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Thales, Panasonic demo Android-based in-flight entertainment systems (video)
Never heard of Thales? Consider yourself schooled. Thales has been kicking the tires in the in-flight entertainment market for over a decade now, but there's no question that its latest innovation is the one that could take it the next level. Shown recently in Long Beach, the Touch Passenger Media Unit (TouchPMU) is one of the most intriguing uses of Android yet. The idea here is to use the 3.8-inch handset / controller in order to both view content and control what's happening on one's headrest television. The control itself is powered by an ARM Cortex processor and sports a capacitive touchpanel (800 x 480 resolution), support for Flash and 3D graphics. There's no telling when this stuff will actually be available on commercial flights (or when legacy airlines will ditch their World War II-era fleet), but it's safe to say that we're eager and ready for the future. Oh, and just in case anyone at Thales felt like resting on their laurels, it seems that Panasonic also has an Android-based IFEC system that it's showcasing, and a video of that just so happens to be waiting after the break.
