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Seatback consoles
- Linux-based with Tiny X
- VA developed Red in-flight interface
- 9-inch integrated touchscreen
- 1024 x 600 resolution (oh, so close to HD! but not quite)
- Dual internal flash drives for redundant storage of embedded OS
- One USB port and one ethernet port per seat
- USB can be used with a portable keyboard on seatback console (or to charge your device)
- Ethernet hooks you into a LAN with the rest of the passengers
- Two 110v outlets per 3-seat row (and one per seat in first class)
- Dual 802.11b WiFi access points in cabin (fore and aft)
- Sprint EV-DO uplink (for ground communications)
- Yet-unannounced in-air broadband uplink
- LED mood lighting throughout the craft
- Send email and SMS messages from your seat console
- In-cabin chats, either private (one on one), group (by invite), or common (whole plane)
- Dedicated chat rooms for each channel to discuss what's on TV
- Send food and beverage orders (and pay) directly from your console
- Galley inventory lists are transmitted wirelessly when the plane is stocked; customers are prompted when their order cannot be fulfilled due to no remaining inventory
- Streaming pay-per-view movies from on-board media server
- Over 3,000 MP3 tunes stored in on-board media server; persistent play lists (i.e. the playlist you make online or in your seat will follow you to future flights)
- Dish live TV with in-flight program guide
- Games! Open source titles (including Doom); VA will host an open source game dev competition, the best games will be added to the playable titles list.
- One system controller
- Three Dish receiver / tuner boxes
- Three redundant storage arrays for streaming audio and video -- during flight data (including CC transactions) is written only to encrypted flash
- Flight attendants can monitor traffic spikes from bandwidth-greedy users
- Seats 149 passengers (eight in first class)
- Lavatories have their own soundtrack, kind of like those chic hotels
- Prices should be "competitive" with some budget airlines
- Expected to take flight this summer (US Dept. of Transportation approval pending)