChromeBook Pixels, courtesy of Gogo!
The ChromeBook Pixel is a stunningly beautiful piece of machinery. With costs ranging from $1,300 to $1,500, however, it means you're shelling out even more than most standard ultrabooks and laptops. It also comes with 12 free Gogo passes and a full terabyte of Google Drive storage to sweeten the deal, fortunately, but who wants to buy a computer of any kind when you can win one instead? Gogo's hooking two lucky readers up with a 64GB LTE Chromebook Pixel (this particular model is valued at $1,500), so this is one giveaway you'll definitely want to sign up for. You can grab up to three entries: you get two just for showing up, and the third is yours if you Like Gogo on Facebook. Head to the widget below and take a chance! Winners: Congratulations to Jake S. of Cleveland, OH and Alex M. of Vista, CA for winning the ChromeBook Pixels!
FCC proposes boosted in-flight WiFi speed with 14GHz spectrum by 2020
The FCC released a report yesterday detailing plans to free up 500 megahertz of spectrum, in an effort to supercharge our nation's ground-to-air mobile broadband infrastructure. The proposed spectrum would fall within the 14.0-14.5 GHz band, which is currently utilized for satellite uplinks. The FCC references an earlier Qualcomm proposal, which suggests data speeds of 300 gigabits per second with refreshed equipment operating over the new spectrum. With that bandwidth, all of the 15,000 WiFi-equipped aircraft that are estimated to be operating by 2021 would be able to offer significantly improved performance for passengers, and at a much lower cost. Based on verbiage in the report, the FCC's proposed date of 2020 sounds ambitious -- even with the agency completing "a great deal of ongoing work," it could be a decade before we can take advantage of gigabit connections from 37,000 feet in the air. Gogo's next-gen system and ViaSat's promised satellite rollout should be hitting planes before 2013 is through, however, delivering notable improvements of their own.
BlackBerry Z10 users can Gogo to Delta for free in-flight WiFi
Dangling WiFi-carrot meet your BlackBerry-made stick: the Z10. Perhaps because its user base has traditionally courted strong enterprise support -- a lot that typically overlaps with the jet set -- BlackBerry's offering an incentive to adopters of its BB 10 pearl, granting gratis Gogo-powered internet access for all domestic Delta flights. The best part? Latching onto that free WiFi is as simple as logging in and firing up the browser on your Z10 when it's "safe to use your electronic devices." Will this tip your hand and get you to switch to BB 10? Probably not, but it's the sort of pot sweetening that should keep BlackBerry's (moneyed) customers around for the long-haul. [Thanks, Jared]
iOS tops among airline passengers
Gogo, the in-flight internet provider for when you're cruising at 37,000 feet, says iOS devices are by far the most prolific users of its service. According to Gogo's blog, tablets and smartphones account for 67 percent of the devices connecting to its service, and laptops account for the remaining 33 percent. Of those tablets and smartphones, 84 percent of them are iOS devices, with the iPad being the most popular. If you only look at the smartphones, the iPhone accounts for 73 percent. Gogo notes Safari as the number one browser used, followed by Internet Explorer and then Chrome. Comparing Apple to Android, Gogo says that in 2011 Apple had a 98.6 percent share, while Android trailed behind with the remaining 3.2 percent. However, so far in 2013, Android has significantly increased its hold to 16 percent, but Apple's still king of the skies at 84 percent. If you're a frequent flyer, you may want to check out Gogo's easy to use app. For the infographic and all the details, check out Gogo's blog here.
American Airlines brings Gogo's Ku-band, ATG-4 internet to latest A320 and 737 aircraft
If you wind up cruising in one of American Airlines latest airliners, you'll likely be pleased with the WiFi that's also onboard. Gogo recently announced that its Ku-band satellite and peppy ATG-4 internet connectivity will be available on AA's latest Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 deliveries. The mixture ensures you'll be able to get online whether you're over the seas or the connected ground below. You'll find more info in the press release after the break, and expect it all to be available before the earlier part of this year flies by.
FCC streamlines rules for aircraft broadband, promotes widespread in-flight WiFi
The Federal Communications Commission adopted a Report and Order today that updated regulatory requirements needed to provide broadband services on aircraft. In short, the commission has designated Earth Stations Aboard Aircraft -- the broadband modules placed on the exterior of aircraft -- as a licensed application and established a set regulatory process for future providers. What this means is that airlines will be able to select FCC-approved systems, verify that systems don't interfere with aircraft instruments, and obtain FAA approval in about half the time it takes now. The new FCC guidelines should make it easier for smaller airlines to install WiFi on their jets, allowing them to catch up to legacy carriers with nearly fleetwide internet access. This news might also be a mixed blessing for frequent flyers, some of whom see flying as the last bastion of peace in an otherwise connected world.
Engadget tours Gogo's flying test plane, tries its improved ATG-4 in-flight WiFi (hands-on)
Gogo's test plane isn't your typical jet: it seats just nine passengers, and there's no bathroom; just a closet in the back stacked with networking gear. The company, easily the biggest name in in-flight WiFi, uses the aircraft as a flying lab, where it can test everything from throughput speeds to the log-in experience. It's a small plane that flies out of a small airfield, Aurora Municipal Airport in Illinois, and it's normally just Gogo staffers onboard. Today, the company invited a few reporters aboard to test its newest air-to-ground WiFi service, ATG-4. As you can imagine, newer means faster: ATG-4 is rated for max download speeds of 9.8 Mbps, up from 3.1 Mbps with the last-gen service. It also helps that video streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and HBO Go are now blocked, which should ensure that no one person abuses his WiFi privileges. As it happens, ATG-4 is already live on approximately 40 planes run by US Airways, Delta and Virgin America. (United has said it plans to introduce the service on select flights in the first half of 2013.) In theory, then, the best way to test ATG-4's performance might be to slip unnoticed onto a commercial flight, and see what it's like to share bandwidth with 20 other people. What's neat about the Gogo test plane, though, is that it can toggle back and forth between ATG and ATG-4, making it easier to compare performance between the two. What's more, though the test plane seats nine, Gogo is able to simulate a crowded flight, with 20 to 30 passengers attempting to use the internet at once. After 90 minutes of flying over Illinois and Missouri, we've got some first-hand impressions and also some pics, if aviation porn is your cup of tea. Read on for more.
