JFK
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Two men allegedly hacked JFK's taxi dispatch system with Russian help
The two men from Queens have been arrested for hacking into JFK's taxi dispatch system with the help of Russian nationals.
British Airways is testing autonomous electric wheelchairs at JFK
The next time you fly out of JFK, you may notice a self-driving wheelchair race past you as you make your way to your departure gate. British Airways shared today that it has been testing "autonomous mobility devices" at the country's sixth-busiest airport to see how they can help passengers with accessibility needs.
Uber Copter’s $200 trips to JFK are now available to everyone (updated)
After a limited launch this past summer, Uber plans to open up its John F. Kennedy International Airport helicopter shuttle service to more people. Starting today, October 3rd, you won't need to be an Uber Rewards member to check out Uber Copter, reports Reuters.
New York's JFK airport will screen luggage with a CT scanner
Some passengers traveling through JFK airport will soon have the contents of their luggage examined through a CT scanner. American Airlines has donated eight of the machines to the TSA, one of which has been installed at JFK, and it's expected to be put into operation in JFK's Terminal 8 security checkpoint later this month. By opting for a CT scanner over the traditional x-ray machines, TSA agents would be able to see contents more clearly and be able to rotate images of passengers' luggage 360 degrees. "What it's capable of doing is detecting a wider range of explosives, which is very important, [as well as] a much lower weight of explosives," TSA Administrator David Pekoske told CBS News. "They're just much better at detection, so you really get better security faster, essentially."
The FAA just tested an FBI drone-finding system at JFK
Airports are getting more worried about civilian drones wandering into commercial airspace. While the object that struck a plane landing at Heathrow last month was almost certainly not a drone, security experts fear that unmanned aircraft loitering near airports could get sucked into an engine and bring down a whole plane. After multiple near-misses at JFK in the last two years, the FAA borrowed an FBI drone detection system and field-tested it at the international airport last week.
Solar Impulse ends cross-country US flight slightly early in NY due to torn left wing
Solar Impulse has successfully hopped its way across the US, completing the final leg of its journey from Washington Dulles International Airport. While today marks the end of the effort at New York's JFK airport as expected, the solar-powered aircraft landed a roughly three hours early -- this, due to an eight-foot tear in its left wing discovered over Toms River, New Jersey. According to the crew, the breakage posed no significant threat to pilot André Borschberg, but it did mean a planned fly-by of the Statue of Liberty had to be nixed. If you'll recall, this was the first US-based trip for Solar Impulse, which the team used largely to raise further awareness about energy efficiency. Aside from that, you can bet some extra publicity can't hurt before a future model is set to make a flight across the world in 2015. Relive Solar Impulse's Across America start at Mountain View, CA here and get more info about the full endeavor at the source link. Livestream wrap-up embedded after the break.
Liquidware team crafts laser tripwire that tweets intruder alerts, keeps fake sharks at bay (video)
Laser tripwire security systems can be expensive propositions that don't always work as planned -- just ask Raytheon, which saw its $100 million Perimeter Intrusion Detection System for JFK International Airport undermined by one wayward jet skier. Taking that as a form of dare, Justin Huynh and teammates at Liquidware have devised a much cheaper (if also much smaller) tripwire of their own. Any interruption of a laser pointer's beam is caught by an Arduino light sensor that promptly sends the alert to an Android-running BeagleBoard xM; if a toy like Bruce the shark dares cross the line, the BeagleBoard sends a Twitter message to let the authorities, or at least Huynh, clamp down on the trespasser. The invention won't replace Raytheon's handiwork anytime soon, although Huynh notes that additional or more powerful sensors could theoretically catch real, muscle-bound sharks and not just their plastic counterparts. The supply checklist and source code are waiting on the company's project page below, so those who'd like to ward off miniature invasions can get started today.
July 12th, 1962: the day two continents smiled at each other
We'd probably all agree the Internet is the real revolution of the modern era, but today marks an older, parallel milestone that also brims with significance. On July 10th, 1962 -- back when JFK fretted over Russian missiles in Cuba and Bob Dylan sang In My Time of Dying -- NASA pelted the Telstar 1 satellite out into orbit, following a team effort by AT&T, Bell Labs and the British and French post offices. Two days later, the world's first transatlantic TV signal made its way from Maine to Brittany, via a quick stop-over in the heavens, and a new age of international communication was born. Kennedy forgot his troubles for a moment to tidy his hair and grin at France, who replied with a chirpy performance by Yves Montand. It didn't last long: Telstar 1 gave up its spherical ghost after just a few months and 400 transmissions, but by then, of course, the message had been delivered.
Customer service avatars coming to JFK, La Guardia, Newark airports (video)
When you're running late, you're weighed-down with DIY in-flight entertainment and your gate number gets switched at the last minute, the last thing you need is a real-life human trying to be helpful. The Port Authority knows that, which is why it's promising to install "computerized, hologram-like avatars" in La Guardia, Newark and JFK terminal buildings by early July. The virtual assistants aren't actually holographic -- judging from the video after the break (courtesy of Transportation Nation), they appear to consist of either projected or LCD video displayed on a vaguely human-shaped static board, although given their reported $250,000 price tag we might (hopefully) be missing something. Oh, and they aren't even interactive, unless you try to push them over. [Photo Credit: Jim O'Grady/WNYC]
Xcom Global opens international MiFi rental / service center in New York City
Serving jetsetters at LAX just wasn't enough for Xcom Global. Engadget's personal favorite when it comes to snagging international data before leaving the States is now opening up shop in the Big Apple -- a wise move for increasing its presence in a market where loads of humans are doing business in nations other than the United States. Xcom's calling its new venue a "satellite customer service center," enabling flyers to swing by before they depart JFK (or LGA, we guess) and pick up a global MiFi. Rather than being positioned within an airport, this one's located near Grand Central Station at the offices of Amnet New York on Madison Avenue, and in case you've forgotten, $12.95 per day (and up) can snag you a wireless data device capable of connecting in some 195 countries. Oh, and you can return the device to the same store or via your carrier of choice. Still trying to wrap your head around it? Have a look at our review.
JFK Historymaker: an iOS biography app for the 35th President
JFK Historymaker (US$4.99) from MultiEducator, Inc. is an extensive and comprehensive multimedia biography app for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. The amount of information is massive and includes 250 photos, 200 full text documents and 25 videos chronicling the life of John F. Kennedy, the United States' 35th president. In structure, it's very similar to an earlier app from the same company about the Civil War. Both apps have many positive attributes, but also quite a few nagging problems. The design of the app lets you easily get to and keep track of information. With its larger screen, viewing it on an iPad is far more satisfying since, in landscape mode, there is always a menu on the left side of the screen that shows the categories and sub-categories of information. On the right of the screen is the content. The menu isn't there in portrait mode, but tapping on a menu button makes it appear. In the iPhone version, all you see is the menu; tapping on an item brings up the content, making things more difficult to navigate. The menu items contain distinctive icons that let you know if the item contains a video, photo, audio file or text. A list of Recent places is kept, and anything can be marked as a Favorite so that you can build your own list of interests. Everything but videos can be sent to email as well. Text and photos can be pinched or stretched, which really comes in handy on a small screen. Organization is important in this type of app, since there are around 35 topic-oriented categories that range from JFK's early life to his assassination. Within each category is a sub-menu that lists the content. Tapping on an item brings up the text, photo, video or audio. It sounds complicated, but after a few minutes of using it, I could easily get anywhere quite quickly, and saving Recents and Favorites made it even easier. There is a button letting you go back to the last category; in the unlikely event you did get lost, there is a Contents button that will bring you back to the main menu. On the iPad there is also a search box to get you to the right place. Categories are grouped well and break everything down to bite-sized topics, such as Civil Rights, Bay of Pigs, The Navy and so on. Many categories start with an overview then drill down to an in-depth discussion of the topic. Under that are all the supporting items. A great deal of the text is comprised of transcripts of speeches, minutes of meetings and scanned documents, including JFK's report card from the Canterbury School in 1930. (He wasn't a terrific student.) When looking at anything other than a video, there is an Info button on the iPad or a tab on the iPhone to get specific information on what is being viewed. %Gallery-118371%
Delta's JFK terminal goes iPad crazy
Back in the day, it was not uncommon to sit down in a booth at a diner and find a box with lists of songs that you could browse and play back through the jukebox. Fast forward to 2010, and the Delta Airlines terminal at New York City's John F. Kennedy airport. With most people carrying a jukebox in their pocket, eateries like Croque Madame have installed Apple iPads in the booths that allow travelers to place food orders, check their email or read the news while waiting for their connection. OTG Management is installing as many as 200 iPads in the Delta JFK terminal and plans to do the same at LaGuardia soon as well. Since travelers typically have limited time before they have to catch flights, OTG isn't implementing any time limits, but hopefully they are putting some sort of anti-bacterial, anti-grease screen protectors on the tablets. Considering how many people go through major airports, using a touch-dependent device like the iPad in an area where people are eating probably isn't for the germophobic. [Via Engadget]
Delta's JFK terminal now home to 200 iPads, a few more enticing eateries
America can't say that it wasn't sniped by Malaysia Airlines when it comes to having iPads in the airport, but we'll take late over never any day of the week. New York's JFK airport is now home to 200 iPad tablets, all of which are located within Delta's terminal. They're being installed in cooperation with OTG Management, mostly in eateries -- "Croque Madame, a French restaurant at Gates 21 and 22 in Terminal 2; and Bar Brace, a casual Italian restaurant at Gate 15 in Terminal 3." As you'd expect, customers can order food from the iPad in order to have it delivered directly to them. It lacks that certain Sonic Drive-In appeal, but the ability to also use the iPad to check your email, have a look at the latest sports scores and attempt to jailbreak it for the next patron more than compensates. OTG doesn't plan to put a time limit on the usage here (you'll still need to make your connecting flight, remember?), and it's hoping to engage in a similar installation over at LaGuardia in due time. No word on whether these things will censor any and all Google searches on "uncomfortable TSA pat-downs," though.
British Airways announces limited in-flight cell use, let the parties commence
British Airways has announced they'll start offering limited in-flight cell phone use on flights from London to JFK. Passengers will be allowed to send text messages and use data, but not to make actual calls (thankfully -- because we all know how annoying that would be). Several other airlines have launched similar trials, including bmi and Qantas -- which has announced they will allow usage for all passengers on domestic flights --while Dubai's Emirates airline actually allows mobile voice calls on its domestic flights. The British Airways trials are set to start sometime this fall on its business-class only flights. Seriously, guys -- can you make it any more clear that you can't stand the sight of us proles?[Via Mobile Burn]
Warner bringing 300 (again), JFK and Casablanca to Blu-ray this fall
Blu-ray 300 fans should finally experience those HD DVD-exclusive bonus features, since Warner has announced a Limited Collector's Edition release of the best seller this fall, along with JFK and Casablanca. Also notched in the "confirmed" column is Band of Brothers, although there's no word if any/all of these flicks will be among those getting the BD-Live treatment. We'll keep an eye out for any new announcements, as much as we enjoy watching people getting booted into a bottomless pit, we're not sure if rehashed PiP and ringtones alone will have buyers reaching into their pockets again.
Passenger planes at JFK to be outfitted with anti-missile systems
Hey, we try our best to be as paranoid as the next guy, but we confess we were caught a little off guard by this one. US Department of Homeland Security folks announced yesterday that three American Airline passenger planes that frequent JFK airport are going to be set up with anti-missile systems in a test run to see if they'd be effective in helping to prevent a terrorist shooting down a jet with a shoulder-fired missile. It's step three in a government-mandated program to determine the suitability of such systems, which involve radar jammers to throw ground-fired missiles off course. The tests are to determine if the jamming system works in real-time conditions, and what sort of sustained costs of maintenance will be required, but all actual tests of the technology have already been performed on non-passenger jets, so it appears no actual missile-firing will be required. Oh come on, you know you were thinking it.[Thanks, Brett]
Dealey Plaza, JFK assassination site, recreated in Second Life
A press release on PRWeb informs us that Dealey Plaza, the scene of the crime for President John F. Kennedy's shooting, has been reconstructed as a virtual environment in Second Life. It was created by Jason Baird of Avatar Promotions in the hopes that people would visit and pose theories to each other as to the reasons for the former president's untimely death, and so that those who aren't able to go to the actual site in person will be able to experience it in some form.But it isn't just the environment itself that has been recreated -- on the anniversary of the shooting, there will be a re-enactment of the assassination. This sounds a bit like one of those interactive history-museum displays. Due to the population limits within the simulation, this event will be invite-only for around 40 people. If anything, it's a novel idea and worth checking out if you already play SL. You can get there by searching for Dealey Plaza Dallas within SL, or from a link on Avatar Promotions' JFK page.
